Lincoln High School

Summary:

Lincoln High School is a public high school located in Des Moines, Iowa, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 2,403 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.

Lincoln High School has a diverse student population, with 35.04% White, 13.28% African American, 37.83% Hispanic, and 7.49% Asian students. Academically, the school's performance, as measured by ISASP test scores, is generally lower than the state and district averages. For example, in 2023-2024, only 45.1% of 10th-grade students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 73.8%. Lincoln High School also has a very high percentage of students (75.7% in 2022-2023) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. The school's spending per student for the 2018-2019 school year was $14,888, which is higher than the state average but lower than some nearby schools like Hoover High ($17,790) and Walnut Creek Campus ($18,513).

Lincoln High School's enrollment and academic performance have been declining over the past several years, as evidenced by its decreasing statewide ranking (from 301 out of 322 in 2013-2014 to 324 out of 338 in 2023-2024) and 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. While the school shares the same school district as Hoover High, North High, and East High, its academic performance and student demographics are notably different, with Hoover High having higher test scores and a lower percentage of free/reduced lunch recipients.

Detail:

Public 9-12

2600 SW 9th St
Des Moines, IA 50315

(515) 242-7500

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
324^th of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,888

Feeder schools for Lincoln High School:

Elementary:	Howe Elementary
	Jefferson Elementary School
	Lovejoy Elementary School
	McKinley Elementary School
	More...
	Morris Elementary School
	Park Ave Elementary School
	South Union Elementary School
	Studebaker Elementary School
	Wright Elementary School
Middle:	Brody Middle School
	McCombs Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 27.2

Number of students: 2,441

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

37.3%

White:

33.4%

African American:

15.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 66.3%

See top rated Iowa high schools

Compare Lincoln High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Lincoln High School ranks worse than 95.9% of high schools in Iowa. It also ranks 3^rd 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 2.7. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Lincoln 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 Lincoln High School has the largest high school student body size in the Des Moines Independent Community School District. Student population at Lincoln High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (37.3%), White (33.4%), African American (15.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 66.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Lincoln High School is 27.2. 3 high schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Lincoln High School employs 89.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Lincoln High School is $14,888. 3 high schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Lincoln High School 324^th of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See Lincoln 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 Lincoln High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	10.06	330^th	351	6.0%
2013	12.92	326^th	351	7.1%
2014	9.32	301^st	322	6.5%
2015	8.78	302^nd	324	6.8%
2016	5.67	308^th	320	3.8%
2017	10.97	303^rd	325	6.8%
2018	5.07	306^th	320	4.4%
2019	7.78	312^th	327	4.6%
2021	7.69	308^th	327	5.8%
2022	4.81	321^st	332	3.3%
2023	4.46	324^th	336	3.6%
2024	2.70	324^th	338	4.1%

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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Enrollment information for Lincoln High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	2253	48	56	68	1	n/a	n/a	0	2426
1989	2094	37	52	68	1	n/a	n/a	0	2252
1990	1909	49	58	54	1	n/a	n/a	0	2071
1991	1813	53	48	53	1	n/a	n/a	0	1968
1992	1793	57	38	43	2	n/a	n/a	0	1933
1993	1834	57	43	54	0	n/a	n/a	0	1988
1994	1838	65	48	63	1	n/a	n/a	0	2015
1995	1852	50	58	70	7	n/a	n/a	0	2037
1996	1852	50	58	70	7	n/a	n/a	0	2037
1997	1804	61	69	71	11	n/a	n/a	0	2016
1998	1763	66	79	69	12	n/a	n/a	0	1989
1999	1717	65	79	85	15	n/a	n/a	0	1961
2000	1754	65	89	95	17	n/a	n/a	0	2020
2001	1847	74	97	103	10	n/a	n/a	0	2131
2002	1923	105	109	181	12	n/a	n/a	0	2330
2003	1923	105	109	181	12	n/a	n/a	0	2330
2004	1762	108	102	190	17	n/a	n/a	0	2179
2005	1711	120	91	220	15	n/a	n/a	0	2157
2006	1633	157	93	226	15	n/a	n/a	0	2124
2007	1659	172	94	228	15	n/a	n/a	0	2168
2008	1644	188	112	240	16	n/a	n/a	0	2200
2009	1586	227	93	270	10	n/a	n/a	0	2186
2010	1455	253	96	355	12	2	93	0	2266
2011	1392	243	108	375	19	3	114	0	2254
2012	1331	236	107	398	19	6	121	0	2218
2013	1245	242	114	400	22	3	120	0	2146
2014	1234	245	124	434	22	4	127	0	2190
2015	1188	228	138	467	18	3	129	0	2171
2016	1199	251	157	496	19	3	127	0	2252
2017	1172	284	202	543	16	4	134	0	2355
2018	1143	274	214	595	14	3	107	0	2350
2019	1127	305	201	640	9	7	120	0	2409
2020	1081	292	190	675	7	5	134	0	2384
2021	1054	304	176	750	3	3	133	0	2423
2022	931	284	172	834	7	3	131	0	2362
2023	842	319	180	909	9	2	142	0	2403
2024	815	382	188	911	8	2	130	5	2441

