King Elementary School

Summary:

King Elementary School is a public elementary school in Des Moines, Iowa, serving 267 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.

King Elementary consistently performs well below the district and state averages on standardized tests, with only 15.6% of 3rd-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 43.1% in the district and 64.2% statewide. The school has an extremely high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 97.38% to 98.49% over the past three school years, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. Despite this, King Elementary spends $18,403 per student, significantly higher than the surrounding schools in the district, and has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 10.9 to 11.7 over the past three school years.

Interestingly, the nearby schools, such as Walnut Street School, Carver Elementary, and Findley Elementary, generally perform better than King Elementary on standardized tests and have higher statewide rankings, despite serving similar student populations in terms of economic disadvantage and racial diversity. This suggests that the challenges faced by King Elementary may be unique and require a comprehensive, data-driven approach to address the root causes of the school's persistent struggles.

Detail:

Public K-5

1849 Forest Ave
Des Moines, IA 50314

(515) 242-8417

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
555^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,403

Students who attend King Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Callanan Middle School
High:	Roosevelt High School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.9

Number of students: 273

Racial breakdown:

African American:

44.0%

Hispanic:

37.0%

Asian:

8.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 91.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details King Elementary School ranks worse than 99.6% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks last 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 1.01. (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 Racial makeup is: African American (44%), Hispanic (37%), Asian (8.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 91.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at King Elementary School is 10.9, which is the 4^th best among 38 elementary schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District. (See more...)

Compare King Elementary School employs 24.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at King Elementary School is $18,403, which is the 4^th highest among 38 elementary schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

King 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 King Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	3.84	614^th	626	1.9%
2013	4.77	605^th	624	3.0%
2014	3.22	586^th	603	2.8%
2015	1.63	607^th	616	1.5%
2016	1.55	595^th	599	0.7%
2017	2.68	558^th	574	2.8%
2018	1.22	563^rd	567	0.7%
2019	0.18	603^rd	603	0.0%
2021	0.60	566^th	567	0.2%
2022	1.85	564^th	574	1.7%
2023	0.44	565^th	565	0.0%
2024	1.01	555^th	557	0.4%

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

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Enrollment information for King Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	208	149	0	2	5	n/a	n/a	364
1989	220	155	4	2	2	n/a	n/a	383
1990	213	142	6	3	3	n/a	n/a	367
1991	224	133	5	3	1	n/a	n/a	366
1992	204	131	6	5	3	n/a	n/a	349
1993	186	143	6	4	4	n/a	n/a	343
1994	166	161	1	0	10	n/a	n/a	338
1995	139	205	6	6	2	n/a	n/a	358
1996	139	205	6	6	2	n/a	n/a	358
1997	148	181	4	14	5	n/a	n/a	352
1998	142	189	7	15	3	n/a	n/a	356
1999	135	170	3	16	4	n/a	n/a	328
2000	185	143	6	34	5	n/a	n/a	373
2001	159	149	8	33	3	n/a	n/a	352
2002	180	168	6	47	1	n/a	n/a	402
2003	180	168	6	47	1	n/a	n/a	402
2004	182	179	4	42	1	n/a	n/a	408
2005	173	173	8	49	1	n/a	n/a	404
2006	154	179	4	44	1	n/a	n/a	382
2007	113	169	4	52	4	n/a	n/a	342
2008	96	186	3	69	4	n/a	n/a	358
2009	83	166	5	51	1	n/a	n/a	306
2010	75	169	5	60	1	0	22	332
2011	58	185	15	83	1	0	17	359
2012	35	177	21	84	0	1	17	335
2013	35	161	21	98	1	1	18	335
2014	40	171	23	124	0	2	23	383
2015	35	175	30	115	4	0	17	376
2016	37	164	36	104	3	0	14	358
2017	26	153	40	105	0	0	12	336
2018	24	166	25	100	1	0	13	329
2019	26	137	23	103	1	0	10	300
2020	18	136	16	107	2	0	16	295
2021	17	124	18	90	2	0	14	265
2022	21	120	13	95	1	2	12	264
2023	20	114	15	102	2	3	11	267
2024	18	120	22	101	2	0	10	273

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 King Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	364	23.9	15.2	47.5
1989	383	14.5	26.4	49.9
1990	367	23.7	15.4	42.8
1991	366	25.4	14.4	45.4
1992	349	31.0	11.2	28.9
1993	343	31.1	11.0	46.9
1994	338	32.5	10.4	45.6
1995	358	27.1	13.2	55.9
1996	358	27.1	13.2	55.9
1997	352	27.1	13.0	70.7
1998	356	27.1	13.1	64.6
1999	328	28.8	11.4	87.8
2000	373	34.3	10.9	72.4
2001	352	34.2	10.3	61.4
2002	402	30.2	13.3	74.6
2003	402	30.2	13.3	74.6
2004	408	33.8	12.1	80.4
2005	404	29.6	13.6	72.8
2006	382	31.6	12.1	75.9
2007	342	31.8	10.8	72.8
2008	358	27.7	12.9	83
2009	306	27.8	11.0	76.1
2010	332	27.9	11.9	91.9
2011	359	29.0	12.3	89.4
2012	335	28.0	11.9	99.1
2013	335	26.0	12.8	96.7
2014	383	31.5	12.1	96.3
2015	376	31.0	12.1	94.7
2016	358	36.0	9.9	95.3
2017	336	31.8	10.5	96.7
2018	329	31.1	10.5	97.3
2019	300	27.9	10.7	98.7
2020	295	23.9	12.3	97.3
2021	265	24.1	10.9	98.5
2022	264	23.3	11.3	97.3
2023	267	22.8	11.7	97.4
2024	273	24.8	10.9	91.2

