Hanawalt Elementary

Q: Is Hanawalt Elementary a good school?

Hanawalt Elementary ranks 325 th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Hanawalt Elementary is a public elementary school in Des Moines, Iowa, serving 333 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Des Moines Independent Community School District, which has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Hanawalt Elementary consistently outperforms the district and state averages in standardized test scores across various grade levels and subjects. In the 2023-2024 school year, Hanawalt's 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade students scored significantly higher than the district and state in English Language Arts and Mathematics. For example, in 5th-grade English Language Arts, Hanawalt had 72.9% of students proficient or better, compared to 50% for the district and 69% for the state. The school also has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 48.65% to 53.11% over the past three school years, and a low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 12.8 to 14.2.

While Hanawalt Elementary performs well within its district, it is outperformed by Cowles Elementary, which serves a higher socioeconomic population and has a stronger overall academic profile. Hanawalt's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, ranging from 236 out of 603 Iowa elementary schools in 2013-2014 to 429 out of 603 in 2018-2019. In the most recent school year (2023-2024), Hanawalt ranked 325 out of 557 Iowa elementary schools, with a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Detail:

Public K-5

225 56th Street
Des Moines, IA 50312

(515) 242-8411

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
325^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,934

Students who attend Hanawalt Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Merrill Middle School
High:	Roosevelt High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.8

Number of students: 333

Racial breakdown:

White:

56.8%

African American:

27.6%

Hispanic:

10.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 48.6%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

Compare Hanawalt Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Hanawalt Elementary ranks worse than 58.3% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 3^rd 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 50.32. (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 Hanawalt Elementary 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 Hanawalt Elementary is $14,934. 31 elementary schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Hanawalt Elementary 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 Hanawalt Elementary

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	73.25	110^th	626	82.4%
2013	67.52	185^th	624	70.4%
2014	64.33	236^th	603	60.9%
2015	52.38	364^th	616	40.9%
2016	46.73	386^th	599	35.6%
2017	53.19	333^rd	574	42.0%
2018	52.13	321^st	567	43.4%
2019	36.47	429^th	603	28.9%
2021	55.09	285^th	567	49.7%
2022	46.41	354^th	574	38.3%
2023	46.82	356^th	565	37.0%
2024	50.32	325^th	557	41.7%

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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Enrollment information for Hanawalt Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	229	49	4	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	286
1989	243	44	3	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	293
1990	256	39	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	299
1991	311	33	4	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	352
1992	319	32	5	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	358
1993	329	19	5	3	3	n/a	n/a	0	359
1994	346	12	5	3	3	n/a	n/a	0	369
1995	325	10	5	6	3	n/a	n/a	0	349
1996	325	10	5	6	3	n/a	n/a	0	349
1997	295	10	5	4	3	n/a	n/a	0	317
1998	286	12	4	3	4	n/a	n/a	0	309
1999	273	16	3	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	297
2000	309	21	3	6	1	n/a	n/a	-27	313
2001	288	28	4	10	1	n/a	n/a	0	331
2002	314	44	7	7	2	n/a	n/a	0	374
2003	314	44	7	7	2	n/a	n/a	0	374
2004	302	32	8	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	349
2005	291	30	8	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	338
2006	300	40	11	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	358
2007	309	43	11	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	371
2008	344	45	14	11	3	n/a	n/a	0	417
2009	341	45	17	10	2	n/a	n/a	0	415
2010	275	39	9	19	2	1	20	0	365
2011	262	40	10	23	1	1	21	0	358
2012	231	53	11	26	0	0	24	0	345
2013	223	65	10	31	0	0	23	0	352
2014	225	74	10	34	0	0	33	0	376
2015	211	76	12	39	0	0	35	0	373
2016	186	91	11	38	0	0	36	0	362
2017	186	84	14	35	0	1	38	0	358
2018	186	77	10	32	0	0	38	0	343
2019	196	84	15	33	0	0	31	0	359
2020	183	87	13	36	0	0	24	0	343
2021	180	92	10	35	1	0	22	0	340
2022	181	110	7	34	1	0	21	0	354
2023	189	92	3	34	1	0	14	0	333

