Lovejoy Elementary School

Summary:

Lovejoy Elementary School is a public elementary school in Des Moines, Iowa, serving 365 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 and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Lovejoy Elementary has a diverse student population, with 25.75% White, 23.84% African American, 32.05% Hispanic, 10.68% Asian, and 6.85% two or more races. However, the school consistently performs below the district and state averages in standardized test scores, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics significantly lower than nearby schools like Jefferson Elementary, McKinley Elementary, and Studebaker Elementary. Additionally, Lovejoy Elementary has a very high percentage of students (89.32%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a higher concentration of students from low-income families.

Lovejoy Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of Iowa elementary schools, with a ranking of 542 out of 557 schools in the 2023-2024 school year and a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. This suggests that the school may be facing systemic challenges that need to be addressed, and it could benefit from targeted interventions and support to improve the academic performance and overall well-being of its students.

Detail:

Public K-5

801 E Kenyon Ave
Des Moines, IA 50315

(515) 242-8419

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
542^nd of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,256

Students who attend Lovejoy Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	McCombs Middle School
High:	Lincoln High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.4

Number of students: 365

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

32.1%

White:

25.8%

African American:

23.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 89.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Lovejoy Elementary School ranks worse than 97.3% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 30^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 4.06. (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 Lovejoy Elementary School 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 Lovejoy Elementary School is $17,256, which is the 9^th highest among 38 elementary schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Lovejoy Elementary School 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 Lovejoy Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	5.65	608^th	626	2.9%
2013	4.13	610^th	624	2.2%
2014	10.43	558^th	603	7.5%
2015	15.62	546^th	616	11.4%
2016	11.93	547^th	599	8.7%
2017	4.80	544^th	574	5.2%
2018	2.76	553^rd	567	2.5%
2019	1.35	601^st	603	0.3%
2021	11.62	522^nd	567	7.9%
2022	4.61	553^rd	574	3.7%
2023	4.65	544^th	565	3.7%
2024	4.06	542^nd	557	2.7%

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 Lovejoy Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	271	8	13	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	299
1989	254	7	16	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	284
1990	225	8	19	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	264
1991	237	18	20	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	283
1992	239	11	16	44	0	n/a	n/a	0	310
1993	239	5	14	86	0	n/a	n/a	0	344
1994	244	10	14	93	1	n/a	n/a	0	362
1995	236	37	10	98	0	n/a	n/a	0	381
1996	236	37	10	98	0	n/a	n/a	0	381
1997	235	54	12	112	3	n/a	n/a	0	416
1998	222	44	17	128	2	n/a	n/a	0	413
1999	246	38	16	155	1	n/a	n/a	0	456
2000	256	41	12	163	1	n/a	n/a	-22	451
2001	205	25	18	157	0	n/a	n/a	0	405
2002	220	20	19	152	1	n/a	n/a	0	412
2003	220	20	19	152	1	n/a	n/a	0	412
2004	184	26	22	139	2	n/a	n/a	0	373
2005	142	27	22	122	2	n/a	n/a	0	315
2006	157	29	21	113	3	n/a	n/a	0	323
2007	143	31	18	117	4	n/a	n/a	0	313
2008	143	28	15	83	1	n/a	n/a	0	270
2009	177	54	23	103	0	n/a	n/a	0	357
2010	170	42	21	120	1	0	12	0	366
2011	130	38	18	119	0	0	17	0	322
2012	128	48	14	121	0	0	22	0	333
2013	150	44	14	102	0	0	22	0	332
2014	145	48	23	110	0	0	23	0	349
2015	139	49	46	120	1	1	24	0	380
2016	140	58	64	96	2	1	28	0	389
2017	127	83	67	79	2	1	24	0	383
2018	119	89	64	99	4	1	18	0	394
2019	117	88	54	104	4	0	24	0	391
2020	115	94	37	113	5	0	28	0	392
2021	111	106	33	100	6	0	22	0	378
2022	109	109	42	114	5	0	24	0	403
2023	94	87	39	117	3	0	25	0	365

