Enrollment
670
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Des Moines, IA
Mccombs Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Mccombs Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 190897000557
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mccombs Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #6 of 10
- middle schools in Des Moines · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.6:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 76.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Mccombs Middle School has class sizes larger than 73% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mccombs Middle School ranks #6 of 10 middle schools in Des Moines, IA.
School address
District: Des Moines Independent Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190897000557 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.6:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.5%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+110% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mccombs Middle School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mccombs Middle School
Mccombs Middle School is a high-poverty, large middle school in Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling 670 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 76.5% of students qualify for free meals, 110% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 91% of state schools at 670 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 40 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #27.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (39%) and White (25%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 335 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 64.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 256 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 670 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Des Moines's middle schools, it stands alongside Weeks Middle School (688 students): Mccombs Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.6:1 vs 18.1:1).
Des Moines Independent Comm School District also operates Lincoln High School (2,364 students) and Roosevelt High School (2,051 students) alongside Mccombs Middle 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 Mccombs Middle School compares
Mccombs Middle 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 | 15.6:1 | ▲ 5% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.5% | ▲ 110% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 670 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.6:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
670
Bigger than 78% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
76.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 110% 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
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 73% in Iowa - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
64.0%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 335 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
135
in-school suspensions + 121 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 20.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 38.2 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 38.8%
White 25.4%
African American 22.8%
Asian 7.5%
Two or More 5.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 38.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.4, Mccombs Middle 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 Mccombs Middle 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 Mccombs Middle 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 | 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 Mccombs Middle 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 middle schools in Des Moines
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Weeks Middle School
Standard public school
688 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Meredith Middle School
Standard public school
662 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Merrill Middle School
Standard public school
657 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Brody Middle School
Standard public school
641 students 21.4:1 students per teacher
Harding Middle School
Standard public school
603 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Callanan Middle School
Standard public school
553 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Similar middle 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 (~670 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mccombs Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Mccombs Middle 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 Mccombs Middle School
How many students attend Mccombs Middle School?
Mccombs Middle School has 670 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Des Moines, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mccombs Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mccombs Middle School is 15.6:1, which is 5% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mccombs Middle School?
76.5% of students at Mccombs Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mccombs Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Mccombs Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 38.8% of enrollment, in Des Moines, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mccombs Middle School?
Mccombs Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Mccombs Middle School rank among middle schools in Des Moines?
By Resource Investment Index, Mccombs Middle School ranks #6 of 10 middle 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 middle schools in Des Moines on the city page.
Is Mccombs Middle School a good school?
Mccombs Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger 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 Mccombs Middle 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.