East High School

Summary:

East High School is a public high school located in Des Moines, Iowa, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 2,040 students. 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.

East High School consistently underperforms compared to the state and district averages on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 43.8% of 10th-grade students at East High School were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 50.9% in the district and 73.8% statewide. Additionally, East High School has an exceptionally high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 78.68% to 82.44% over the past three school years, which is significantly higher than the surrounding schools, such as Southeast Polk High School (31.62%) and Hoover High School (78.1%).

Despite the higher spending per student at East High School ($14,908 for the 2018-2019 school year) compared to some nearby schools, the school has consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of Iowa high schools, with a statewide ranking between 313 and 328 out of 320 to 338 high schools over the past 10 years. This suggests that the school is struggling to provide a quality education to its students, and the proximity of East High School to other high-performing schools, such as Roosevelt High School and Valley High School, presents an opportunity for collaboration and the sharing of best practices to help improve the academic outcomes at East High School.

Detail:

Public 9-12

815 E 13th St
Des Moines, IA 50316

(515) 242-7788

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
326^th of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,908

Feeder schools for East High School:

Elementary:	Brubaker Elementary School
	Capitol View Elementary School
	Carver Elementary
	Phillips Elementary
	More...
	Pleasant Hill Elementary School
	River Woods Elementary School
	Stowe Elementary School
	Willard Elementary School
Middle:	Hiatt Middle School
	Hoyt Middle School
	Weeks Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 21.6

Number of students: 2,040

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

45.5%

White:

25.6%

African American:

15.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 78.7%

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Compare East High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details East High School ranks worse than 96.4% of high schools in Iowa. It also ranks last among 5 ranked high schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 2.13. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at East High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at East High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (45.5%), White (25.6%), African American (15.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 78.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at East High School is 21.6, which is the 2^nd best among 5 high schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District. (See more...)

Compare East High School employs 94.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at East High School is $14,908. 2 high schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks East High School 326^th of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See East High 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.)

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Rank History for East High School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	4.65	336^th	351	4.3%
2013	11.04	329^th	351	6.3%
2014	4.78	310^th	322	3.7%
2015	6.27	309^th	324	4.6%
2016	1.97	313^th	320	2.2%
2017	1.86	313^th	325	3.7%
2018	0.40	313^th	320	2.2%
2019	1.53	318^th	327	2.8%
2021	3.15	318^th	327	2.8%
2022	3.32	325^th	332	2.1%
2023	2.61	328^th	336	2.4%
2024	2.13	326^th	338	3.6%

See the entire list of Iowa High 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 East High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	1883	153	45	65	6	n/a	n/a	0	2152
1989	1762	149	63	41	7	n/a	n/a	0	2022
1990	1666	135	65	40	3	n/a	n/a	0	1909
1991	1576	137	73	40	2	n/a	n/a	0	1828
1992	1519	125	68	41	5	n/a	n/a	0	1758
1993	1488	145	67	41	7	n/a	n/a	0	1748
1994	1457	155	78	48	5	n/a	n/a	0	1743
1995	1696	176	96	53	5	n/a	n/a	0	2026
1996	1696	176	96	53	5	n/a	n/a	0	2026
1997	1460	184	95	57	7	n/a	n/a	0	1803
1998	1419	170	110	72	9	n/a	n/a	0	1780
1999	1391	164	97	74	9	n/a	n/a	0	1735
2000	1350	190	98	77	12	n/a	n/a	0	1727
2001	1291	178	102	84	12	n/a	n/a	0	1667
2002	1302	213	114	199	13	n/a	n/a	0	1841
2003	1302	213	114	199	13	n/a	n/a	0	1841
2004	1339	234	128	254	15	n/a	n/a	0	1970
2005	1417	288	135	272	13	n/a	n/a	0	2125
2006	1390	298	144	266	15	n/a	n/a	0	2113
2007	1373	325	154	309	18	n/a	n/a	0	2179
2008	1369	345	144	345	16	n/a	n/a	0	2219
2009	1263	352	144	379	20	n/a	n/a	0	2158
2010	1152	305	141	518	5	2	101	0	2224
2011	1104	310	140	571	11	2	130	0	2268
2012	991	305	159	615	9	1	150	0	2230
2013	952	331	185	648	13	3	160	0	2292
2014	930	328	203	665	14	0	154	0	2294
2015	877	334	211	724	10	0	135	0	2291
2016	856	367	239	716	8	0	121	0	2307
2017	843	385	219	751	5	0	126	0	2329
2018	775	374	183	777	5	0	122	0	2236
2019	752	359	175	790	2	0	120	0	2198
2020	651	349	163	820	2	0	112	0	2097
2021	644	339	158	922	10	2	129	0	2204
2022	562	302	143	945	11	3	113	0	2079
2023	523	323	135	928	12	3	115	1	2040

