Hubbell Elementary

Q: Is Hubbell Elementary a good school?

Hubbell Elementary ranks 360 th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Hubbell Elementary is a public elementary school in Des Moines, Iowa, serving 407 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Des Moines Independent Community School District, which is ranked 301 out of 309 school districts in the state.

Hubbell Elementary consistently outperforms the district and state averages in standardized test scores across all grade levels and subjects. In the 2023-2024 school year, 78% of 3rd graders, 63.3% of 4th graders, and 66.2% of 5th graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the district's 43.1%, 52%, and 50%, respectively, and the state's 64.2%, 72.9%, and 69%. In mathematics, Hubbell Elementary had 83.1% of 3rd graders, 61.7% of 4th graders, and 66.2% of 5th graders proficient or better, compared to the district's 55.5%, 48.9%, and 52.9%, and the state's 76.3%, 72.7%, and 70.7%. The school also outperformed the district and state in 5th-grade science, with 52.1% of students proficient or better, compared to the district's 37.5% and the state's 59.6%.

While Hubbell Elementary outperforms the district and state averages, it is not the highest-performing school in the immediate area. For example, Downtown School ranks significantly higher (149 out of 557 schools) and has higher test scores across the board. This suggests that there may be factors beyond just academic performance, such as school culture, resources, or teaching practices, that contribute to a school's overall success.

Detail:

Public K-5

800 42nd St
Des Moines, IA 50312

(515) 242-8414

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
360^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,542

Students who attend Hubbell Elementary usually attend:

High:

Roosevelt High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.0

Number of students: 407

Racial breakdown:

White:

61.4%

African American:

17.7%

Hispanic:

10.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 44.2%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Hubbell Elementary ranks worse than 64.6% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 6^th 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 45.39. (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 Hubbell 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 Hubbell Elementary is $14,542. 35 elementary schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Hubbell 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.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Hubbell Elementary.

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Rank History for Hubbell Elementary

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	43.85	427^th	626	31.8%
2013	62.35	252^nd	624	59.6%
2014	48.56	387^th	603	35.8%
2015	48.63	400^th	616	35.1%
2016	59.90	282^nd	599	52.9%
2017	47.23	368^th	574	35.9%
2018	40.21	394^th	567	30.5%
2019	26.48	488^th	603	19.1%
2021	51.23	308^th	567	45.7%
2022	47.29	350^th	574	39.0%
2023	38.52	407^th	565	28.0%
2024	45.39	360^th	557	35.4%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Thursday, February 8, 2018

We love Hubbell and especially the principal, Carrie Belt, who is involved in what's happening in the school and with the children. She knows almost every kindergarten child on the first day of school and greets each student by name. From helping with loose teeth to tracking down lost permission slips, she's there! She sets a great tone for the school as a loving environment that is still rigorous and full of inquiry.

The school is IB, and students create their own service projects each year. In the past, classes have organized marches and canned food drives. They also study geography. Their geography work begins in kindergarten when they work on maps of the school, and it grows each year until they're working with world maps.

They also work closely with Drake University. Tutors from the university come every week to work with students who are below level in reading. There are also a number of practicum students and student teachers from Drake, and so it feels like Hubbell is always receiving the benefit of new research and strategies in education.

My only concern with this school is that it's becoming popular with parents outside the school boundaries who want to open enroll their children. Class sizes are growing with no room to expand! So, while my older child has a more typical class size (22), my younger child has 28 other kids in her kindergarten class! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Hubbell Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	359	65	4	4	3	n/a	n/a	0	435
1989	365	64	4	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	436
1990	353	65	5	0	19	n/a	n/a	0	442
1991	348	72	7	1	5	n/a	n/a	0	433
1992	349	65	8	3	5	n/a	n/a	0	430
1993	332	57	6	5	4	n/a	n/a	0	404
1994	302	59	4	6	6	n/a	n/a	0	377
1995	323	64	6	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	400
1996	323	64	6	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	400
1997	311	62	7	7	3	n/a	n/a	0	390
1998	292	65	8	7	4	n/a	n/a	0	376
1999	285	66	8	3	6	n/a	n/a	0	368
2000	315	72	11	3	3	n/a	n/a	-27	377
2001	271	68	12	29	5	n/a	n/a	0	385
2002	213	57	10	38	5	n/a	n/a	0	323
2003	213	57	10	38	5	n/a	n/a	0	323
2004	185	53	7	49	0	n/a	n/a	0	294
2005	194	60	5	49	1	n/a	n/a	0	309
2006	210	66	6	63	1	n/a	n/a	0	346
2007	218	69	5	67	0	n/a	n/a	0	359
2008	224	97	19	62	1	n/a	n/a	0	403
2009	218	92	18	57	2	n/a	n/a	0	387
2010	210	57	14	60	0	3	50	0	394
2011	230	50	12	59	0	1	53	0	405
2012	268	44	14	65	1	1	42	0	435
2013	280	48	23	62	0	0	42	0	455
2014	266	65	23	50	0	0	43	0	447
2015	258	61	17	48	0	0	46	0	430
2016	249	56	13	64	0	2	41	0	425
2017	254	56	9	55	0	1	40	0	415
2018	256	60	9	65	0	1	41	0	432
2019	250	55	9	60	0	1	39	0	414
2020	272	61	10	59	1	1	40	0	444
2021	261	58	12	46	0	2	41	0	420
2022	271	60	8	37	0	2	37	0	415
2023	250	72	6	42	0	2	35	0	407