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 Lincoln High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	2426	123.4	19.6	11.6
1989	2252	117.2	19.2	7.8
1990	2071	104.4	19.8	6.1
1991	1968	131.8	14.9	9.5
1992	1933	121.0	15.9	9.9
1993	1988	119.5	16.6	10.3
1994	2015	136.0	14.8	13
1995	2037	119.0	17.1	15.8
1996	2037	119.0	17.1	15.8
1997	2016	119.0	16.9	17.3
1998	1989	119.0	16.7	20.8
1999	1961	99.9	19.6	25.2
2000	2020	111.0	18.2	23.3
2001	2131	114.0	18.7	25.6
2002	2330	111.8	20.8	28
2003	2330	111.8	20.8	28
2004	2179	119.2	18.3	30.5
2005	2157	100.6	21.4	40.8
2006	2124	102.6	20.7	44.1
2007	2168	104.5	20.7	37.1
2008	2200	110.2	20.0	47.3
2009	2186	115.3	19.0	45.3
2010	2266	114.6	19.7	55.8
2011	2254	111.0	20.3	58.7
2012	2218	111.8	19.8	60.3
2013	2146	113.9	18.8	63.3
2014	2190	120.6	18.1	59.2
2015	2171	114.0	19.0	65.6
2016	2252	111.0	20.2	70.2
2017	2355	108.4	21.7	68.9
2018	2350	101.7	23.1	71.2
2019	2409	96.6	24.9	74.7
2020	2384	93.3	25.5	75.4
2021	2423	94.0	25.7	75.7
2022	2362	90.8	26.0	76
2023	2403	90.7	26.4	75.7
2024	2441	89.4	27.2	66.3

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 Lincoln High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	2426	123.4	19.6	11.6
1989	2252	117.2	19.2	7.8
1990	2071	104.4	19.8	6.1
1991	1968	131.8	14.9	9.5
1992	1933	121.0	15.9	9.9
1993	1988	119.5	16.6	10.3
1994	2015	136.0	14.8	13
1995	2037	119.0	17.1	15.8
1996	2037	119.0	17.1	15.8
1997	2016	119.0	16.9	17.3
1998	1989	119.0	16.7	20.8
1999	1961	99.9	19.6	25.2
2000	2020	111.0	18.2	23.3
2001	2131	114.0	18.7	25.6
2002	2330	111.8	20.8	28
2003	2330	111.8	20.8	28
2004	2179	119.2	18.3	30.5
2005	2157	100.6	21.4	40.8
2006	2124	102.6	20.7	44.1
2007	2168	104.5	20.7	37.1
2008	2200	110.2	20.0	47.3
2009	2186	115.3	19.0	45.3
2010	2266	114.6	19.7	55.8
2011	2254	111.0	20.3	58.7
2012	2218	111.8	19.8	60.3
2013	2146	113.9	18.8	63.3
2014	2190	120.6	18.1	59.2
2015	2171	114.0	19.0	65.6
2016	2252	111.0	20.2	70.2
2017	2355	108.4	21.7	68.9
2018	2350	101.7	23.1	71.2
2019	2409	96.6	24.9	74.7
2020	2384	93.3	25.5	75.4
2021	2423	94.0	25.7	75.7
2022	2362	90.8	26.0	76
2023	2403	90.7	26.4	75.7
2024	2441	89.4	27.2	66.3