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 King Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	364	23.9	15.2	47.5
1989	383	14.5	26.4	49.9
1990	367	23.7	15.4	42.8
1991	366	25.4	14.4	45.4
1992	349	31.0	11.2	28.9
1993	343	31.1	11.0	46.9
1994	338	32.5	10.4	45.6
1995	358	27.1	13.2	55.9
1996	358	27.1	13.2	55.9
1997	352	27.1	13.0	70.7
1998	356	27.1	13.1	64.6
1999	328	28.8	11.4	87.8
2000	373	34.3	10.9	72.4
2001	352	34.2	10.3	61.4
2002	402	30.2	13.3	74.6
2003	402	30.2	13.3	74.6
2004	408	33.8	12.1	80.4
2005	404	29.6	13.6	72.8
2006	382	31.6	12.1	75.9
2007	342	31.8	10.8	72.8
2008	358	27.7	12.9	83
2009	306	27.8	11.0	76.1
2010	332	27.9	11.9	91.9
2011	359	29.0	12.3	89.4
2012	335	28.0	11.9	99.1
2013	335	26.0	12.8	96.7
2014	383	31.5	12.1	96.3
2015	376	31.0	12.1	94.7
2016	358	36.0	9.9	95.3
2017	336	31.8	10.5	96.7
2018	329	31.1	10.5	97.3
2019	300	27.9	10.7	98.7
2020	295	23.9	12.3	97.3
2021	265	24.1	10.9	98.5
2022	264	23.3	11.3	97.3
2023	267	22.8	11.7	97.4
2024	273	24.8	10.9	91.2

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 King Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,345 (12.7%)	$16,058 (87.3%)	$18,403

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on King 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 603^rd of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 565^th of 565 Elementary schools

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (King Elementary School)	17.8	25	7.2%
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 (King Elementary School)	26.7	18.2	8.5%
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 (King Elementary School)	23.5	37.8	14.3%
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 (King Elementary School)	33.3	18.9	14.4%
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 (King Elementary School)	18.4	30.8	12.4%
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 (King Elementary School)	18.4	25.6	7.2%
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	300	267	11%
African American	137	114	16.8%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	23	15	34.8%
Hispanic	103	102	1%
Pacific Islander	0	3
White	26	20	23.1%
Two or More Races	10	11	10%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	98.7%	97.4%	1.3%

Schools Near King 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
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	273	25	10.9	91.2%	18 (6.6%)	120 (44.0%)	101 (37.0%)	22 (8.1%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.7%)	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
Jessie Franklin Taylor	Public	PK	1801 16th Street	Des Moines	50314	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8424	194	11	17.3	82.5%	36 (18.6%)	71 (36.6%)	54 (27.8%)	18 (9.3%)	2 (1.0%)	1 (0.5%)	12 (6.2%)								(n/a)
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	286	26	11.2	94.8%	20 (7.0%)	207 (72.4%)	40 (14.0%)	9 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	9 (3.1%)	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
Moulton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1541 8th Street	Des Moines	50314	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8427	450	35	12.9	88.2%	37 (8.2%)	211 (46.9%)	149 (33.1%)	25 (5.6%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.3%)	7.2	526^th of 557 public elementary schools	5.6%		3.3	551^st of 565 public elementary schools	2.5%	25	31.0	40.3	42.6	29.3	38.8	63.9	36.1	$16,426	$1,675	$14,751
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	377	35	10.8	88.9%	45 (11.9%)	159 (42.2%)	83 (22.0%)	67 (17.8%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.8%)	19 (5.0%)	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	235	9	26.2	18.7%	154 (65.5%)	22 (9.4%)	28 (11.9%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (11.9%)	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
Walnut Street School	Public	PK, KG-5	901 Walnut St	Des Moines	50309	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8438	244	17	14.6	55.3%	77 (31.6%)	80 (32.8%)	48 (19.7%)	14 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (10.2%)	33	430^th of 557 public elementary schools	22.8%		28.8	444^th of 565 public elementary schools	21.4%	14	50.0	82.1	65.4	70.0	53.6	57.7	48.0	$16,042	$659	$15,382
Carver Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	705 E University Ave	Des Moines	50316	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8418	419	36	11.7	87.4%	34 (8.1%)	100 (23.9%)	248 (59.2%)	17 (4.1%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.8%)	3.7	544^th of 557 public elementary schools	2.3%		0.8	564^th of 565 public elementary schools	0.2%	20	31.0	44.1	32.2	48.3	50.8	45.8	25.4	$17,672	$1,648	$16,024
Findley Elementary School	Public	K-5	3025 Oxford Street	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8407	284	25	11.4	80.6%	77 (27.1%)	57 (20.1%)	77 (27.1%)	46 (16.2%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.7%)	24 (8.5%)	10.2	513^th of 557 public elementary schools	7.9%		11	520^th of 565 public elementary schools	8.0%	7	41.5	43.2	49.0	43.9	43.2	57.1	46.9	$16,683	$1,316	$15,366
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	444	29	15.1	55.6%	213 (48.0%)	82 (18.5%)	84 (18.9%)	21 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (9.9%)	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

Frequently Asked Questions about King Elementary School

What schools do graduates of King Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Callanan Middle School
High : Roosevelt High School

Is King Elementary School a good school?

King Elementary School ranks in the bottom 0.4% of Iowa elementary schools.

How many students attend King Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 273 students attended King Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of King Elementary School?

Students at King Elementary School are 44% African American, 37% Hispanic, 8% Asian, 7% White, 4% Two or more races.

What district is King Elementary School in?

Des Moines Independent Community School District

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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.