Hoover High School

Summary:

Hoover High School is a public high school in Des Moines, Iowa, serving 991 students in grades 9-12. 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.

Hoover High School has a more diverse student population compared to nearby schools, with 20.89% White, 31.48% African American, 23.21% Hispanic, and 17.36% Asian students. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by the ISASP, is generally lower than the state and district averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of 10th-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts was 55.6% at Hoover, compared to 73.8% statewide and 50.9% in the district. Additionally, Hoover High School has a significantly higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 78.1% in the 2022-2023 school year, and a relatively high student-teacher ratio of 21.4.

Hoover High School's statewide ranking has been declining over the years, from 299 out of 332 Iowa high schools in 2021-2022 to 321 out of 338 in 2023-2024. When compared to other high schools in the Des Moines area, such as Johnston Senior High School and Valley High School, Hoover High School generally underperforms academically. Despite these challenges, the school's diverse student population could be seen as an asset, and with the right resources and support, the school could potentially leverage this diversity to provide unique educational experiences and opportunities for its students.

Detail:

Public 9-12

4800 Aurora Ave
Des Moines, IA 50310

(515) 242-7300

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
321^st of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,790

Feeder schools for Hoover High School:

Elementary:	Hillis Elementary School
	Monroe Elementary School
	Moore Elementary School
	Samuelson Elementary School
Middle:	Meredith Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 21.4

Number of students: 991

Racial breakdown:

African American:

31.5%

Hispanic:

23.2%

White:

20.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 78.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Hoover High School ranks worse than 95% of high schools in Iowa. It also ranks 2^nd 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 4.84. (See more...)

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

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 Hoover High School has the largest high 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 Hoover High School is $17,790, which is the highest among 5 high schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Hoover High School 321^st of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See Hoover 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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Your rating for Hoover High School?

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Rank History for Hoover High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	7.51	333^rd	351	5.1%
2013	6.53	338^th	351	3.7%
2014	1.24	314^th	322	2.5%
2015	3.17	312^th	324	3.7%
2016	2.08	312^th	320	2.5%
2017	1.44	315^th	325	3.1%
2018	1.65	311^th	320	2.8%
2019	2.87	316^th	327	3.4%
2021	7.88	307^th	327	6.1%
2022	16.26	299^th	332	9.9%
2023	7.78	316^th	336	6.0%
2024	4.84	321^st	338	5.0%

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 Hoover High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	804	274	96	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	1187
1989	699	226	81	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	1021
1990	665	212	89	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	982
1991	646	178	88	8	2	n/a	n/a	0	922
1992	626	186	93	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	921
1993	634	217	108	34	0	n/a	n/a	0	993
1994	675	207	108	44	1	n/a	n/a	0	1035
1995	702	223	92	88	3	n/a	n/a	0	1108
1996	702	223	92	88	3	n/a	n/a	0	1108
1997	725	235	91	117	4	n/a	n/a	0	1172
1998	762	231	82	130	3	n/a	n/a	0	1208
1999	775	233	73	116	2	n/a	n/a	0	1199
2000	782	250	83	109	3	n/a	n/a	0	1227
2001	803	255	80	98	2	n/a	n/a	0	1238
2002	830	275	72	77	6	n/a	n/a	0	1260
2003	830	275	72	77	6	n/a	n/a	0	1260
2004	783	264	61	79	10	n/a	n/a	0	1197
2005	742	302	57	101	8	n/a	n/a	0	1210
2006	702	349	46	106	7	n/a	n/a	0	1210
2007	662	363	47	107	8	n/a	n/a	0	1187
2008	618	399	44	123	7	n/a	n/a	0	1191
2009	545	371	62	130	7	n/a	n/a	0	1115
2010	488	320	93	150	10	1	66	0	1128
2011	439	296	101	158	8	2	71	0	1075
2012	409	306	142	150	6	0	52	0	1065
2013	377	272	154	163	4	0	59	0	1029
2014	345	270	148	148	6	0	54	0	971
2015	342	250	171	196	4	0	58	0	1021
2016	345	261	192	212	7	0	59	0	1076
2017	328	247	199	229	5	0	55	0	1063
2018	299	300	196	257	3	0	51	0	1106
2019	275	307	189	237	4	0	62	0	1074
2020	247	311	182	230	3	1	56	0	1030
2021	253	344	169	236	2	2	53	0	1059
2022	224	283	164	233	2	1	52	0	959
2023	207	312	172	230	3	2	62	3	991

