Monroe Elementary School

Summary:

Monroe Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Des Moines, Iowa, serving 423 students in grades K-5. 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.

Monroe Elementary consistently ranks among the lowest-performing elementary schools in Iowa, with proficiency rates well below the state and district averages in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 26.1% of 3rd graders were proficient in ELA, compared to 64.2% statewide. The school has an extremely high percentage of students (over 94%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. Additionally, Monroe Elementary has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 10.6 to 12 students per teacher over the past few years.

Compared to nearby schools like Edmunds Elementary School, Moulton Elementary School, and Hubbell Elementary, Monroe Elementary has a much higher percentage of minority students, with a larger African American, Hispanic, and Asian population. This raises questions about potential disparities in educational opportunities and outcomes, which may be exacerbated by the school's consistently low academic performance and high poverty rates among its student population.

Detail:

Public K-5

2250 30th St
Des Moines, IA 50310

(515) 242-8425

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
550^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $19,913

Students who attend Monroe Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Meredith Middle School
High:	Hoover High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.0

Number of students: 423

Racial breakdown:

African American:

34.3%

Hispanic:

24.1%

Asian:

22.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 94.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Monroe Elementary School ranks worse than 98.7% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 36^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 1.76. (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 Monroe 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 Monroe Elementary School is $19,913, which is the highest among 38 elementary schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Monroe 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 Monroe Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	0.48	624^th	626	0.3%
2013	2.32	617^th	624	1.1%
2014	6.07	576^th	603	4.5%
2015	0.35	614^th	616	0.3%
2016	2.31	591^st	599	1.3%
2017	2.34	561^st	574	2.3%
2018	1.42	562^nd	567	0.9%
2019	0.71	602^nd	603	0.2%
2021	2.02	559^th	567	1.4%
2022	1.73	566^th	574	1.4%
2023	2.79	554^th	565	1.9%
2024	1.76	550^th	557	1.3%

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 Monroe Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	257	96	12	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	371
1989	234	84	8	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	330
1990	229	80	7	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	321
1991	239	95	5	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	345
1992	220	95	5	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	328
1993	249	88	7	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	352
1994	247	68	10	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	333
1995	214	97	6	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	322
1996	214	97	6	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	322
1997	183	96	7	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	291
1998	166	83	7	9	3	n/a	n/a	0	268
1999	174	60	7	7	3	n/a	n/a	0	251
2000	194	71	7	6	4	n/a	n/a	-24	258
2001	281	147	18	16	7	n/a	n/a	0	469
2002	286	161	17	55	2	n/a	n/a	0	521
2003	286	161	17	55	2	n/a	n/a	0	521
2004	252	167	21	71	2	n/a	n/a	0	513
2005	245	184	19	68	0	n/a	n/a	0	516
2006	207	193	19	72	1	n/a	n/a	0	492
2007	214	182	16	113	1	n/a	n/a	0	526
2008	183	218	16	110	0	n/a	n/a	0	527
2009	161	216	29	117	0	n/a	n/a	0	523
2010	127	158	33	135	0	0	32	0	485
2011	125	169	35	135	0	0	37	0	501
2012	105	171	43	140	1	0	35	0	495
2013	106	187	48	160	3	0	29	0	533
2014	110	195	53	159	2	0	34	0	553
2015	104	186	53	160	3	0	30	0	536
2016	85	187	69	160	3	0	31	0	535
2017	79	204	77	144	6	0	37	0	547
2018	65	186	91	135	3	0	33	0	513
2019	56	172	96	113	2	0	33	0	472
2020	54	168	99	108	3	0	32	0	464
2021	42	149	107	107	3	2	35	0	445
2022	48	144	103	105	5	0	28	0	433
2023	43	145	93	102	4	7	29	0	423

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 Monroe Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	371	18.2	20.3	37.5
1989	330	15.5	21.2	31.8
1990	321	19.6	16.3	36.1
1991	345	21.8	15.8	30.4
1992	328	24.0	13.6	36.3
1993	352	23.6	14.9	33.5
1994	333	28.6	11.6	31.8
1995	322	22.5	14.3	32.6
1996	322	22.5	14.3	32.6
1997	291	22.5	12.9	32.3
1998	268	22.5	11.9	40.3
1999	251	19.4	12.9	37.1
2000	258	20.2	12.8	31.2
2001	469	39.9	11.8	47.3
2002	521	39.5	13.2	63
2003	521	39.5	13.2	63
2004	513	43.7	11.7	70.4
2005	516	39.2	13.2	65.9
2006	492	42.2	11.7	71.1
2007	526	41.6	12.6	61.2
2008	527	42.3	12.5	77.6
2009	523	41.5	12.6	72.5
2010	485	40.4	11.9	81.4
2011	501	40.5	12.3	85.2
2012	495	40.5	12.2	89.5
2013	533	42.5	12.5	92.9
2014	553	46.0	12.0	92.9
2015	536	48.0	11.1	88.8
2016	535	47.0	11.3	90.5
2017	547	43.9	12.4	89
2018	513	46.7	10.9	93.4
2019	472	43.8	10.7	93
2020	464	42.5	10.9	94.6
2021	445	41.6	10.6	93.3
2022	433	39.1	11.0	93.3
2023	423	35.0	12.0	94.6

