Enrollment
257
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Des Moines, IA
Walnut Street School
Federal NCES profile for Walnut Street School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 190897001143
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Walnut Street School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #2 of 14
- schools in Des Moines · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.5:1
- students per teacher
- 58.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Walnut Street School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Walnut Street School ranks #2 of 14 schools in Des Moines, IA.
School address
District: Des Moines Independent Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190897001143 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.5:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
58.4%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+60% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Walnut Street School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Walnut Street School
Walnut Street School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling 257 students.
At 13.5:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Iowa median, within a few percentage points of the 14.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 58.4% of students qualify for free meals, 60% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 257 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 129 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #59.
Its student body is led by African American (33%) and White (30%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 286 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.6% 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): Walnut Street School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.5:1 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 Walnut Street 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 Walnut Street School compares
Walnut Street 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 | 13.5:1 | ▼ 9% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.4% | ▲ 60% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 257 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.5:1
Leaner classes than 62% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
257
Bigger than 26% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
58.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 60% 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
13.5:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 43% in Iowa - lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
29.6%
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
Counselors0.9 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.7 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
African American 32.7%
White 29.6%
Hispanic or Latino 19.1%
Two or More 13.6%
Asian 5.1%
Largest group: African American at 32.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.8, Walnut Street 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 Walnut Street 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 Walnut Street School 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 Walnut Street 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 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 (~257 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Walnut Street School's federal record.
- Compare Walnut Street 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 Walnut Street School
How many students attend Walnut Street School?
Walnut Street School has 257 students enrolled. It is a public school in Des Moines, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Walnut Street School?
The student-teacher ratio at Walnut Street School is 13.5:1, which is 9% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 14% 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 Walnut Street School?
58.4% of students at Walnut Street School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Walnut Street School?
The largest demographic group at Walnut Street School is African American at 32.7% of enrollment, in Des Moines, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Walnut Street School?
Walnut Street School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Walnut Street School rank among schools in Des Moines?
By Resource Investment Index, Walnut Street School ranks #2 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 Walnut Street School a good school?
Walnut Street School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. 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 Walnut Street 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.