Enrollment
2,178
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · West Des Moines, IA
Valley High School
Federal NCES profile for Valley High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 193093001797
👥 S:T ratio 28
📚 AP courses 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 27
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Valley High School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa.
- #3 of 3
- high schools in West Des Moines · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.1:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 30.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Valley High School has class sizes larger than 89% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Valley High School ranks #3 of 3 high schools in West Des Moines, IA.
School address
District: West Des Moines Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 193093001797 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
120.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.1:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.7%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Valley High School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Valley High School
Valley High School is a large high school in West Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling 2,178 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.1:1 is larger than about 89% of Iowa schools and 22% above the 14.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 30.7% lands close to the Iowa typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,178 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 20 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #11.
Its student body is led by White (55%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 12 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 363 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among West Des Moines's high schools, it stands alongside Valley Southwoods (678 students): Valley High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.1:1 vs 15.4:1).
West Des Moines Comm School District also operates Westridge Elementary (744 students) and Valley Southwoods (678 students) alongside Valley 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 Valley High School compares
Valley 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 | 18.1:1 | ▲ 22% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.7% | ▼ 16% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,178 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,178
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% below the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 22% above state mean
Top 89% in Iowa - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
33.2%
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
$12,960
per pupil, district-wide
- above Iowa avg of $12,854
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 363 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 119 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.8 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 54.9%
Hispanic or Latino 20.3%
African American 11.9%
Two or More 6.8%
Asian 6.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 54.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.5, Valley High School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 12
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Des Moines Comm School District, which includes Valley High School.
$12,960
Per student
+1%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.0%
State 39.7%
Federal 9.2%
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 Valley High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westridge Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Valley Southwoods | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Indian Hills Junior High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jordan Creek Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Stilwell Junior High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Valley High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 744
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 678
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 661
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 652
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 645
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
Similar high schools in West Des Moines
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
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 (~2,178 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Valley High School's federal record.
- Compare Valley High School against another school. Compare schools
- West Des Moines 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 Valley High School
How many students attend Valley High School?
Valley High School has 2,178 students enrolled. It is a high school in West Des Moines, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Valley High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Valley High School is 18.1:1, which is 22% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Valley High School?
30.7% of students at Valley High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Valley High School?
The largest demographic group at Valley High School is White at 54.9% of enrollment, in West Des Moines, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Valley High School?
Valley High School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Valley High School rank among high schools in West Des Moines?
By Resource Investment Index, Valley High School ranks #3 of 3 high schools in West 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 West Des Moines on the city page.
Is Valley High School a good school?
Valley High School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% 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 West Des Moines Comm School District?
Besides Valley High School, West Des Moines Comm School District also operates Westridge Elementary (744 students), Valley Southwoods (678 students), and Indian Hills Junior High School (661 students). See the West Des Moines 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.