Summary:
The Des Moines Independent Community School District operates 10 middle schools serving grades 6-8. These schools exhibit a wide range of academic performance, with Merrill Middle School standing out as the highest-performing school in the district and several others, such as Weeks Middle School, Harding Middle School, Hiatt Middle School, and Goodrell Middle School, performing significantly below the district and state averages.
Merrill Middle School stands out as the top performer, with the highest proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science across all grade levels. It also has the highest statewide ranking, placing 224th out of 337 Iowa middle schools and earning a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. In contrast, the lowest-performing schools have proficiency rates that are 20-30 percentage points below the state averages in many subject areas and rank in the bottom 10% of Iowa middle schools.
The data reveals significant disparities in academic achievement within the Des Moines Independent Community School District, with some schools consistently outperforming others. Addressing these inequities and developing strategies to support the lowest-performing schools should be a top priority for the district.
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