Enrollment
2,051
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Des Moines, IA
Roosevelt High School
Federal NCES profile for Roosevelt High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 190897000574
👥 S:T ratio 0
📚 AP courses 75
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 32
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Roosevelt High School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa.
- #2 of 6
- high schools in Des Moines · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 31.1:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 45.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Roosevelt High School has class sizes larger than 98% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Roosevelt High School ranks #2 of 6 high schools in Des Moines, IA.
School address
District: Des Moines Independent Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190897000574 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
66.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
31.1:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+110% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.4%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Roosevelt High School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Roosevelt High School
Roosevelt High School is a large high school in Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling 2,051 students.
Class loads run heavy: 31.1:1 is larger than about 98% of Iowa schools and 110% 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 45.4% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,051 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.
Against 18 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #11.
Its student body is led by White (42%) and African American (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 15 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 342 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Among Des Moines's high schools, it stands alongside Lincoln High School (2,364 students): Roosevelt High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (31.1:1 vs 26.3:1).
Des Moines Independent Comm School District also operates Lincoln High School (2,364 students) and East High School (1,952 students) alongside Roosevelt 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 Roosevelt High School compares
Roosevelt 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 | 31.1:1 | ▲ 110% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.4% | ▲ 25% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,051 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
31.1:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,051
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
31.1:1
students per teacher
- 110% above state mean
Top 98% in Iowa - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
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
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 342 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
38
in-school suspensions + 126 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.0 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 41.8%
African American 27.6%
Hispanic or Latino 17.9%
Two or More 8.8%
Asian 3.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 41.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.8, Roosevelt High School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 15
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Des Moines Independent Comm School District, which includes Roosevelt 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 Roosevelt High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| East High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North High School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hoover High School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Weeks Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Roosevelt 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
- 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
- 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
East High School
Standard public school
1,952 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
North High School
Standard public school
1,428 students 21.6:1 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 (~2,051 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~31.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Roosevelt High School's federal record.
- Compare Roosevelt 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 Roosevelt High School
How many students attend Roosevelt High School?
Roosevelt High School has 2,051 students enrolled. It is a high school in Des Moines, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Roosevelt High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Roosevelt High School is 31.1:1, which is 110% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 98% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Roosevelt High School?
45.4% of students at Roosevelt High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Roosevelt High School?
The largest demographic group at Roosevelt High School is White at 41.8% of enrollment, in Des Moines, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Roosevelt High School?
Roosevelt High School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Roosevelt High School rank among high schools in Des Moines?
By Resource Investment Index, Roosevelt High School ranks #2 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 Roosevelt High School a good school?
Roosevelt High School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% 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 Roosevelt High School, Des Moines Independent Comm School District also operates Lincoln High School (2,364 students), East High School (1,952 students), and North High School (1,428 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.