Enrollment
578
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · West Des Moines, IA
Woodland Hills Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Woodland Hills Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 193051002190
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 60
📋 Attendance 33
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Woodland Hills Elementary School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #2 of 4
- elementary schools in West Des Moines · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.1:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 23.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Woodland Hills Elementary School has class sizes larger than 78% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Woodland Hills Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 elementary schools in West Des Moines, IA.
School address
District: Waukee Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 193051002190 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.5%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Woodland Hills Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Woodland Hills Elementary School
Woodland Hills Elementary School is a large elementary school in West Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling 578 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 23.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 578 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 263 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #53.
Its student body is led by White (61%) and Asian (16%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 199 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among West Des Moines's elementary schools, it stands alongside Brookview Elementary School (592 students): Woodland Hills Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.1:1 vs 13.8:1).
Waukee Comm School District also operates Northwest High School (1,574 students) and Waukee High School (1,375 students) alongside Woodland Hills Elementary 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 Woodland Hills Elementary School compares
Woodland Hills Elementary 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 | 16.1:1 | ▲ 9% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.5% | ▼ 35% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 578 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
578
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% 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
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 78% in Iowa - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
27.0%
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
$11,578
per pupil, district-wide
- below 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
Counselors2.9 FTE
Per 199 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.4 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 61.4%
Asian 15.9%
Two or More 8.3%
African American 7.6%
Hispanic or Latino 6.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 61.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.1, Woodland Hills Elementary School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Waukee Comm School District, which includes Woodland Hills Elementary School.
$11,578
Per student
-10%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 49.3%
State 44.6%
Federal 6.1%
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 Woodland Hills Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest High School | Larger | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| Waukee High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Timberline School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Waukee Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Woodland Hills Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,574
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,375
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,092
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 992
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 867
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
Similar elementary schools in West Des Moines
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~578 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Woodland Hills Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Woodland Hills Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Waukee 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 Woodland Hills Elementary School
How many students attend Woodland Hills Elementary School?
Woodland Hills Elementary School has 578 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in West Des Moines, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Woodland Hills Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Woodland Hills Elementary School is 16.1:1, which is 9% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Woodland Hills Elementary School?
23.5% of students at Woodland Hills Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Woodland Hills Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Woodland Hills Elementary School is White at 61.4% 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 58.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Woodland Hills Elementary School?
Woodland Hills Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher 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 Woodland Hills Elementary School rank among elementary schools in West Des Moines?
By Resource Investment Index, Woodland Hills Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 elementary 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 elementary schools in West Des Moines on the city page.
Is Woodland Hills Elementary School a good school?
Woodland Hills Elementary School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% 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 Waukee Comm School District?
Besides Woodland Hills Elementary School, Waukee Comm School District also operates Northwest High School (1,574 students), Waukee High School (1,375 students), and South Middle School (1,092 students). See the Waukee 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.