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 Hanawalt Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	286	15.0	19.0	21.3
1989	293	1.2	244.1	17.4
1990	299	16.7	17.9	14.7
1991	352	21.0	16.7	13.1
1992	358	23.0	15.5	12.6
1993	359	23.9	15.0	7
1994	369	28.9	12.8	7.6
1995	349	21.3	16.4	6.9
1996	349	21.3	16.4	6.9
1997	317	21.3	14.9	8.5
1998	309	21.3	14.5	7.8
1999	297	17.5	17.0	13.1
2000	313	23.0	13.6	11.2
2001	331	22.7	14.6	13.6
2002	374	23.3	16.1	17.1
2003	374	23.3	16.1	17.1
2004	349	24.4	14.3	18.1
2005	338	21.7	15.6	16.9
2006	358	22.2	16.1	18.2
2007	371	22.7	16.3	22.6
2008	417	23.6	17.7	24.2
2009	415	24.8	16.7	22.9
2010	365	22.7	16.0	30.7
2011	358	25.0	14.3	27.4
2012	345	24.0	14.3	36.8
2013	352	22.5	15.6	42.3
2014	376	26.0	14.4	47.6
2015	373	27.0	13.8	50.1
2016	362	26.0	13.9	55
2017	358	27.0	13.2	51.1
2018	343	25.6	13.3	50.1
2019	359	24.8	14.4	51.3
2020	343	24.5	14.0	50.7
2021	340	24.7	13.7	50.6
2022	354	24.9	14.2	53.1
2023	333	25.9	12.8	48.6

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 Hanawalt Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	286	15.0	19.0	21.3
1989	293	1.2	244.1	17.4
1990	299	16.7	17.9	14.7
1991	352	21.0	16.7	13.1
1992	358	23.0	15.5	12.6
1993	359	23.9	15.0	7
1994	369	28.9	12.8	7.6
1995	349	21.3	16.4	6.9
1996	349	21.3	16.4	6.9
1997	317	21.3	14.9	8.5
1998	309	21.3	14.5	7.8
1999	297	17.5	17.0	13.1
2000	313	23.0	13.6	11.2
2001	331	22.7	14.6	13.6
2002	374	23.3	16.1	17.1
2003	374	23.3	16.1	17.1
2004	349	24.4	14.3	18.1
2005	338	21.7	15.6	16.9
2006	358	22.2	16.1	18.2
2007	371	22.7	16.3	22.6
2008	417	23.6	17.7	24.2
2009	415	24.8	16.7	22.9
2010	365	22.7	16.0	30.7
2011	358	25.0	14.3	27.4
2012	345	24.0	14.3	36.8
2013	352	22.5	15.6	42.3
2014	376	26.0	14.4	47.6
2015	373	27.0	13.8	50.1
2016	362	26.0	13.9	55
2017	358	27.0	13.2	51.1
2018	343	25.6	13.3	50.1
2019	359	24.8	14.4	51.3
2020	343	24.5	14.0	50.7
2021	340	24.7	13.7	50.6
2022	354	24.9	14.2	53.1
2023	333	25.9	12.8	48.6

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 Hanawalt Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$665 (4.5%)	$14,269 (95.5%)	$14,934

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Hanawalt Elementary

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 429^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 356^th of 565 Elementary schools	8.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hanawalt Elementary)	59.3	61.8	2.5%
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 (Hanawalt Elementary)	67.8	65.5	2.3%
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 (Hanawalt Elementary)	61.2	69.2	8%
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 (Hanawalt Elementary)	55.1	63.5	8.4%
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 (Hanawalt Elementary)	64.4	76.4	12%
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 (Hanawalt Elementary)	71.2	76.4	5.2%
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	359	333	7.2%
African American	84	92	9.5%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	15	3	80%
Hispanic	33	34	3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	196	189	3.6%
Two or More Races	31	14	54.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	51.3%	48.6%	2.6%

