McCombs Middle School

Summary:

McCombs Middle School is a public middle school in Des Moines, Iowa, serving 654 students in grades 6-8. 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.

Academically, McCombs Middle School is underperforming compared to state and district averages. In the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts ranged from 53.2% to 62.6%, compared to the state average of 74.5% to 77.5%. Similarly, in Mathematics, the proficiency rates ranged from 50.2% to 56.4%, compared to the state average of 69.9% to 73.2%. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of Iowa middle schools, with a ranking between 309 and 334 out of 337 schools over the past 10 years.

McCombs Middle School serves a predominantly low-income population, with 83.64% to 84.74% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch over the past three years. This is significantly higher than nearby schools like Stilwell Junior High (36.11%) and Carlisle Middle School (30.57%). The school's racial diversity, with 32.57% White, 18.65% African American, 34.1% Hispanic, and 8.87% Asian students, is higher than some nearby schools, but the academic performance remains a concern.

Detail:

Public 6-8

201 SW County Line Rd
Des Moines, IA 50320

(515) 242-8447

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
318^th of 337 Iowa Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,664

Students who attend McCombs Middle School usually attend:

High:

Lincoln High School

Feeder schools for McCombs Middle School:

Elementary:	Lovejoy Elementary School
	Studebaker Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.2

Number of students: 654

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

34.1%

White:

32.6%

African American:

18.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 83.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details McCombs Middle School ranks worse than 94.4% of middle schools in Iowa. It also ranks 2^nd among 10 ranked middle schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 7.69. (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 McCombs Middle School has the largest middle 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 McCombs Middle School is $14,664. 5 middle schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

McCombs Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks McCombs Middle School 318^th of 337 Iowa public middle schools. (See McCombs Middle 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 McCombs Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	14.46	333^rd	349	4.6%
2013	12.17	333^rd	350	4.9%
2014	9.84	321^st	337	4.7%
2015	8.02	330^th	349	5.4%
2016	5.06	334^th	343	2.6%
2017	7.34	312^th	327	4.6%
2018	4.70	309^th	318	2.8%
2019	8.91	322^nd	342	5.8%
2021	2.18	319^th	324	1.5%
2022	4.16	329^th	337	2.4%
2023	3.13	323^rd	334	3.3%
2024	7.69	318^th	337	5.6%

See the entire list of Iowa Middle 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 McCombs Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	555	6	10	5	3	n/a	n/a	579
1989	560	11	10	8	1	n/a	n/a	590
1990	578	14	8	10	1	n/a	n/a	611
1991	571	11	8	14	2	n/a	n/a	606
1992	602	15	11	14	3	n/a	n/a	645
1993	570	11	16	15	0	n/a	n/a	612
1994	568	13	14	17	2	n/a	n/a	614
1995	541	16	14	19	5	n/a	n/a	595
1996	541	16	14	19	5	n/a	n/a	595
1997	505	19	15	19	7	n/a	n/a	565
1998	537	20	11	27	3	n/a	n/a	598
1999	508	24	13	21	1	n/a	n/a	567
2000	541	18	10	18	3	n/a	n/a	590
2001	538	19	8	20	5	n/a	n/a	590
2002	521	30	16	41	8	n/a	n/a	616
2003	521	30	16	41	8	n/a	n/a	616
2004	551	51	19	43	9	n/a	n/a	673
2005	525	56	20	62	4	n/a	n/a	667
2006	498	43	17	67	2	n/a	n/a	627
2007	452	48	21	85	2	n/a	n/a	608
2008	415	59	25	85	8	n/a	n/a	592
2009	391	71	27	84	9	n/a	n/a	582
2010	368	58	17	105	7	0	39	594
2011	358	60	17	137	8	0	46	626
2012	321	59	22	145	7	0	37	591
2013	328	81	26	177	7	1	44	664
2014	329	87	36	166	4	1	34	657
2015	325	88	39	164	4	1	41	662
2016	321	91	50	182	4	0	43	691
2017	298	119	58	210	2	0	35	722
2018	311	113	57	223	2	1	26	733
2019	285	127	59	233	2	0	27	733
2020	271	125	59	255	4	0	30	744
2021	260	135	54	267	4	1	26	747
2022	224	135	58	230	4	0	33	684
2023	213	122	58	223	0	0	38	654

