Enrollment
259
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Des Moines, IA
Edmunds Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Edmunds Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 190897000529
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Edmunds Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of Iowa schools.
- #13 of 34
- elementary schools in Des Moines · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.8:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 96.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Edmunds Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 88% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Edmunds Elementary School ranks #13 of 34 elementary schools in Des Moines, IA.
School address
District: Des Moines Independent Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190897000529 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.8:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
96.3%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+165% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Edmunds Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Edmunds Elementary School
Edmunds Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling 259 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.8:1, Edmunds Elementary School is leaner than roughly 88% of Iowa schools and 27% under the state's 14.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 96.3% of students qualify for free meals, 165% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 259 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Its student body is led by African American (72%) and Hispanic or Latino (14%) (diversity index 45/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 324 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.7% 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): Edmunds Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.8:1 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 Edmunds 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 Edmunds Elementary School compares
Edmunds 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 | 10.8:1 | ▼ 27% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 96.3% | ▲ 165% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 259 | top 62% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.8:1
Leaner classes than 84% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
259
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
96.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 165% 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
10.8:1
students per teacher
- 27% below state mean
Top 12% in Iowa - lower ratio than 88% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
36.7%
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
Counselors0.8 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
African American 72.2%
Hispanic or Latino 13.9%
White 7.3%
Two or More 3.5%
Asian 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 72.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.2, Edmunds 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 Edmunds 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 Edmunds Elementary School 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 | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hoover High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Edmunds 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 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 (~259 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Edmunds Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Edmunds 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 Edmunds Elementary School
How many students attend Edmunds Elementary School?
Edmunds Elementary School has 259 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Des Moines, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Edmunds Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Edmunds Elementary School is 10.8:1, which is 27% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 31% 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 Edmunds Elementary School?
96.3% of students at Edmunds Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Edmunds Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Edmunds Elementary School is African American at 72.2% of enrollment, in Des Moines, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Edmunds Elementary School?
Edmunds Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Edmunds Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Des Moines?
By Resource Investment Index, Edmunds Elementary School ranks #13 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 Edmunds Elementary School a good school?
Edmunds Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% 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 Edmunds 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.