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 East High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	2152	126.3	17.0	16.7
1989	2022	110.9	18.2	12.4
1990	1909	99.4	19.2	11.5
1991	1828	124.3	14.7	13.2
1992	1758	113.0	15.5	15.2
1993	1748	109.7	15.9	16.4
1994	1743	121.3	14.4	18.8
1995	2026	111.8	18.1	21.8
1996	2026	111.8	18.1	21.8
1997	1803	111.8	16.1	28.2
1998	1780	111.8	15.9	34.3
1999	1735	97.3	17.8	40.1
2000	1727	107.5	16.1	38.6
2001	1667	109.3	15.3	41
2002	1841	106.1	17.4	47.5
2003	1841	106.1	17.4	47.5
2004	1970	114.8	17.2	49
2005	2125	103.5	20.5	56.8
2006	2113	112.0	18.9	58.4
2007	2179	115.5	18.9	49.9
2008	2219	121.5	18.3	62.1
2009	2158	123.8	17.4	57.7
2010	2224	118.9	18.7	69.3
2011	2268	117.0	19.3	72
2012	2230	120.5	18.5	74.7
2013	2292	121.4	18.8	76.4
2014	2294	117.9	19.4	70.9
2015	2291	121.0	18.9	78.8
2016	2307	128.0	18.0	75.4
2017	2329	122.0	19.0	80.7
2018	2236	115.6	19.3	80.6
2019	2198	108.9	20.1	81.8
2020	2097	98.4	21.3	80
2021	2204	97.1	22.6	82.4
2022	2079	88.9	23.3	82.4
2023	2040	94.2	21.6	78.7

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 East High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	2152	126.3	17.0	16.7
1989	2022	110.9	18.2	12.4
1990	1909	99.4	19.2	11.5
1991	1828	124.3	14.7	13.2
1992	1758	113.0	15.5	15.2
1993	1748	109.7	15.9	16.4
1994	1743	121.3	14.4	18.8
1995	2026	111.8	18.1	21.8
1996	2026	111.8	18.1	21.8
1997	1803	111.8	16.1	28.2
1998	1780	111.8	15.9	34.3
1999	1735	97.3	17.8	40.1
2000	1727	107.5	16.1	38.6
2001	1667	109.3	15.3	41
2002	1841	106.1	17.4	47.5
2003	1841	106.1	17.4	47.5
2004	1970	114.8	17.2	49
2005	2125	103.5	20.5	56.8
2006	2113	112.0	18.9	58.4
2007	2179	115.5	18.9	49.9
2008	2219	121.5	18.3	62.1
2009	2158	123.8	17.4	57.7
2010	2224	118.9	18.7	69.3
2011	2268	117.0	19.3	72
2012	2230	120.5	18.5	74.7
2013	2292	121.4	18.8	76.4
2014	2294	117.9	19.4	70.9
2015	2291	121.0	18.9	78.8
2016	2307	128.0	18.0	75.4
2017	2329	122.0	19.0	80.7
2018	2236	115.6	19.3	80.6
2019	2198	108.9	20.1	81.8
2020	2097	98.4	21.3	80
2021	2204	97.1	22.6	82.4
2022	2079	88.9	23.3	82.4
2023	2040	94.2	21.6	78.7

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 East High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$672 (4.5%)	$14,236 (95.5%)	$14,908

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on East High 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 318^th of 327 High schools	Ranks 328^th of 336 High schools	0.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (East High School)	49.5	52.8	3.3%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	53.3	54.4	1.1%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	74.3	72.9	1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (East High School)	39.2	39.4	0.2%
10th Grade Mathematics (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	48.5	45.7	2.8%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	67.1	67	0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (East High School)	40.1	45.3	5.2%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	44.3	50.2	5.9%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	71.4	68.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (East High School)	27.4	33.9	6.5%
11th Grade Mathematics (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	38.9	43.7	4.8%
11th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	66.9	67.3	0.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	2198	2040	7.2%
African American	359	323	10%
American Indian	2	12	500%
Asian	175	135	22.9%
Hispanic	790	928	17.5%
Pacific Islander	0	3
White	752	523	30.5%
Two or More Races	120	115	4.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	81.8%	78.7%	3.2%