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 Hoover High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1187	72.5	16.3	17.8
1989	1021	64.3	15.8	18.9
1990	982	56.4	17.4	15.2
1991	922	76.8	12.0	17.2
1992	921	65.0	14.1	20
1993	993	64.2	15.5	24
1994	1035	83.0	12.5	20.7
1995	1108	65.2	17.0	27.3
1996	1108	65.2	17.0	27.3
1997	1172	65.2	18.0	34
1998	1208	65.2	18.5	36.3
1999	1199	59.4	20.2	40
2000	1227	69.5	17.7	37.2
2001	1238	77.2	16.0	36.2
2002	1260	75.1	16.8	36.7
2003	1260	75.1	16.8	36.7
2004	1197	79.2	15.1	38.7
2005	1210	65.3	18.5	47.1
2006	1210	69.5	17.4	50.4
2007	1187	69.3	17.1	43.8
2008	1191	69.2	17.2	55.2
2009	1115	69.6	16.0	52.7
2010	1128	69.2	16.3	59.8
2011	1075	65.0	16.5	64.7
2012	1065	64.6	16.4	68.5
2013	1029	62.8	16.3	70.8
2014	971	58.7	16.5	65.8
2015	1021	60.0	17.0	75.2
2016	1076	60.0	17.9	75.5
2017	1063	58.5	18.1	75
2018	1106	57.6	19.2	77.8
2019	1074	54.1	19.8	78.1
2020	1030	49.8	20.6	78.8
2021	1059	51.9	20.4	80.2
2022	959	49.7	19.2	80.7
2023	991	46.2	21.4	78.1

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 Hoover High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1187	72.5	16.3	17.8
1989	1021	64.3	15.8	18.9
1990	982	56.4	17.4	15.2
1991	922	76.8	12.0	17.2
1992	921	65.0	14.1	20
1993	993	64.2	15.5	24
1994	1035	83.0	12.5	20.7
1995	1108	65.2	17.0	27.3
1996	1108	65.2	17.0	27.3
1997	1172	65.2	18.0	34
1998	1208	65.2	18.5	36.3
1999	1199	59.4	20.2	40
2000	1227	69.5	17.7	37.2
2001	1238	77.2	16.0	36.2
2002	1260	75.1	16.8	36.7
2003	1260	75.1	16.8	36.7
2004	1197	79.2	15.1	38.7
2005	1210	65.3	18.5	47.1
2006	1210	69.5	17.4	50.4
2007	1187	69.3	17.1	43.8
2008	1191	69.2	17.2	55.2
2009	1115	69.6	16.0	52.7
2010	1128	69.2	16.3	59.8
2011	1075	65.0	16.5	64.7
2012	1065	64.6	16.4	68.5
2013	1029	62.8	16.3	70.8
2014	971	58.7	16.5	65.8
2015	1021	60.0	17.0	75.2
2016	1076	60.0	17.9	75.5
2017	1063	58.5	18.1	75
2018	1106	57.6	19.2	77.8
2019	1074	54.1	19.8	78.1
2020	1030	49.8	20.6	78.8
2021	1059	51.9	20.4	80.2
2022	959	49.7	19.2	80.7
2023	991	46.2	21.4	78.1

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 Hoover High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$689 (3.9%)	$17,101 (96.1%)	$17,790

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Hoover 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 316^th of 327 High schools	Ranks 316^th of 336 High schools	2.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Hoover High School)	48	53.8	5.8%
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 (Hoover High School)	41.2	46.5	5.3%
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 (Hoover High School)	43.7	52.2	8.5%
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 (Hoover High School)	41.5	50.3	8.8%
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	1074	991	7.7%
African American	307	312	1.6%
American Indian	4	3	25%
Asian	189	172	9%
Hispanic	237	230	3%
Pacific Islander	0	2
White	275	207	24.7%
Two or More Races	62	62
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	78.1%	78.1%	0%

Schools Near Hoover 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Johnston Senior High School	Public	10-12	6500 NW 100th Street	Johnston	50131	Polk County	Johnston Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 278-0449	1,790	90	19.8	23.0%	1,241 (69.3%)	197 (11.0%)	142 (7.9%)	124 (6.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	86 (4.8%)	75.9	53^rd of 338 public high schools	84.3%		78.5	43^rd of 336 public high schools	87.2%	10		87.1	79.6		80.3	77.4	72.5	$11,440	$378	$11,061
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
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Hoover High School

What district is Hoover High School in?

Des Moines Independent Community School District

How many students attend Hoover High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 991 students attended Hoover High School.

Is Hoover High School a good school?

Hoover High School ranks in the bottom 5.0% of Iowa high schools.

What schools feed into Hoover High School?

Hoover High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Hillis Elementary School
Elementary : Monroe Elementary School
Elementary : Moore Elementary School
Elementary : Samuelson Elementary School
Middle : Meredith Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Hoover High School?

Students at Hoover High School are 31% African American, 23% Hispanic, 21% White, 17% Asian, 6% Two or more races.

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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.