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 Lovejoy Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	299	13.3	22.4	14.4
1989	284	11.5	24.6	4.9
1990	264	13.2	20.0	13.6
1991	283	13.0	21.7	22.3
1992	310	20.0	15.5	29
1993	344	24.5	14.0	32.8
1994	362	30.4	11.9	36.5
1995	381	26.0	14.7	45.7
1996	381	26.0	14.7	45.7
1997	416	26.0	16.0	45.4
1998	413	26.0	15.9	52.3
1999	456	28.7	15.9	61.2
2000	451	31.1	14.5	55.8
2001	405	31.6	12.8	64.2
2002	412	31.5	13.1	69.7
2003	412	31.5	13.1	69.7
2004	373	30.4	12.3	70.8
2005	315	27.2	11.6	69.8
2006	323	23.1	14.0	76.8
2007	313	26.4	11.9	70.6
2008	270	22.4	12.1	80
2009	357	23.6	15.1	68.9
2010	366	24.5	14.9	74.9
2011	322	28.0	11.5	82.3
2012	333	28.5	11.6	88
2013	332	26.0	12.7	88.9
2014	349	29.5	11.8	87.1
2015	380	30.0	12.6	91.6
2016	389	31.0	12.5	92
2017	383	29.9	12.7	89.8
2018	394	32.1	12.2	89.8
2019	391	31.0	12.6	86.4
2020	392	30.0	13.0	89.3
2021	378	32.1	11.7	90.7
2022	403	32.2	12.5	90.1
2023	365	31.8	11.4	89.3

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 Lovejoy Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	299	13.3	22.4	14.4
1989	284	11.5	24.6	4.9
1990	264	13.2	20.0	13.6
1991	283	13.0	21.7	22.3
1992	310	20.0	15.5	29
1993	344	24.5	14.0	32.8
1994	362	30.4	11.9	36.5
1995	381	26.0	14.7	45.7
1996	381	26.0	14.7	45.7
1997	416	26.0	16.0	45.4
1998	413	26.0	15.9	52.3
1999	456	28.7	15.9	61.2
2000	451	31.1	14.5	55.8
2001	405	31.6	12.8	64.2
2002	412	31.5	13.1	69.7
2003	412	31.5	13.1	69.7
2004	373	30.4	12.3	70.8
2005	315	27.2	11.6	69.8
2006	323	23.1	14.0	76.8
2007	313	26.4	11.9	70.6
2008	270	22.4	12.1	80
2009	357	23.6	15.1	68.9
2010	366	24.5	14.9	74.9
2011	322	28.0	11.5	82.3
2012	333	28.5	11.6	88
2013	332	26.0	12.7	88.9
2014	349	29.5	11.8	87.1
2015	380	30.0	12.6	91.6
2016	389	31.0	12.5	92
2017	383	29.9	12.7	89.8
2018	394	32.1	12.2	89.8
2019	391	31.0	12.6	86.4
2020	392	30.0	13.0	89.3
2021	378	32.1	11.7	90.7
2022	403	32.2	12.5	90.1
2023	365	31.8	11.4	89.3

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 Lovejoy Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,903 (16.8%)	$14,353 (83.2%)	$17,256

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Lovejoy Elementary 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 601^st of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 544^th of 565 Elementary schools	3.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lovejoy Elementary School)	30.4	32.7	2.3%
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 (Lovejoy Elementary School)	33.9	46.2	12.3%
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 (Lovejoy Elementary School)	25.8	46.8	21%
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 (Lovejoy Elementary School)	30.6	48.4	17.8%
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 (Lovejoy Elementary School)	36.4	39.1	2.7%
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 (Lovejoy Elementary School)	40.9	52.2	11.3%
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	391	365	6.6%
African American	88	87	1.1%
American Indian	4	3	25%
Asian	54	39	27.8%
Hispanic	104	117	12.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	117	94	19.7%
Two or More Races	24	25	4.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	86.4%	89.3%	2.9%

