Brody Middle School

Summary:

Brody Middle School is a public middle school located in Des Moines, Iowa, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 603. The school is part of the Des Moines Independent Community School District, which is ranked 301 out of 309 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Brody Middle School's academic performance, as measured by the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP), is generally lower than the state and district averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts ranged from 52.2% to 59.9% across grades, compared to the state averages of 74.5% to 77.5%. Similarly, in Mathematics, the proficiency rates ranged from 42.3% to 63.4%, compared to the state averages of 69.9% to 73.2%. Brody Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Iowa middle schools, with a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several years. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school ranked 320 out of 337 Iowa middle schools.

When comparing Brody Middle School to other nearby schools within the Des Moines Independent Community School District, it becomes evident that Brody is performing below the district averages in both English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency. However, one notable exception is Merrill Middle School, which is located outside the Des Moines district but within a reasonable distance from Brody. Merrill Middle School consistently outperforms Brody and the district averages in academic proficiency, with 8th-grade proficiency rates in the 70-80% range for both English Language Arts and Mathematics.

Detail:

Public 6-8

2501 Park Ave
Des Moines, IA 50321

(515) 242-8443

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
320^th of 337 Iowa Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,143

Students who attend Brody Middle School usually attend:

High:

Lincoln High School

Feeder schools for Brody Middle School:

Elementary:	Jefferson Elementary School
	Park Ave Elementary School
	Wright Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 19.9

Number of students: 603

Racial breakdown:

White:

47.8%

Hispanic:

28.4%

African American:

12.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 73.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Brody Middle School ranks worse than 95% of middle schools in Iowa. It also ranks 4^th among 10 ranked middle schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 6.63. (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 Brody Middle School has the largest middle 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 Brody Middle School is $14,143. 7 middle schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Brody Middle School 320^th of 337 Iowa public middle schools. (See Brody Middle School in the ranking list.)

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.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Brody Middle School.

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Rank History for Brody Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	26.56	302^nd	349	13.5%
2013	32.42	279^th	350	20.3%
2014	21.20	301^st	337	10.7%
2015	18.68	315^th	349	9.7%
2016	21.13	303^rd	343	11.7%
2017	27.82	270^th	327	17.4%
2018	29.20	259^th	318	18.6%
2019	30.63	255^th	342	25.4%
2021	9.13	300^th	324	7.4%
2022	4.78	327^th	337	3.0%
2023	2.26	325^th	334	2.7%
2024	6.63	320^th	337	5.0%

See the entire list of Iowa Middle School Rankings!

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

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a citizen
Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Unbelievably ridiculous how teachers treat the students! They teach bullying A+ can’t wait til my grandchild is outta there. How many times does one have to tell the office? Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, March 7, 2019

Horrible school with major bully issues. The principal, Mr. Hoffman, is a huge part of the problem. He’s horrible to deal with as a parent and I know of several students who say the same. This man allows bullies to rule the school and sides with them when they attack other students. If you want your child to be physically assaulted, witness to fights and bullying on a regular basis, deal with leadership who will not help and further attack them, then this school is for you. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Brody Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	562	42	4	4	1	n/a	n/a	613
1989	566	49	3	10	1	n/a	n/a	629
1990	596	51	4	13	0	n/a	n/a	664
1991	613	49	6	11	1	n/a	n/a	680
1992	607	41	11	12	3	n/a	n/a	674
1993	652	50	10	13	3	n/a	n/a	728
1994	637	45	17	10	6	n/a	n/a	715
1995	627	52	30	19	6	n/a	n/a	734
1996	627	52	30	19	6	n/a	n/a	734
1997	618	52	24	12	7	n/a	n/a	713
1998	638	70	22	22	5	n/a	n/a	757
1999	658	66	25	26	11	n/a	n/a	786
2000	642	74	33	31	6	n/a	n/a	786
2001	613	77	27	31	8	n/a	n/a	756
2002	624	78	21	28	7	n/a	n/a	758
2003	624	78	21	28	7	n/a	n/a	758
2004	602	74	27	28	9	n/a	n/a	740
2005	550	59	22	34	8	n/a	n/a	673
2006	526	58	21	38	3	n/a	n/a	646
2007	548	74	31	49	5	n/a	n/a	707
2008	563	78	28	61	5	n/a	n/a	735
2009	539	79	30	64	8	n/a	n/a	720
2010	478	53	21	77	16	3	40	688
2011	470	69	21	79	6	2	42	689
2012	451	82	22	74	4	1	46	680
2013	448	96	25	91	4	0	38	702
2014	453	96	29	114	8	1	44	745
2015	459	79	33	122	5	1	37	736
2016	459	68	30	145	6	2	40	750
2017	445	61	26	172	3	1	37	745
2018	421	74	26	188	2	1	58	770
2019	432	68	23	190	2	0	55	770
2020	367	70	23	210	4	0	55	729
2021	350	67	21	196	5	0	47	686
2022	288	74	23	170	3	0	45	603
2023	288	78	23	171	5	0	38	603

