Enrollment
1,428
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Des Moines, IA
North High School
Federal NCES profile for North High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 190897000566
👥 S:T ratio 14
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North High School earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa.
- #6 of 6
- high schools in Des Moines · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.6:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 78.6%
- free-lunch eligible
North High School has class sizes larger than 95% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North High School ranks #6 of 6 high schools in Des Moines, IA.
School address
District: Des Moines Independent Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190897000566 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
66.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.6:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+46% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
78.6%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+116% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North High School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at North High School
North High School is a high-poverty, large high school in Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling 1,428 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.6:1 is larger than about 95% of Iowa schools and 46% above the 14.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 78.6% of students qualify for free meals, 116% 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 98% of state schools at 1,428 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (39%) and African American (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 357 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 65.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Des Moines's high schools, it stands alongside Lincoln High School (2,364 students): North High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.6:1 vs 26.3:1).
Des Moines Independent Comm School District also operates Lincoln High School (2,364 students) and Roosevelt High School (2,051 students) alongside North High 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 North High School compares
North High 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 | 21.6:1 | ▲ 46% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.6% | ▲ 116% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,428 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.6:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,428
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
78.6%
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
21.6:1
students per teacher
- 46% above state mean
Top 95% in Iowa - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
65.4%
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 357 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
19
in-school suspensions + 105 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.7 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 38.7%
African American 23.9%
White 19.5%
Asian 10.9%
Two or More 5.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 38.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.0, North High School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Des Moines Independent Comm School District, which includes North High 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 North High 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hoover High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Weeks Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North High 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
- 898
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 688
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar high schools in Des Moines
5 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Lincoln High School
Standard public school
2,364 students 26.3:1 students per teacher
Roosevelt High School
Standard public school
2,051 students 31.1:1 students per teacher
East High School
Standard public school
1,952 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Hoover High School
Standard public school
898 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Saydel High School
Standard public school
458 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~1,428 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North High School's federal record.
- Compare North High 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 North High School
How many students attend North High School?
North High School has 1,428 students enrolled. It is a high school in Des Moines, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North High School?
The student-teacher ratio at North High School is 21.6:1, which is 46% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at North High School?
78.6% of students at North High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North High School?
The largest demographic group at North High School is Hispanic or Latino at 38.7% of enrollment, in Des Moines, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North High School?
North High School has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does North High School rank among high schools in Des Moines?
By Resource Investment Index, North High School ranks #6 of 6 high 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 high schools in Des Moines on the city page.
Is North High School a good school?
North High School earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa. 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 North High 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.