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 Hubbell Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	435	23.1	18.8	17.7
1989	436	21.0	20.7	18.6
1990	442	22.3	19.8	17.2
1991	433	27.3	15.8	15.2
1992	430	23.0	18.6	13.5
1993	404	22.0	18.4	15.6
1994	377	27.5	13.7	18.8
1995	400	22.5	17.8	17.8
1996	400	22.5	17.8	17.8
1997	390	22.5	17.3	19.7
1998	376	22.5	16.7	22.1
1999	368	22.1	16.7	24.2
2000	377	25.2	15.0	21
2001	385	25.5	15.1	29.6
2002	323	22.3	14.5	33.1
2003	323	22.3	14.5	33.1
2004	294	22.0	13.4	38.8
2005	309	19.9	15.5	44.3
2006	346	21.9	15.8	48.3
2007	359	22.9	15.7	44.8
2008	403	25.4	15.9	45.7
2009	387	25.9	14.9	40.6
2010	394	25.5	15.4	40.9
2011	405	26.3	15.3	40.5
2012	435	25.5	17.0	42.5
2013	455	26.0	17.5	41.8
2014	447	27.0	16.5	41.2
2015	430	27.0	15.9	45.1
2016	425	27.0	15.7	51.1
2017	415	27.0	15.3	41
2018	432	26.0	16.6	47
2019	414	26.7	15.5	46.6
2020	444	24.9	17.8	48.2
2021	420	26.8	15.6	44.3
2022	415	26.6	15.6	44.3
2023	407	27.1	15.0	44.2

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 Hubbell Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	435	23.1	18.8	17.7
1989	436	21.0	20.7	18.6
1990	442	22.3	19.8	17.2
1991	433	27.3	15.8	15.2
1992	430	23.0	18.6	13.5
1993	404	22.0	18.4	15.6
1994	377	27.5	13.7	18.8
1995	400	22.5	17.8	17.8
1996	400	22.5	17.8	17.8
1997	390	22.5	17.3	19.7
1998	376	22.5	16.7	22.1
1999	368	22.1	16.7	24.2
2000	377	25.2	15.0	21
2001	385	25.5	15.1	29.6
2002	323	22.3	14.5	33.1
2003	323	22.3	14.5	33.1
2004	294	22.0	13.4	38.8
2005	309	19.9	15.5	44.3
2006	346	21.9	15.8	48.3
2007	359	22.9	15.7	44.8
2008	403	25.4	15.9	45.7
2009	387	25.9	14.9	40.6
2010	394	25.5	15.4	40.9
2011	405	26.3	15.3	40.5
2012	435	25.5	17.0	42.5
2013	455	26.0	17.5	41.8
2014	447	27.0	16.5	41.2
2015	430	27.0	15.9	45.1
2016	425	27.0	15.7	51.1
2017	415	27.0	15.3	41
2018	432	26.0	16.6	47
2019	414	26.7	15.5	46.6
2020	444	24.9	17.8	48.2
2021	420	26.8	15.6	44.3
2022	415	26.6	15.6	44.3
2023	407	27.1	15.0	44.2

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 Hubbell Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$654 (4.5%)	$13,888 (95.5%)	$14,542

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Hubbell 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 488^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 407^th of 565 Elementary schools	8.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hubbell Elementary)	62.3	59.4	2.9%
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 (Hubbell Elementary)	66.2	67.2	1%
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 (Hubbell Elementary)	57.4	65.2	7.8%
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 (Hubbell Elementary)	54.4	68.1	13.7%
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 (Hubbell Elementary)	57.6	66.2	8.6%
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 (Hubbell Elementary)	54.2	67.6	13.4%
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	414	407	1.7%
African American	55	72	30.9%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	9	6	33.3%
Hispanic	60	42	30%
Pacific Islander	1	2	100%
White	250	250
Two or More Races	39	35	10.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	46.6%	44.2%	2.4%

Schools Near Hubbell 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 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
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
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
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
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
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)
Monroe Elementary School	Public	K-5	2250 30th St	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8425	423	35	12.0	94.6%	43 (10.2%)	145 (34.3%)	102 (24.1%)	93 (22.0%)	4 (0.9%)	7 (1.7%)	29 (6.9%)	1.8	550^th of 557 public elementary schools	1.3%		2.8	554^th of 565 public elementary schools	1.9%	4	26.1	40.0	33.3	46.8	44.0	31.5	25.9	$19,913	$3,902	$16,011
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
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
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Hubbell Elementary

Is Hubbell Elementary a good school?

Hubbell Elementary ranks 360^th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Hubbell Elementary?

Students at Hubbell Elementary are 61% White, 18% African American, 10% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What district is Hubbell Elementary in?

Des Moines Independent Community School District

What schools do graduates of Hubbell Elementary attend?

Students who attend Hubbell Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Roosevelt High School

How many students attend Hubbell Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 407 students attended Hubbell Elementary.

Rate Hubbell Elementary!

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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.