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 Brody Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	613	35.5	17.2	27.1
1989	629	42.4	14.8	23.2
1990	664	35.0	18.9	14.6
1991	680	42.0	16.1	22.5
1992	674	41.0	16.4	20.5
1993	728	42.0	17.3	19.5
1994	715	51.6	13.9	19.7
1995	734	43.6	16.8	20.3
1996	734	43.6	16.8	20.3
1997	713	43.6	16.4	21.2
1998	757	43.6	17.4	22.3
1999	786	40.9	19.2	30.3
2000	786	46.1	17.0	28.8
2001	756	46.9	16.1	34.7
2002	758	43.2	17.5	33.8
2003	758	43.2	17.5	33.8
2004	740	47.0	15.7	33
2005	673	41.6	16.2	36.6
2006	646	42.8	15.1	39.5
2007	707	42.9	16.5	35.5
2008	735	44.0	16.7	43
2009	720	43.7	16.5	41.4
2010	688	43.8	15.7	51.2
2011	689	40.0	17.2	50.8
2012	680	41.1	16.5	55.4
2013	702	41.0	17.1	60.5
2014	745	42.0	17.7	57.6
2015	736	44.0	16.7	62.8
2016	750	44.0	17.0	66.7
2017	745	45.6	16.3	61.2
2018	770	43.3	17.7	67.7
2019	770	44.2	17.4	67.5
2020	729	40.7	17.9	73.9
2021	686	40.4	16.9	73.3
2022	603	33.3	18.1	74
2023	603	30.3	19.9	73.6

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 Brody Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	613	35.5	17.2	27.1
1989	629	42.4	14.8	23.2
1990	664	35.0	18.9	14.6
1991	680	42.0	16.1	22.5
1992	674	41.0	16.4	20.5
1993	728	42.0	17.3	19.5
1994	715	51.6	13.9	19.7
1995	734	43.6	16.8	20.3
1996	734	43.6	16.8	20.3
1997	713	43.6	16.4	21.2
1998	757	43.6	17.4	22.3
1999	786	40.9	19.2	30.3
2000	786	46.1	17.0	28.8
2001	756	46.9	16.1	34.7
2002	758	43.2	17.5	33.8
2003	758	43.2	17.5	33.8
2004	740	47.0	15.7	33
2005	673	41.6	16.2	36.6
2006	646	42.8	15.1	39.5
2007	707	42.9	16.5	35.5
2008	735	44.0	16.7	43
2009	720	43.7	16.5	41.4
2010	688	43.8	15.7	51.2
2011	689	40.0	17.2	50.8
2012	680	41.1	16.5	55.4
2013	702	41.0	17.1	60.5
2014	745	42.0	17.7	57.6
2015	736	44.0	16.7	62.8
2016	750	44.0	17.0	66.7
2017	745	45.6	16.3	61.2
2018	770	43.3	17.7	67.7
2019	770	44.2	17.4	67.5
2020	729	40.7	17.9	73.9
2021	686	40.4	16.9	73.3
2022	603	33.3	18.1	74
2023	603	30.3	19.9	73.6

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 Brody Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$628 (4.4%)	$13,515 (95.6%)	$14,143

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Brody Middle 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 255^th of 342 Middle schools	Ranks 325^th of 334 Middle schools	22.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Brody Middle School)	67.5	37.1	30.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	48.3	45.6	2.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.5	72.7	5.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Brody Middle School)	69.5	37.1	32.4%
6th Grade Mathematics (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	51.1	41	10.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	69.9	0.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Brody Middle School)	55.1	49.7	5.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	47.8	48.4	0.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.9	74.2	4.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Brody Middle School)	60.7	43.7	17%
7th Grade Mathematics (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	51.9	43.3	8.6%
7th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	70.1	68.9	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Brody Middle School)	61.3	54.4	6.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	50.7	51.5	0.8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.5	76	6.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Brody Middle School)	62.8	43	19.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	51.9	46.1	5.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.8	72	0.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	770	603	21.7%
African American	68	78	14.7%
American Indian	2	5	150%
Asian	23	23
Hispanic	190	171	10%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	432	288	33.3%
Two or More Races	55	38	30.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	67.5%	73.6%	6.1%

