Enrollment
297
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Des Moines, IA
Howe Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Howe Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 190897000544
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Howe Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #23 of 34
- elementary schools in Des Moines · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.4:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 78.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Howe Elementary has class sizes smaller than 73% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Howe Elementary ranks #23 of 34 elementary schools in Des Moines, IA.
School address
District: Des Moines Independent Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190897000544 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.4:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
78.5%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+116% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Howe Elementary compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Howe Elementary
Howe Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling 297 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 78.5% of students qualify for free meals, 116% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 297 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.
Against 50 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #31.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (44%) and White (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 297 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.1% 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): Howe Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.4:1 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 Howe 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 Howe Elementary compares
Howe 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 | 12.4:1 | ▼ 16% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.5% | ▲ 116% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 297 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.4:1
Leaner classes than 72% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
297
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
78.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 116% 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
12.4:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 27% in Iowa - lower ratio than 73% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
47.1%
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 297 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
Hispanic or Latino 44.1%
White 22.9%
African American 20.5%
Asian 7.4%
Two or More 4.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 44.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.3, Howe 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 Howe 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 Howe 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 | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hoover High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Howe 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 (~297 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Howe Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Howe 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 Howe Elementary
How many students attend Howe Elementary?
Howe Elementary has 297 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Des Moines, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Howe Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Howe Elementary is 12.4:1, which is 16% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 21% 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 Howe Elementary?
78.5% of students at Howe Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Howe Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Howe Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 44.1% of enrollment, in Des Moines, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Howe Elementary?
Howe Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Howe Elementary rank among elementary schools in Des Moines?
By Resource Investment Index, Howe Elementary ranks #23 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 Howe Elementary a good school?
Howe Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% 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 Howe 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.