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 Monroe Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	371	18.2	20.3	37.5
1989	330	15.5	21.2	31.8
1990	321	19.6	16.3	36.1
1991	345	21.8	15.8	30.4
1992	328	24.0	13.6	36.3
1993	352	23.6	14.9	33.5
1994	333	28.6	11.6	31.8
1995	322	22.5	14.3	32.6
1996	322	22.5	14.3	32.6
1997	291	22.5	12.9	32.3
1998	268	22.5	11.9	40.3
1999	251	19.4	12.9	37.1
2000	258	20.2	12.8	31.2
2001	469	39.9	11.8	47.3
2002	521	39.5	13.2	63
2003	521	39.5	13.2	63
2004	513	43.7	11.7	70.4
2005	516	39.2	13.2	65.9
2006	492	42.2	11.7	71.1
2007	526	41.6	12.6	61.2
2008	527	42.3	12.5	77.6
2009	523	41.5	12.6	72.5
2010	485	40.4	11.9	81.4
2011	501	40.5	12.3	85.2
2012	495	40.5	12.2	89.5
2013	533	42.5	12.5	92.9
2014	553	46.0	12.0	92.9
2015	536	48.0	11.1	88.8
2016	535	47.0	11.3	90.5
2017	547	43.9	12.4	89
2018	513	46.7	10.9	93.4
2019	472	43.8	10.7	93
2020	464	42.5	10.9	94.6
2021	445	41.6	10.6	93.3
2022	433	39.1	11.0	93.3
2023	423	35.0	12.0	94.6

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 Monroe Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$3,902 (19.6%)	$16,011 (80.4%)	$19,913

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Monroe 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 602^nd of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 554^th of 565 Elementary schools	1.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Monroe Elementary School)	22.5	31.4	8.9%
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 (Monroe Elementary School)	28.2	47.1	18.9%
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 (Monroe Elementary School)	27.5	41.8	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 (Monroe Elementary School)	27.5	34.5	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 (Monroe Elementary School)	34.7	32.7	2%
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 (Monroe Elementary School)	36	46.9	10.9%
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	472	423	10.4%
African American	172	145	15.7%
American Indian	2	4	100%
Asian	96	93	3.1%
Hispanic	113	102	9.7%
Pacific Islander	0	7
White	56	43	23.2%
Two or More Races	33	29	12.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	93%	94.6%	1.6%

Schools Near Monroe 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
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
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
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
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)
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
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	420	34	12.5	95.2%	29 (6.9%)	187 (44.5%)	138 (32.9%)	30 (7.1%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (7.4%)	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
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
Hillis Elementary School	Public	K-5	2401 56th St	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8412	305	24	12.6	79.3%	104 (34.1%)	55 (18.0%)	75 (24.6%)	40 (13.1%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.3%)	26 (8.5%)	17.8	479^th of 557 public elementary schools	14.0%		13.4	513^th of 565 public elementary schools	9.2%	34	44.7	50.0	55.0	60.4	45.2	65.9	51.2	$16,776	$1,702	$15,074
Moore Elementary School	Public	K-5	3725 52nd St	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8426	296	25	11.7	72.0%	119 (40.2%)	63 (21.3%)	51 (17.2%)	31 (10.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (10.5%)	10.4	510^th of 557 public elementary schools	8.4%		12.2	515^th of 565 public elementary schools	8.8%	5	38.8	66.7	38.9	55.1	49.1	30.6	22.2	$16,099	$1,236	$14,863
Samuelson Elementary School	Public	K-5	3929 Bel-Aire Rd	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8441	412	34	12.0	78.9%	89 (21.6%)	99 (24.0%)	57 (13.8%)	136 (33.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	28 (6.8%)	13.8	493^rd of 557 public elementary schools	11.5%		14.2	510^th of 565 public elementary schools	9.7%	17	46.4	52.9	51.7	60.7	52.9	60.0	36.7	$15,980	$1,376	$14,603

Frequently Asked Questions about Monroe Elementary School

Is Monroe Elementary School a good school?

Monroe Elementary School ranks in the bottom 1.3% of Iowa elementary schools.

What district is Monroe Elementary School in?

Des Moines Independent Community School District

What schools do graduates of Monroe Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Meredith Middle School
High : Hoover High School

How many students attend Monroe Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 423 students attended Monroe Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Monroe Elementary School?

Students at Monroe Elementary School are 34% African American, 24% Hispanic, 22% Asian, 10% White, 7% Two or more races, 2% Pacific Islander.

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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.