Schools Near Brody Middle 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 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Brody Middle School	Public	6-8	2501 Park Ave	Des Moines	50321	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8443	603	30	19.9	73.6%	288 (47.8%)	78 (12.9%)	171 (28.4%)	23 (3.8%)	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (6.3%)	6.6	320^th of 337 public middle schools	5.0%		2.3	325^th of 334 public middle schools	2.7%	5	52.8	52.2	59.9	46.7	42.3	63.4	45.1	$14,143	$628	$13,515
Callanan Middle School	Public	6-8	3010 Center Street	Des Moines	50312	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8101	507	32	15.8	76.7%	133 (26.2%)	195 (38.5%)	101 (19.9%)	24 (4.7%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.6%)	49 (9.7%)	6.9	319^th of 337 public middle schools	5.3%		7.2	316^th of 334 public middle schools	5.4%	3	51.1	56.1	64.4	44.4	42.4	57.1	50.3	$15,075	$880	$14,196
Weeks Middle School	Public	6-8	901 East Park Avenue	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8449	684	39	17.5	85.7%	135 (19.7%)	121 (17.7%)	278 (40.6%)	102 (14.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (6.6%)	1.3	333^rd of 337 public middle schools	1.2%		1.4	327^th of 334 public middle schools	2.1%	6	47.7	41.5	49.7	42.0	28.4	35.2	40.8	$14,586	$1,091	$13,495
Merrill Middle School	Public	6-8	5301 Grand Ave	Des Moines	50312	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8448	634	36	17.5	44.6%	375 (59.1%)	101 (15.9%)	79 (12.5%)	21 (3.3%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (8.5%)	42.5	224^th of 337 public middle schools	33.5%		42.4	220^th of 334 public middle schools	34.1%	4	73.4	73.4	77.3	70.3	67.1	69.0	65.9	$12,938	$599	$12,340
McCombs Middle School	Public	6-8	201 SW County Line Rd	Des Moines	50320	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8447	654	43	15.2	83.6%	213 (32.6%)	122 (18.7%)	223 (34.1%)	58 (8.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (5.8%)	7.7	318^th of 337 public middle schools	5.6%		3.1	323^rd of 334 public middle schools	3.3%	5	53.2	62.6	58.5	50.2	51.6	56.4	46.3	$14,664	$1,066	$13,598
Stilwell Junior High School	Public	7-8	1601 Vine St	West Des Moines	50265	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 633-6000	684	48	14.3	36.1%	449 (65.6%)	72 (10.5%)	91 (13.3%)	30 (4.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	39 (5.7%)	52.1	189^th of 337 public middle schools	43.9%		56.8	166^th of 334 public middle schools	50.3%	23		76.9	79.3		66.2	82.0	67.2	$15,102	$192	$14,909
Hiatt Middle School	Public	6-8	1430 E. University Ave	Des Moines	50316	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-7774	529	34	15.7	94.9%	67 (12.7%)	126 (23.8%)	282 (53.3%)	28 (5.3%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.0%)	0.2	335^th of 337 public middle schools	0.6%		0.6	331^st of 334 public middle schools	0.9%	4	37.1	37.1	40.6	35.6	26.6	34.3	23.1	$16,661	$1,079	$15,582
Harding Middle School	Public	6-8	203 E Euclid Ave	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8445	655	37	17.5	89.5%	109 (16.6%)	182 (27.8%)	226 (34.5%)	87 (13.3%)	6 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	44 (6.7%)	0.7	334^th of 337 public middle schools	0.9%		1.3	328^th of 334 public middle schools	1.8%	6	37.1	46.1	47.6	36.0	34.0	42.3	33.5	$13,719	$830	$12,889
Meredith Middle School	Public	6-8	4827 Madison Ave	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-7250	664	47	14.0	83.9%	132 (19.9%)	235 (35.4%)	148 (22.3%)	96 (14.5%)	4 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	47 (7.1%)	4.2	323^rd of 337 public middle schools	4.2%		4.6	320^th of 334 public middle schools	4.2%	3	50.0	57.6	51.4	43.4	50.0	51.6	42.7	$14,971	$1,099	$13,873
Norwalk Middle School	Public	6-8	200 Cherry Street	Norwalk	50211	Warren County	Norwalk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 981-0435	787	52	15.1	21.2%	691 (87.8%)	14 (1.8%)	52 (6.6%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (3.3%)	62.4	136^th of 337 public middle schools	59.6%		64.4	113^th of 334 public middle schools	66.2%	23	76.9	75.9	72.4	82.1	77.0	90.3	78.0	$14,307	$188	$14,119

Frequently Asked Questions about Brody Middle School

Is Brody Middle School a good school?

Brody Middle School ranks in the bottom 5.0% of Iowa middle schools.

What district is Brody Middle School in?

Des Moines Independent Community School District

How many students attend Brody Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 603 students attended Brody Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Brody Middle School?

Students at Brody Middle School are 48% White, 28% Hispanic, 13% African American, 6% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

What high school do graduates of Brody Middle School attend?

Students who attend Brody Middle School usually go on to attend Lincoln High School

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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.