Enrollment
436
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Des Moines, IA
Carver Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Carver Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 190897001596
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 13
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Carver Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 71% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #32 of 34
- elementary schools in Des Moines · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.5:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 87.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Carver Elementary has class sizes smaller than 71% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Carver Elementary ranks #32 of 34 elementary schools in Des Moines, IA.
School address
District: Des Moines Independent Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190897001596 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.5:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
87.9%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+141% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Carver Elementary compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Carver Elementary
Carver Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling 436 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 87.9% of students qualify for free meals, 141% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 436 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 34 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #31, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (60%) and African American (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 436 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Des Moines's elementary schools, it stands alongside Brubaker Elementary School (622 students): Carver Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.5:1 vs 12:1).
Des Moines Independent Comm School District also operates Lincoln High School (2,364 students) and Roosevelt High School (2,051 students) alongside Carver Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Carver Elementary compares
Carver Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.5:1 | ▼ 16% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 87.9% | ▲ 141% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 436 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.5:1
Leaner classes than 71% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
436
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
87.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 141% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.5:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 29% in Iowa - lower ratio than 71% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
42.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$14,308
per pupil, district-wide
- above Iowa avg of $12,854
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 436 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
13
in-school suspensions + 25 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 59.6%
African American 22.0%
White 7.1%
Two or More 6.0%
Asian 4.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 59.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.6, Carver Elementary is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Des Moines Independent Comm School District, which includes Carver Elementary.
$14,308
Per student
+11%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.4%
State 56.2%
Federal 14.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Carver Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hoover High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Carver Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,364
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,051
- Students per teacher
- 31.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,952
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,428
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 898
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in Des Moines
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Brubaker Elementary School
Standard public school
622 students 12:1 students per teacher
Studebaker Elementary School
Standard public school
561 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Garton Elementary
Standard public school
535 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Morris Elementary School
Standard public school
519 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
River Woods Elementary School
Standard public school
493 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Jackson Elementary School
Standard public school
490 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Iowa, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~436 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Carver Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Carver Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Des Moines Independent Comm School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Carver Elementary
How many students attend Carver Elementary?
Carver Elementary has 436 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Des Moines, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Carver Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Carver Elementary is 12.5:1, which is 16% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 20% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Carver Elementary?
87.9% of students at Carver Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Carver Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Carver Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 59.6% of enrollment, in Des Moines, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Carver Elementary?
Carver Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Carver Elementary rank among elementary schools in Des Moines?
By Resource Investment Index, Carver Elementary ranks #32 of 34 elementary schools in Des Moines, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Des Moines on the city page.
Is Carver Elementary a good school?
Carver Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 71% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Des Moines Independent Comm School District?
Besides Carver Elementary, Des Moines Independent Comm School District also operates Lincoln High School (2,364 students), Roosevelt High School (2,051 students), and East High School (1,952 students). See the Des Moines Independent Comm School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.