Enrollment
197
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Des Moines, IA
Downtown School
Federal NCES profile for Downtown School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 62/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 190897000232
👥 S:T ratio 58
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 56
📋 Attendance 63
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Downtown School earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 92% of Iowa schools.
- #1 of 34
- elementary schools in Des Moines · Resource Index
- 62
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10.4:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 18.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Downtown School has class sizes smaller than 92% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Downtown School ranks #1 of 34 elementary schools in Des Moines, IA.
School address
District: Des Moines Independent Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190897000232 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.4:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-30% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.1%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Downtown School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Downtown School
Downtown School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling 197 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.4:1, Downtown School is leaner than roughly 92% of Iowa schools and 30% under the state's 14.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 18.1% free-meal eligibility runs 50% below the Iowa average.
Enrollment of 197 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 94% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 223 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #18, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (68%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 219 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
14.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Des Moines's elementary schools, it stands alongside Brubaker Elementary School (622 students): Downtown School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.4:1 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 Downtown 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 Downtown School compares
Downtown 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 | 10.4:1 | ▼ 30% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.1% | ▼ 50% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 197 | top 77% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.4:1
Leaner classes than 87% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
197
Bigger than 19% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
10.4:1
students per teacher
- 30% below state mean
Top 8% in Iowa - lower ratio than 92% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
14.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
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
Counselors0.9 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.6 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 67.5%
Hispanic or Latino 13.2%
Two or More 9.6%
African American 8.1%
Asian 1.5%
Largest group: White at 67.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.1, Downtown 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 Downtown 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 Downtown 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 | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Downtown 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 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 (~197 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Downtown School's federal record.
- Compare Downtown 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 Downtown School
How many students attend Downtown School?
Downtown School has 197 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Des Moines, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Downtown School?
The student-teacher ratio at Downtown School is 10.4:1, which is 30% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 34% 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 Downtown School?
18.1% of students at Downtown School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Downtown School?
The largest demographic group at Downtown School is White at 67.5% of enrollment, in Des Moines, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Downtown School?
Downtown School has a Resource Investment Index of 62/100 (higher 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 Downtown School rank among elementary schools in Des Moines?
By Resource Investment Index, Downtown School ranks #1 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 Downtown School a good school?
Downtown School earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 92% 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 Downtown 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.