Downtown School

Q: Is Downtown School a good school?

Downtown School ranks 149 th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Downtown School is an elementary school in Des Moines, Iowa, serving students from kindergarten to 5th grade as part of the Des Moines Independent Community School District. Despite the district's overall low ranking, Downtown School consistently outperforms both the district and the state of Iowa in academic performance, with strong standardized test scores across all grade levels and subjects.

In the 2023-2024 school year, Downtown School had significantly higher proficiency rates than the district and state averages in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. For example, 86.4% of 4th graders at Downtown School were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 52% in the district and 72.9% statewide. The school's diverse student population, with a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch compared to nearby schools, may contribute to its academic success. Additionally, Downtown School's lower student-teacher ratio of 12.3 could be a factor in its strong performance.

While Downtown School stands out as a high-performing elementary school, some nearby schools, such as Moulton Elementary, Carver Elementary, and King Elementary, have significantly lower academic outcomes. Understanding the factors that contribute to Downtown School's success could provide valuable insights for improving educational outcomes across the district and beyond.

Detail:

Public K-5

1800 Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50309

(515) 284-5848

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
149^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,247

Students who attend Downtown School usually attend:

Middle:	Callanan Middle School
High:	Roosevelt High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.3

Number of students: 243

Racial breakdown:

White:

67.1%

Two or more races:

11.5%

Hispanic:

10.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 25.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Downtown School ranks better than 73.2% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks first among 38 ranked elementary schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 71.24. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Downtown School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Des Moines Independent Community School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Downtown School is $14,247. 36 elementary schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Downtown School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Des Moines Independent Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Des Moines Independent Community School District 301^st of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Downtown School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	66.93	190^th	626	69.6%
2013	62.88	245^th	624	60.7%
2014	75.94	97^th	603	83.9%
2015	78.56	78^th	616	87.3%
2016	81.80	51^st	599	91.5%
2017	79.17	80^th	574	86.1%
2018	77.59	90^th	567	84.1%
2019	65.37	213^th	603	64.7%
2021	77.20	110^th	567	80.6%
2022	69.47	180^th	574	68.6%
2023	57.53	261^st	565	53.8%
2024	71.24	149^th	557	73.2%

See the entire list of Iowa Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Iowa Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Downtown School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1994	31	10	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	43
1995	73	17	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	96
1996	73	17	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	96
1997	11	2	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	14
1998	107	20	3	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	136
1999	116	24	7	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	153
2000	134	20	6	5	0	n/a	n/a	-12	153
2001	124	19	11	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	160
2002	221	29	9	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	266
2003	221	29	9	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	266
2004	219	31	13	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	271
2005	195	40	25	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	268
2006	191	45	22	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	264
2007	208	38	22	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	272
2008	199	37	19	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	268
2009	192	30	19	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	258
2010	210	25	15	27	1	1	14	0	293
2011	216	17	13	28	1	0	10	0	285
2012	212	13	13	26	0	0	14	0	278
2013	208	9	11	28	0	0	18	0	274
2014	201	9	12	25	0	0	16	0	263
2015	206	11	11	19	0	0	20	0	267
2016	209	7	9	25	0	0	18	0	268
2017	203	8	8	29	0	0	20	0	268
2018	210	5	8	27	0	0	21	0	271
2019	198	8	8	29	0	0	22	0	265
2020	186	14	7	29	0	0	29	0	265
2021	168	16	5	29	0	0	23	0	241
2022	169	19	4	23	0	0	25	0	240
2023	163	23	4	25	0	0	28	0	243

