Enrollment
490
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Des Moines, IA
Jackson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Jackson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 190897000547
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 2
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jackson Elementary School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #34 of 34
- elementary schools in Des Moines · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.5:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 73.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Jackson Elementary School has class sizes larger than 87% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jackson Elementary School ranks #34 of 34 elementary schools in Des Moines, IA.
School address
District: Des Moines Independent Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190897000547 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
73.4%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+102% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Jackson Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Jackson Elementary School
Jackson Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling 490 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.5:1 is larger than about 87% of Iowa schools and 18% above the 14.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 73.4% of students qualify for free meals, 102% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 490 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 80 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #75, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (41%) and African American (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 490 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.4% 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): Jackson Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.5:1 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 Jackson 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 Jackson Elementary School compares
Jackson 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 | 17.5:1 | ▲ 18% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 73.4% | ▲ 102% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 490 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
490
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
73.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 102% 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
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 87% in Iowa - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
32.4%
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 490 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.9 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 40.6%
African American 21.8%
White 20.6%
Asian 11.2%
Two or More 5.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 40.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.0, Jackson 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 Jackson 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 Jackson Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School | Larger | Similar 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 Jackson 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
Perkins Elementary School
Standard public school
438 students 15.6:1 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 (~490 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jackson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Jackson 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 Jackson Elementary School
How many students attend Jackson Elementary School?
Jackson Elementary School has 490 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Des Moines, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jackson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Jackson Elementary School is 17.5:1, which is 18% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Jackson Elementary School?
73.4% of students at Jackson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jackson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Jackson Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 40.6% of enrollment, in Des Moines, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jackson Elementary School?
Jackson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower 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 Jackson Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Des Moines?
By Resource Investment Index, Jackson Elementary School ranks #34 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 Jackson Elementary School a good school?
Jackson Elementary School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% 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 Jackson 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.