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 McCombs Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	579	32.6	17.7	14.7
1989	590	36.4	16.2	13.7
1990	611	32.5	18.8	14.7
1991	606	35.5	17.0	15.7
1992	645	38.0	16.9	18.8
1993	612	38.1	16.1	18.6
1994	614	45.0	13.6	22.5
1995	595	39.0	15.3	27.9
1996	595	39.0	15.3	27.9
1997	565	39.0	14.5	24.2
1998	598	39.0	15.3	24.7
1999	567	34.2	16.6	37
2000	590	41.5	14.2	34.4
2001	590	40.1	14.7	41
2002	616	39.0	15.8	44.2
2003	616	39.0	15.8	44.2
2004	673	42.3	15.9	48.6
2005	667	37.9	17.6	55.2
2006	627	41.8	15.0	59.2
2007	608	41.9	14.5	59
2008	592	41.6	14.2	62.8
2009	582	39.8	14.6	60.1
2010	594	38.7	15.3	68.2
2011	626	33.0	18.9	69.5
2012	591	35.0	16.8	72.3
2013	664	36.0	18.4	76.2
2014	657	43.0	15.2	73.7
2015	662	44.0	15.0	79.8
2016	691	46.0	15.0	81.5
2017	722	48.5	14.8	80.2
2018	733	47.3	15.4	80.9
2019	733	44.9	16.3	83.5
2020	744	43.5	17.1	83.6
2021	747	47.0	15.8	84.7
2022	684	44.1	15.5	84.4
2023	654	43.0	15.2	83.6

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 McCombs Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	579	32.6	17.7	14.7
1989	590	36.4	16.2	13.7
1990	611	32.5	18.8	14.7
1991	606	35.5	17.0	15.7
1992	645	38.0	16.9	18.8
1993	612	38.1	16.1	18.6
1994	614	45.0	13.6	22.5
1995	595	39.0	15.3	27.9
1996	595	39.0	15.3	27.9
1997	565	39.0	14.5	24.2
1998	598	39.0	15.3	24.7
1999	567	34.2	16.6	37
2000	590	41.5	14.2	34.4
2001	590	40.1	14.7	41
2002	616	39.0	15.8	44.2
2003	616	39.0	15.8	44.2
2004	673	42.3	15.9	48.6
2005	667	37.9	17.6	55.2
2006	627	41.8	15.0	59.2
2007	608	41.9	14.5	59
2008	592	41.6	14.2	62.8
2009	582	39.8	14.6	60.1
2010	594	38.7	15.3	68.2
2011	626	33.0	18.9	69.5
2012	591	35.0	16.8	72.3
2013	664	36.0	18.4	76.2
2014	657	43.0	15.2	73.7
2015	662	44.0	15.0	79.8
2016	691	46.0	15.0	81.5
2017	722	48.5	14.8	80.2
2018	733	47.3	15.4	80.9
2019	733	44.9	16.3	83.5
2020	744	43.5	17.1	83.6
2021	747	47.0	15.8	84.7
2022	684	44.1	15.5	84.4
2023	654	43.0	15.2	83.6

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 McCombs Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,066 (7.3%)	$13,598 (92.7%)	$14,664

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on McCombs Middle 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 322^nd of 342 Middle schools	Ranks 323^rd of 334 Middle schools	2.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (McCombs Middle School)	47.7	42.9	4.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	48.3	45.6	2.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.5	72.7	5.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (McCombs Middle School)	53.6	43.2	10.4%
6th Grade Mathematics (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	51.1	41	10.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	69.9	0.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (McCombs Middle School)	43.2	51.1	7.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	47.8	48.4	0.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.9	74.2	4.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (McCombs Middle School)	56	48.6	7.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	51.9	43.3	8.6%
7th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	70.1	68.9	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (McCombs Middle School)	52.7	41.6	11.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	50.7	51.5	0.8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.5	76	6.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (McCombs Middle School)	52.2	47.8	4.4%
8th Grade Mathematics (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	51.9	46.1	5.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.8	72	0.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	733	654	10.8%
African American	127	122	3.9%
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	59	58	1.7%
Hispanic	233	223	4.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	285	213	25.3%
Two or More Races	27	38	40.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	83.5%	83.6%	0.1%

