Enrollment
392
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Des Moines, IA
Cowles Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Cowles Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 190897002011
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 22
📋 Attendance 58
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cowles Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Iowa schools.
- #4 of 14
- schools in Des Moines · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.7:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 13.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Cowles Elementary School has class sizes larger than 91% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cowles Elementary School ranks #4 of 14 schools in Des Moines, IA.
School address
District: Des Moines Independent Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190897002011 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.7:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
13.0%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cowles Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cowles Elementary School
Cowles Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling 392 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.7:1 is larger than about 91% of Iowa schools and 26% above the 14.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 13.0% free-meal eligibility runs 64% below the Iowa average.
Enrollment of 392 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Among 226 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #169, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (79%) and Two or More (9%) (diversity index 36/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 392 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
16.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Des Moines's public schools, it stands alongside Cornell Elementary School (555 students): Cowles Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.7:1 vs 14.6:1).
Des Moines Independent Comm School District also operates Lincoln High School (2,364 students) and Roosevelt High School (2,051 students) alongside Cowles Elementary School.
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 Cowles Elementary School compares
Cowles Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.7:1 | ▲ 26% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 13.0% | ▼ 64% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 392 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.7:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
392
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
13.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 64% below the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.7:1
students per teacher
- 26% above state mean
Top 91% in Iowa - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
16.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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 392 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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
White 78.8%
Two or More 9.2%
Hispanic or Latino 7.7%
Asian 3.1%
African American 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 78.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.4, Cowles Elementary School 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 Cowles Elementary School.
$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 Cowles Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hoover High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cowles Elementary School'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 other schools in Des Moines
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Cornell Elementary School
Standard public school
555 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Clive Learning Academy
Standard public school
551 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Capitol View Elementary School
Standard public school
533 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Moulton Elementary School
Standard public school
465 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Delaware Elementary
Standard public school
440 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Virtual Campus
Standard public school
380 students 10:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~392 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cowles Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Cowles Elementary School 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 Cowles Elementary School
How many students attend Cowles Elementary School?
Cowles Elementary School has 392 students enrolled. It is a public school in Des Moines, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cowles Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cowles Elementary School is 18.7:1, which is 26% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 19% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cowles Elementary School?
13.0% of students at Cowles Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cowles Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Cowles Elementary School is White at 78.8% of enrollment, in Des Moines, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cowles Elementary School?
Cowles Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Cowles Elementary School rank among schools in Des Moines?
By Resource Investment Index, Cowles Elementary School ranks #4 of 14 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 schools in Des Moines on the city page.
Is Cowles Elementary School a good school?
Cowles Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of 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 Cowles Elementary School, 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.