Schools Near East High 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 9th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 10th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 11th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 9th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 10th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 11th Grade	ISASP Science 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
East High School	Public	9-12	815 E 13th St	Des Moines	50316	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-7788	2,040	94	21.6	78.7%	523 (25.6%)	323 (15.8%)	928 (45.5%)	135 (6.6%)	12 (0.6%)	3 (0.1%)	115 (5.6%)	2.1	326^th of 338 public high schools	3.6%		2.6	328^th of 336 public high schools	2.4%	2	41.8	43.8	47.7	28.4	33.4	38.3	27.3	$14,908	$672	$14,236
North High School	Public	9-12	501 Holcomb Ave	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-7200	1,458	66	22.0	86.7%	285 (19.5%)	374 (25.7%)	527 (36.1%)	166 (11.4%)	10 (0.7%)	3 (0.2%)	92 (6.3%)	2.2	325^th of 338 public high schools	3.8%		2.1	329^th of 336 public high schools	2.1%	4	46.0	46.4	41.2	36.0	39.4	30.9	27.2	$15,636	$747	$14,889
Virtual Campus	Public, Virtual	9-12	1800 Grand Avenue	Des Moines	50309	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	Yes	No	(515) 242-8502	668	39	17.3	79.5%	307 (46.0%)	96 (14.4%)	178 (26.6%)	28 (4.2%)	4 (0.6%)	3 (0.4%)	51 (7.6%)	8.9	314^th of 338 public high schools	7.1%		5.2	322^nd of 336 public high schools	4.2%	8	52.1	64.3	61.1	33.3	40.0	30.1	34.3
Lincoln High School	Public	9-12	2600 SW 9th St	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-7500	2,403	91	26.4	75.7%	842 (35.0%)	319 (13.3%)	909 (37.8%)	180 (7.5%)	9 (0.4%)	2 (0.1%)	142 (5.9%)	2.7	324^th of 338 public high schools	4.1%		4.5	324^th of 336 public high schools	3.6%		43.4	45.1	47.4	30.9	37.2	37.8	33.1	$14,888	$697	$14,190
Roosevelt High School	Public	9-12	4419 Center St	Des Moines	50312	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-7272	1,986	66	29.9	53.0%	926 (46.6%)	483 (24.3%)	337 (17.0%)	60 (3.0%)	6 (0.3%)	6 (0.3%)	165 (8.3%)	22.5	290^th of 338 public high schools	14.2%		22.8	286^th of 336 public high schools	14.9%	4	66.7	63.8	60.2	56.3	57.5	53.9	43.5	$14,829	$690	$14,140
Saydel High School	Public	9-12	5601 NE 7th St	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Saydel Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 262-9325	451	33	13.5	60.5%	338 (74.9%)	4 (0.9%)	80 (17.7%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (5.8%)	12.6	308^th of 338 public high schools	8.9%		8.5	313^th of 336 public high schools	6.8%	5	51.5	61.4	40.4	40.6	60.2	46.3	42.1	$15,532	$350	$15,182
Hoover High School	Public	9-12	4800 Aurora Ave	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-7300	991	46	21.4	78.1%	207 (20.9%)	312 (31.5%)	230 (23.2%)	172 (17.4%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	62 (6.3%)	4.8	321^st of 338 public high schools	5.0%		7.8	316^th of 336 public high schools	6.0%	5	42.2	55.6	48.3	28.8	43.1	38.9	38.1	$17,790	$689	$17,101
Walnut Creek Campus	Public	9-12	1020 8th Street	West Des Moines	50265	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 633-6480	147	14	10.5	68.7%	79 (53.7%)	24 (16.3%)	28 (19.0%)	3 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (8.8%)	1.2	328^th of 338 public high schools	3.0%		4	325^th of 336 public high schools	3.3%	3	50.0	47.2	39.3	10.0	22.2	17.9	28.6	$18,513	$197	$18,315
Urbandale High School	Public	9-12	7111 Aurora Avenue	Urbandale	50322	Polk County	Urbandale Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 457-6800	1,347	91	14.7	36.4%	923 (68.5%)	83 (6.2%)	185 (13.7%)	76 (5.6%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	72 (5.3%)	34.3	263^rd of 338 public high schools	22.2%		43.5	219^th of 336 public high schools	34.8%	44	74.8	70.7	62.7	57.0	64.7	56.8	51.7	$11,428	$388	$11,040
Valley High School	Public	10-12	3650 Woodland Ave	West Des Moines	50266	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 633-4000	2,152	120	17.9	36.1%	1,306 (60.7%)	227 (10.5%)	392 (18.2%)	112 (5.2%)	3 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	109 (5.1%)	46.7	212^th of 338 public high schools	37.3%		55.2	162^nd of 336 public high schools	51.8%	50		74.1	70.3		66.8	68.2	56.9	$15,551	$791	$14,760

Frequently Asked Questions about East High School

Is East High School a good school?

East High School ranks in the bottom 3.6% of Iowa high schools.

What district is East High School in?

Des Moines Independent Community School District

How many students attend East High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,040 students attended East High School.

What is the racial makeup of East High School?

Students at East High School are 45% Hispanic, 26% White, 16% African American, 7% Asian, 6% Two or more races.

What schools feed into East High School?

East High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Brubaker Elementary School
Elementary : Capitol View Elementary School
Elementary : Carver Elementary
Elementary : Phillips Elementary
Elementary : Pleasant Hill Elementary School
Elementary : River Woods Elementary School
Elementary : Stowe Elementary School
Elementary : Willard Elementary School
Middle : Hiatt Middle School
Middle : Hoyt Middle School
Middle : Weeks Middle 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.