Schools Near McCombs Middle 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 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
McCombs Middle School	Public	6-8	201 SW County Line Rd	Des Moines	50320	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8447	654	43	15.2	83.6%	213 (32.6%)	122 (18.7%)	223 (34.1%)	58 (8.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (5.8%)	7.7	318^th of 337 public middle schools	5.6%		3.1	323^rd of 334 public middle schools	3.3%	5	53.2	62.6	58.5	50.2	51.6	56.4	46.3	$14,664	$1,066	$13,598
Weeks Middle School	Public	6-8	901 East Park Avenue	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8449	684	39	17.5	85.7%	135 (19.7%)	121 (17.7%)	278 (40.6%)	102 (14.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (6.6%)	1.3	333^rd of 337 public middle schools	1.2%		1.4	327^th of 334 public middle schools	2.1%	6	47.7	41.5	49.7	42.0	28.4	35.2	40.8	$14,586	$1,091	$13,495
Brody Middle School	Public	6-8	2501 Park Ave	Des Moines	50321	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8443	603	30	19.9	73.6%	288 (47.8%)	78 (12.9%)	171 (28.4%)	23 (3.8%)	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (6.3%)	6.6	320^th of 337 public middle schools	5.0%		2.3	325^th of 334 public middle schools	2.7%	5	52.8	52.2	59.9	46.7	42.3	63.4	45.1	$14,143	$628	$13,515
Norwalk Middle School	Public	6-8	200 Cherry Street	Norwalk	50211	Warren County	Norwalk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 981-0435	787	52	15.1	21.2%	691 (87.8%)	14 (1.8%)	52 (6.6%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (3.3%)	62.4	136^th of 337 public middle schools	59.6%		64.4	113^th of 334 public middle schools	66.2%	23	76.9	75.9	72.4	82.1	77.0	90.3	78.0	$14,307	$188	$14,119
Callanan Middle School	Public	6-8	3010 Center Street	Des Moines	50312	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8101	507	32	15.8	76.7%	133 (26.2%)	195 (38.5%)	101 (19.9%)	24 (4.7%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.6%)	49 (9.7%)	6.9	319^th of 337 public middle schools	5.3%		7.2	316^th of 334 public middle schools	5.4%	3	51.1	56.1	64.4	44.4	42.4	57.1	50.3	$15,075	$880	$14,196
Merrill Middle School	Public	6-8	5301 Grand Ave	Des Moines	50312	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8448	634	36	17.5	44.6%	375 (59.1%)	101 (15.9%)	79 (12.5%)	21 (3.3%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (8.5%)	42.5	224^th of 337 public middle schools	33.5%		42.4	220^th of 334 public middle schools	34.1%	4	73.4	73.4	77.3	70.3	67.1	69.0	65.9	$12,938	$599	$12,340
Hiatt Middle School	Public	6-8	1430 E. University Ave	Des Moines	50316	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-7774	529	34	15.7	94.9%	67 (12.7%)	126 (23.8%)	282 (53.3%)	28 (5.3%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.0%)	0.2	335^th of 337 public middle schools	0.6%		0.6	331^st of 334 public middle schools	0.9%	4	37.1	37.1	40.6	35.6	26.6	34.3	23.1	$16,661	$1,079	$15,582
Carlisle Middle School	Public	6-8	325 Scotchridge Rd	Carlisle	50047	Warren County	Carlisle Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 989-0833	543	36	15.2	30.6%	441 (81.2%)	8 (1.5%)	52 (9.6%)	19 (3.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.1%)	35.5	252^nd of 337 public middle schools	25.2%		49.4	196^th of 334 public middle schools	41.3%	56	65.9	61.8	75.9	68.9	65.9	76.1	61.7	$10,769	$174	$10,595
Stilwell Junior High School	Public	7-8	1601 Vine St	West Des Moines	50265	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 633-6000	684	48	14.3	36.1%	449 (65.6%)	72 (10.5%)	91 (13.3%)	30 (4.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	39 (5.7%)	52.1	189^th of 337 public middle schools	43.9%		56.8	166^th of 334 public middle schools	50.3%	23		76.9	79.3		66.2	82.0	67.2	$15,102	$192	$14,909
Harding Middle School	Public	6-8	203 E Euclid Ave	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8445	655	37	17.5	89.5%	109 (16.6%)	182 (27.8%)	226 (34.5%)	87 (13.3%)	6 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	44 (6.7%)	0.7	334^th of 337 public middle schools	0.9%		1.3	328^th of 334 public middle schools	1.8%	6	37.1	46.1	47.6	36.0	34.0	42.3	33.5	$13,719	$830	$12,889

Frequently Asked Questions about McCombs Middle School

What high school do graduates of McCombs Middle School attend?

Students who attend McCombs Middle School usually go on to attend Lincoln High School

Is McCombs Middle School a good school?

McCombs Middle School ranks in the bottom 5.6% of Iowa middle schools.

How many students attend McCombs Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 654 students attended McCombs Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of McCombs Middle School?

Students at McCombs Middle School are 34% Hispanic, 33% White, 19% African American, 9% Asian, 6% Two or more races.

What district is McCombs Middle 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.