Schools Near Hanawalt Elementary

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 English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Hanawalt Elementary	Public	K-5	225 56th Street	Des Moines	50312	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8411	333	26	12.8	48.6%	189 (56.8%)	92 (27.6%)	34 (10.2%)	3 (0.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.2%)	50.3	325^th of 557 public elementary schools	41.7%		46.8	356^th of 565 public elementary schools	37.0%	31	64.6	70.0	72.9				77.1	76.0	64.6				56.3		$14,934	$665	$14,269
Hillside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	713 8th St	West Des Moines	50265	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 633-6200	559	40	13.8	56.2%	270 (48.3%)	97 (17.4%)	123 (22.0%)	19 (3.4%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (8.2%)	22.8	463^rd of 557 public elementary schools	16.9%		28.1	450^th of 565 public elementary schools	20.4%	13	46.7	65.8	52.8	52.1			61.3	72.6	59.7	53.5			52.8		$14,221	$423	$13,798
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
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
Windsor Elementary	Public	K-5	5912 University Avenue	Des Moines	50311	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8440	296	24	12.1	60.1%	169 (57.1%)	45 (15.2%)	49 (16.6%)	10 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	22 (7.4%)	28	448^th of 557 public elementary schools	19.6%		35.2	428^th of 565 public elementary schools	24.2%	20	59.7	50.0	55.8				75.8	62.2	60.5				37.2		$15,936	$723	$15,213
Cowles Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	6401 College Ave	Des Moines	50324	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-7818	391	22	17.8	16.9%	305 (78.0%)	6 (1.5%)	25 (6.4%)	13 (3.3%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (9.7%)	61	243^rd of 557 public elementary schools	56.4%		57.7	259^th of 565 public elementary schools	54.2%	16	72.2	93.9	79.4	75.8	97.0	81.5	75.0	78.8	64.7	69.7	84.8	82.1	64.7	78.6	$14,566	$624	$13,942
Perkins Elementary School	Public	K-5	4301 College	Des Moines	50311	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8430	438	28	15.5	61.0%	218 (49.8%)	83 (18.9%)	74 (16.9%)	16 (3.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (10.5%)	49	342^nd of 557 public elementary schools	38.6%		39.6	402^nd of 565 public elementary schools	28.8%	60	53.8	73.7	79.1				63.1	69.7	71.6				65.7		$14,697	$1,156	$13,541
Fairmeadows Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	807 23rd St	West Des Moines	50265	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 633-6500	569	32	17.5	27.1%	387 (68.0%)	46 (8.1%)	53 (9.3%)	38 (6.7%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (7.6%)	63.9	212^th of 557 public elementary schools	61.9%		53.7	298^th of 565 public elementary schools	47.3%	86	75.0	75.8	75.9	81.8			80.6	79.0	76.3	75.3			58.8		$13,706	$194	$13,513
Horizon Science Academy Des Moines	Public, Charter	K-3	4801 Franklin Ave 2nd	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Horizon Science Academy	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(515) 335-1937																			(n/a)
Clive Learning Academy	Public	PK, KG-6	1600 73rd Street	Des Moines	50324	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 633-5800	528	41	12.8	43.9%	236 (44.7%)	89 (16.9%)	116 (22.0%)	43 (8.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (8.1%)	50.2	327^th of 557 public elementary schools	41.3%		47.8	345^th of 565 public elementary schools	38.9%	18	54.5	75.8	72.6	74.6			70.9	80.3	72.6	65.7			61.3		$14,178	$481	$13,696

Frequently Asked Questions about Hanawalt Elementary

What district is Hanawalt Elementary in?

Des Moines Independent Community School District

What is the racial makeup of Hanawalt Elementary?

Students at Hanawalt Elementary are 57% White, 28% African American, 10% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

How many students attend Hanawalt Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 333 students attended Hanawalt Elementary.

Is Hanawalt Elementary a good school?

Hanawalt Elementary ranks 325^th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Hanawalt Elementary attend?

Students who attend Hanawalt Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Merrill Middle School
High : Roosevelt 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.