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 Lincoln High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$697 (4.7%)	$14,190 (95.3%)	$14,888

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Lincoln 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 312^th of 327 High schools	Ranks 324^th of 336 High schools	1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Lincoln High School)	55.8	53.5	2.3%
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 (Lincoln High School)	52.5	43.2	9.3%
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 (Lincoln High School)	45.8	46.5	0.7%
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 (Lincoln High School)	42.7	41.2	1.5%
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	2409	2403	0.2%
African American	305	319	4.6%
American Indian	9	9
Asian	201	180	10.4%
Hispanic	640	909	42%
Pacific Islander	7	2	71.4%
White	1127	842	25.3%
Two or More Races	120	142	18.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	74.7%	75.7%	1%

Schools Near Lincoln 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
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	2,441	89	27.2	66.3%	815 (33.4%)	382 (15.6%)	911 (37.3%)	188 (7.7%)	8 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	130 (5.3%)	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
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	387	21	18.7	64.1%	190 (49.1%)	44 (11.4%)	104 (26.9%)	15 (3.9%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (7.2%)	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
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	2,014	85	23.5	69.5%	501 (24.9%)	332 (16.5%)	915 (45.4%)	134 (6.7%)	13 (0.6%)	6 (0.3%)	110 (5.5%)	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
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	2,039	67	30.5	47.9%	898 (44.0%)	515 (25.3%)	353 (17.3%)	71 (3.5%)	10 (0.5%)	7 (0.3%)	173 (8.5%)	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	1,514	68	22.2	75.0%	301 (19.9%)	387 (25.6%)	558 (36.9%)	161 (10.6%)	11 (0.7%)	4 (0.3%)	91 (6.0%)	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	165	14	11.7	52.1%	89 (53.9%)	26 (15.8%)	29 (17.6%)	2 (1.2%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (10.9%)	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
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	923	41	22.5	69.7%	174 (18.9%)	303 (32.8%)	231 (25.0%)	149 (16.1%)	5 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (6.2%)	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
Norwalk Senior High School	Public	9-12	1201 North Ave	Norwalk	50211	Warren County	Norwalk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 981-4201	1,035	62	16.6	18.5%	900 (87.0%)	13 (1.3%)	64 (6.2%)	11 (1.1%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (4.2%)	59.5	152^nd of 338 public high schools	55.0%		61.9	126^th of 336 public high schools	62.5%	26	80.8	78.4	67.7	75.2	76.5	69.4	60.9	$17,567	$242	$17,325
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	2,111	123	17.1	26.7%	1,226 (58.1%)	244 (11.6%)	405 (19.2%)	110 (5.2%)	3 (0.1%)	1 (0.0%)	121 (5.7%)	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
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	440	29	15.0	58.4%	307 (69.8%)	4 (0.9%)	91 (20.7%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (7.5%)	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

Frequently Asked Questions about Lincoln High School

What district is Lincoln High School in?

Des Moines Independent Community School District

Is Lincoln High School a good school?

Lincoln High School ranks in the bottom 4.1% of Iowa high schools.

What is the racial makeup of Lincoln High School?

Students at Lincoln High School are 37% Hispanic, 33% White, 16% African American, 8% Asian, 5% Two or more races.

What schools feed into Lincoln High School?

Lincoln High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Howe Elementary
Elementary : Jefferson Elementary School
Elementary : Lovejoy Elementary School
Elementary : McKinley Elementary School
Elementary : Morris Elementary School
Elementary : Park Ave Elementary School
Elementary : South Union Elementary School
Elementary : Studebaker Elementary School
Elementary : Wright Elementary School
Middle : Brody Middle School
Middle : McCombs Middle School

How many students attend Lincoln High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 2,441 students attended 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.