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Downtown School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1994	43	3.0	14.3	16.3
1995	96	6.5	14.8	11.5
1996	96	6.5	14.8	11.5
1997	14	6.5	2.2	57.1
1998	136	6.5	20.9	7.4
1999	153	11.3	13.5	12.4
2000	153	14.1	10.9	11.5
2001	160	12.8	12.5	8.8
2002	266	18.9	14.1	8.3
2003	266	18.9	14.1	8.3
2004	271	18.3	14.8	11.1
2005	268	17.8	15.1	12.7
2006	264	18.1	14.6	15.9
2007	272	17.8	15.3	16.5
2008	268	18.3	14.6	19.4
2009	258	18.5	13.9	13.6
2010	293	21.1	13.8	18.8
2011	285	17.5	16.2	15.8
2012	278	19.4	14.3	15.8
2013	274	19.5	14.0	16.1
2014	263	20.0	13.1	11
2015	267	18.0	14.8	15
2016	268	18.0	14.8	24.3
2017	268	18.0	14.8	19.4
2018	271	19.1	14.1	20.7
2019	265	19.2	13.8	26.8
2020	265	20.1	13.1	23
2021	241	19.1	12.6	22.8
2022	240	18.3	13.1	24.2
2023	243	19.7	12.3	25.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Downtown School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1994	43	3.0	14.3	16.3
1995	96	6.5	14.8	11.5
1996	96	6.5	14.8	11.5
1997	14	6.5	2.2	57.1
1998	136	6.5	20.9	7.4
1999	153	11.3	13.5	12.4
2000	153	14.1	10.9	11.5
2001	160	12.8	12.5	8.8
2002	266	18.9	14.1	8.3
2003	266	18.9	14.1	8.3
2004	271	18.3	14.8	11.1
2005	268	17.8	15.1	12.7
2006	264	18.1	14.6	15.9
2007	272	17.8	15.3	16.5
2008	268	18.3	14.6	19.4
2009	258	18.5	13.9	13.6
2010	293	21.1	13.8	18.8
2011	285	17.5	16.2	15.8
2012	278	19.4	14.3	15.8
2013	274	19.5	14.0	16.1
2014	263	20.0	13.1	11
2015	267	18.0	14.8	15
2016	268	18.0	14.8	24.3
2017	268	18.0	14.8	19.4
2018	271	19.1	14.1	20.7
2019	265	19.2	13.8	26.8
2020	265	20.1	13.1	23
2021	241	19.1	12.6	22.8
2022	240	18.3	13.1	24.2
2023	243	19.7	12.3	25.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Downtown School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$621 (4.4%)	$13,626 (95.6%)	$14,247

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Downtown School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 213^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 261^st of 565 Elementary schools	10.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Downtown School)	76.2	82.2	6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	44	43.3	0.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Downtown School)	73.8	73.3	0.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	52	52.1	0.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Downtown School)	80.9	75.7	5.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	49.7	52.4	2.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Downtown School)	78.7	81.1	2.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	50.9	47.6	3.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Downtown School)	77.5	67.6	9.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	46.5	49.5	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Downtown School)	65	55.9	9.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	48.4	51.6	3.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	71.3	1.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	265	243	8.3%
African American	8	23	187.5%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	8	4	50%
Hispanic	29	25	13.8%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	198	163	17.7%
Two or More Races	22	28	27.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	26.8%	25.1%	1.7%

