Enrollment
109
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Des Moines, IA
Ruby Van Meter
Federal NCES profile for Ruby Van Meter, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 190897002260
👥 S:T ratio 84
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ruby Van Meter earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #8 of 14
- schools in Des Moines · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 3.9:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 59.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Ruby Van Meter has class sizes smaller than 99% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ruby Van Meter ranks #8 of 14 schools in Des Moines, IA.
School address
District: Des Moines Independent Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190897002260 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
3.9:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-74% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.3%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+63% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ruby Van Meter compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ruby Van Meter
Ruby Van Meter is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling 109 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 3.9:1, Ruby Van Meter is leaner than roughly 99% of Iowa schools and 74% under the state's 14.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 59.3% of students qualify for free meals, 63% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 91% of Iowa schools, with 109 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Among 32 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #26, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 78.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Des Moines's public schools, it stands alongside Cornell Elementary School (555 students): Ruby Van Meter is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (3.9:1 vs 14.6:1).
Des Moines Independent Comm School District also operates Lincoln High School (2,364 students) and Roosevelt High School (2,051 students) alongside Ruby Van Meter.
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 Ruby Van Meter compares
Ruby Van Meter on the metrics families compare, against Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 3.9:1 | ▼ 74% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.3% | ▲ 63% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 109 | top 91% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
3.9:1
Leaner classes than 99% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
109
Bigger than 11% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 63% 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
3.9:1
students per teacher
- 74% below state mean
Top 1% in Iowa - lower ratio than 100% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
78.9%
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.8 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 45.0%
Hispanic or Latino 29.4%
African American 17.4%
Two or More 5.5%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
Largest group: White at 45.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.8, Ruby Van Meter is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Des Moines Independent Comm School District, which includes Ruby Van Meter.
$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 Ruby Van Meter 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 | 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 | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ruby Van Meter'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 other schools in Des Moines
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Cornell Elementary School
Standard public school
555 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Clive Learning Academy
Standard public school
551 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Capitol View Elementary School
Standard public school
533 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Moulton Elementary School
Standard public school
465 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Delaware Elementary
Standard public school
440 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Cowles Elementary School
Standard public school
392 students 18.7:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~109 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ruby Van Meter's federal record.
- Compare Ruby Van Meter 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 Ruby Van Meter
How many students attend Ruby Van Meter?
Ruby Van Meter has 109 students enrolled. It is a special-education school in Des Moines, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ruby Van Meter?
The student-teacher ratio at Ruby Van Meter is 3.9:1, which is 74% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 75% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ruby Van Meter?
59.3% of students at Ruby Van Meter are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ruby Van Meter?
The largest demographic group at Ruby Van Meter is White at 45.0% of enrollment, in Des Moines, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ruby Van Meter?
Ruby Van Meter has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ruby Van Meter rank among schools in Des Moines?
By Resource Investment Index, Ruby Van Meter ranks #8 of 14 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 schools in Des Moines on the city page.
Is Ruby Van Meter a good school?
Ruby Van Meter earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% 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 Ruby Van Meter, 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.