Schools Near Lovejoy Elementary 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 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
Lovejoy Elementary School	Public	K-5	801 E Kenyon Ave	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8419	365	32	11.4	89.3%	94 (25.8%)	87 (23.8%)	117 (32.1%)	39 (10.7%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.8%)	4.1	542^nd of 557 public elementary schools	2.7%		4.6	544^th of 565 public elementary schools	3.7%	2	24.1	50.0	41.9	49.1	33.3	45.2	35.5	$17,256	$2,903	$14,353
South Union Elementary School	Public	K-5	4201 South Union	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8409	442	37	11.8	88.7%	117 (26.5%)	103 (23.3%)	132 (29.9%)	52 (11.8%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (7.7%)	7	528^th of 557 public elementary schools	5.2%		5.6	541^st of 565 public elementary schools	4.2%	13	38.5	51.6	44.8	55.8	37.1	53.7	31.3	$14,822	$1,433	$13,389
Jackson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3825 Indianola Ave	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8415	406	29	14.2	80.5%	90 (22.2%)	77 (19.0%)	153 (37.7%)	59 (14.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.7%)	10.2	512^th of 557 public elementary schools	8.1%		13.8	512^th of 565 public elementary schools	9.4%		38.2	55.0	47.3	48.5	63.3	52.7	28.4	$15,448	$1,376	$14,072
Studebaker Elementary School	Public	K-5	300 E County Line Rd	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8436	523	39	13.5	88.1%	174 (33.3%)	72 (13.8%)	223 (42.6%)	24 (4.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.4%)	4	543^rd of 557 public elementary schools	2.5%		4.7	543^rd of 565 public elementary schools	3.9%		34.4	50.0	36.2	53.3	38.6	44.9	26.1	$15,051	$1,299	$13,752
Howe Elementary	Public	K-5	2900 Indianola	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8413	297	25	11.9	88.6%	78 (26.3%)	68 (22.9%)	105 (35.4%)	27 (9.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (6.1%)	11.2	506^th of 557 public elementary schools	9.2%		15.7	501^st of 565 public elementary schools	11.3%	5	28.0	48.6	54.0	46.0	43.2	64.0	40.0	$16,527	$1,727	$14,800
Wright Elementary School	Public	K-5	5001 SW 14th St	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8442	273	20	13.4	83.2%	120 (44.0%)	33 (12.1%)	81 (29.7%)	7 (2.6%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (11.4%)	21.3	466^th of 557 public elementary schools	16.3%		4.1	547^th of 565 public elementary schools	3.2%	81	60.6	38.5	55.3	69.7	53.8	50.0	52.6	$15,928	$1,243	$14,685
Morris Elementary School	Public	K-5	1401 Geil Avenue	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8421	444	36	12.5	87.6%	162 (36.5%)	77 (17.3%)	164 (36.9%)	14 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.1%)	9.4	516^th of 557 public elementary schools	7.4%		7.7	530^th of 565 public elementary schools	6.2%	14	35.4	50.0	52.5	35.4	55.4	55.9	37.3	$16,468	$1,455	$15,012
Park Ave Elementary School	Public	K-5	3141 SW 9th St	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8429	378	29	13.2	80.4%	164 (43.4%)	56 (14.8%)	109 (28.8%)	13 (3.4%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (9.0%)	4.4	540^th of 557 public elementary schools	3.1%		6.5	534^th of 565 public elementary schools	5.5%	6	39.2	28.6	37.1	54.9	37.5	44.4	38.1	$16,460	$1,357	$15,103
River Woods Elementary School	Public	K-5	2929 SE 22nd St	Des Moines	50320	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8433	496	39	12.6	89.7%	51 (10.3%)	97 (19.6%)	224 (45.2%)	95 (19.2%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.0%)	7.7	521^st of 557 public elementary schools	6.5%		18.7	489^th of 565 public elementary schools	13.5%	32	41.7	44.3	45.6	47.2	31.6	61.8	33.8	$15,278	$1,674	$13,604
McKinley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1610 SE 6th Street	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8423	285	24	11.9	89.5%	77 (27.0%)	33 (11.6%)	128 (44.9%)	17 (6.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (9.8%)	8.1	519^th of 557 public elementary schools	6.8%		6.5	535^th of 565 public elementary schools	5.3%	16	31.7	41.7	54.5	39.0	52.8	57.6	33.3	$18,844	$1,470	$17,374

Frequently Asked Questions about Lovejoy Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Lovejoy Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Lovejoy Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : McCombs Middle School
High : Lincoln High School

What district is Lovejoy Elementary School in?

Des Moines Independent Community School District

How many students attend Lovejoy Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 365 students attended Lovejoy Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Lovejoy Elementary School?

Students at Lovejoy Elementary School are 32% Hispanic, 26% White, 24% African American, 11% Asian, 7% Two or more races.

Is Lovejoy Elementary School a good school?

Lovejoy Elementary School ranks in the bottom 2.7% of Iowa elementary schools.

Rate Lovejoy Elementary 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.