Schools Near Downtown School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISASP English Language Arts (2024)			ISASP Mathematics (2024)			ISASP Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISASP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 4th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Downtown School	Public	K-5	1800 Grand Avenue	Des Moines	50309	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 284-5848	243	20	12.3	25.1%	163 (67.1%)	23 (9.5%)	25 (10.3%)	4 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (11.5%)	71.2	149^th of 557 public elementary schools	73.2%		57.5	261^st of 565 public elementary schools	53.8%	112	63.6	86.4	84.2	78.8	84.1	73.7	71.1	$14,247	$621	$13,626
Walnut Street School	Public	PK, KG-5	901 Walnut St	Des Moines	50309	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8438	269	20	13.5	65.4%	94 (34.9%)	86 (32.0%)	44 (16.4%)	14 (5.2%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.7%)	28 (10.4%)	33	430^th of 557 public elementary schools	22.8%		28.8	444^th of 565 public elementary schools	21.4%	14	50.0	82.1	65.4	70.0	53.6	57.7	48.0	$16,042	$659	$15,382
Edmunds Elementary School	Public	K-5	950 15th Street	Des Moines	50314	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 243-1174	268	25	10.8	97.8%	14 (5.2%)	210 (78.4%)	20 (7.5%)	11 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.9%)	1.7	551^st of 557 public elementary schools	1.1%		1.5	559^th of 565 public elementary schools	1.1%	8	29.4	34.1	41.3	47.1	39.0	37.0	15.2	$18,276	$2,057	$16,219
Greenwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	316 37th Street	Des Moines	50312	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8410	272	18	15.1	55.5%	144 (52.9%)	49 (18.0%)	38 (14.0%)	8 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	32 (11.8%)	45.1	364^th of 557 public elementary schools	34.6%		24.1	466^th of 565 public elementary schools	17.5%	102	68.8	52.3	74.2	87.5	52.3	71.0	64.5	$16,236	$666	$15,571
King Elementary School	Public	K-5	1849 Forest Ave	Des Moines	50314	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8417	267	23	11.7	97.4%	20 (7.5%)	114 (42.7%)	102 (38.2%)	15 (5.6%)	2 (0.7%)	3 (1.1%)	11 (4.1%)	1	555^th of 557 public elementary schools	0.4%		0.4	565^th of 565 public elementary schools	0.0%	10	15.6	34.1	42.1	28.1	25.0	36.8	18.4	$18,403	$2,345	$16,058
Moulton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1541 8th Street	Des Moines	50314	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8427	420	34	12.5	95.2%	29 (6.9%)	187 (44.5%)	138 (32.9%)	30 (7.1%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (7.4%)	7.2	526^th of 557 public elementary schools	5.6%		3.3	551^st of 565 public elementary schools	2.5%	25	31.0	40.3	42.6	29.3	38.8	63.9	36.1	$16,426	$1,675	$14,751
Hubbell Elementary	Public	K-5	800 42nd St	Des Moines	50312	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8414	407	27	15.0	44.2%	250 (61.4%)	72 (17.7%)	42 (10.3%)	6 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	35 (8.6%)	45.4	360^th of 557 public elementary schools	35.4%		38.5	407^th of 565 public elementary schools	28.0%	47	78.0	63.3	66.2	83.1	61.7	66.2	52.1	$14,542	$654	$13,888
Carver Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	705 E University Ave	Des Moines	50316	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8418	423	35	12.0	94.8%	46 (10.9%)	105 (24.8%)	228 (53.9%)	18 (4.3%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	21 (5.0%)	3.7	544^th of 557 public elementary schools	2.3%		0.8	564^th of 565 public elementary schools	0.2%	20	31.0	44.1	32.2	48.3	50.8	45.8	25.4	$17,672	$1,648	$16,024
McKinley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1610 SE 6th Street	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8423	285	24	11.9	89.5%	77 (27.0%)	33 (11.6%)	128 (44.9%)	17 (6.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (9.8%)	8.1	519^th of 557 public elementary schools	6.8%		6.5	535^th of 565 public elementary schools	5.3%	16	31.7	41.7	54.5	39.0	52.8	57.6	33.3	$18,844	$1,470	$17,374
Park Ave Elementary School	Public	K-5	3141 SW 9th St	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8429	378	29	13.2	80.4%	164 (43.4%)	56 (14.8%)	109 (28.8%)	13 (3.4%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (9.0%)	4.4	540^th of 557 public elementary schools	3.1%		6.5	534^th of 565 public elementary schools	5.5%	6	39.2	28.6	37.1	54.9	37.5	44.4	38.1	$16,460	$1,357	$15,103

Frequently Asked Questions about Downtown School

What schools do graduates of Downtown School attend?

Students who attend Downtown School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Callanan Middle School
High : Roosevelt High School

What district is Downtown School in?

Des Moines Independent Community School District

What is the racial makeup of Downtown School?

Students at Downtown School are 67% White, 12% Two or more races, 10% Hispanic, 9% African American, 2% Asian.

How many students attend Downtown School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 243 students attended Downtown School.

Is Downtown School a good school?

Downtown School ranks 149^th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Iowa Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.