Enrollment
657
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Des Moines, IA
Merrill Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Merrill Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 190897000561
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 5
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Merrill Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #7 of 10
- middle schools in Des Moines · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.3:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 38.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Merrill Middle School has class sizes larger than 90% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Merrill Middle School ranks #7 of 10 middle schools in Des Moines, IA.
School address
District: Des Moines Independent Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190897000561 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.3:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.0%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Merrill Middle School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Merrill Middle School
Merrill Middle School is a large middle school in Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling 657 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.3:1 is larger than about 90% of Iowa schools and 24% above the 14.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 38.0% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 90% of state schools at 657 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 208 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #185, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (59%) and African American (16%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 329 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Des Moines's middle schools, it stands alongside Weeks Middle School (688 students): Merrill Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.3:1 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 Merrill 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 Merrill Middle School compares
Merrill 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 | 18.3:1 | ▲ 24% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.0% | ▲ 4% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 657 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.3:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
657
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.3:1
students per teacher
- 24% above state mean
Top 90% in Iowa - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
38.1%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 329 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
24
in-school suspensions + 89 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.2 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
White 58.8%
African American 15.8%
Hispanic or Latino 13.2%
Two or More 8.4%
Asian 3.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 58.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.4, Merrill 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 Merrill 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 Merrill Middle 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 | Similar 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Merrill 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
Mccombs Middle School
Standard public school
670 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Meredith Middle School
Standard public school
662 students 14.1:1 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 (~657 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Merrill Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Merrill 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 Merrill Middle School
How many students attend Merrill Middle School?
Merrill Middle School has 657 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Des Moines, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Merrill Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Merrill Middle School is 18.3:1, which is 24% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Merrill Middle School?
38.0% of students at Merrill Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Merrill Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Merrill Middle School is White at 58.8% of enrollment, in Des Moines, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Merrill Middle School?
Merrill Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Merrill Middle School rank among middle schools in Des Moines?
By Resource Investment Index, Merrill Middle School ranks #7 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 Merrill Middle School a good school?
Merrill Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% 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 Merrill 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.