Perkins Elementary School

Q: Is Perkins Elementary School a good school?

Perkins Elementary School ranks 342 nd of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Perkins Elementary School is a public elementary school in Des Moines, Iowa, serving 438 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.

Perkins Elementary consistently outperforms the district and state in standardized test scores. In the 2023-2024 school year, 53.8% of 3rd graders, 73.7% of 4th graders, and 79.1% of 5th graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the district scores of 43.1%, 52%, and 50%, respectively. In mathematics, Perkins had 63.1% of 3rd graders, 69.7% of 4th graders, and 71.6% of 5th graders proficient or better, compared to the district scores of 55.5%, 48.9%, and 52.9%. However, the school's statewide ranking has been declining over the years, from 213 out of 603 Iowa elementary schools in 2013-2014 to 342 out of 557 in 2023-2024.

Perkins Elementary has a diverse student population, with 49.77% White, 18.95% African American, 16.89% Hispanic, 3.65% Asian, and 10.5% two or more races. Additionally, 60.96% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is higher than the state average. This high percentage of students from low-income families may contribute to the challenges the school faces in maintaining its performance. When compared to nearby schools like King Elementary and Monroe Elementary, Perkins Elementary stands out as a relatively higher-performing school in terms of test scores.

Detail:

Public K-5

4301 College
Des Moines, IA 50311

(515) 242-8430

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
342^nd of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,697

Students who attend Perkins Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Roosevelt High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.1

Number of students: 444

Racial breakdown:

White:

48.0%

Hispanic:

18.9%

African American:

18.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 55.6%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

Compare Perkins Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Perkins Elementary School ranks worse than 61.4% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 5^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 48.97. (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 Student population at Perkins Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (48%), Hispanic (18.9%), African American (18.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 55.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Perkins Elementary School is 15.1. 35 elementary schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Perkins Elementary School employs 29.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Perkins Elementary School is $14,697. 33 elementary schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Perkins 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 Perkins Elementary School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	49.79	391^st	626	37.5%
2013	56.88	309^th	624	50.5%
2014	66.69	213^th	603	64.7%
2015	57.53	304^th	616	50.6%
2016	54.99	324^th	599	45.9%
2017	42.74	399^th	574	30.5%
2018	46.05	364^th	567	35.8%
2019	43.89	379^th	603	37.1%
2021	60.60	231^st	567	59.3%
2022	40.59	392^nd	574	31.7%
2023	39.56	402^nd	565	28.8%
2024	48.97	342^nd	557	38.6%

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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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Perkins Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	171	81	2	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	257
1989	220	72	4	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	301
1990	247	103	2	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	356
1991	260	87	6	6	4	n/a	n/a	0	363
1992	216	111	4	4	3	n/a	n/a	0	338
1993	197	85	4	4	3	n/a	n/a	0	293
1994	209	100	8	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	324
1995	164	95	2	3	6	n/a	n/a	0	270
1996	164	95	2	3	6	n/a	n/a	0	270
1997	140	114	2	0	7	n/a	n/a	0	263
1998	129	124	1	1	3	n/a	n/a	0	258
1999	130	140	3	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	278
2000	152	137	4	14	1	n/a	n/a	-22	286
2001	149	143	8	14	1	n/a	n/a	0	315
2002	179	76	17	61	7	n/a	n/a	0	340
2003	179	76	17	61	7	n/a	n/a	0	340
2004	178	62	14	84	4	n/a	n/a	0	342
2005	184	47	14	111	5	n/a	n/a	0	361
2006	179	52	19	109	2	n/a	n/a	0	361
2007	198	70	17	133	5	n/a	n/a	0	423
2008	225	63	21	141	5	n/a	n/a	0	455
2009	226	66	26	139	3	n/a	n/a	0	460
2010	205	50	18	131	2	0	32	0	438
2011	225	70	15	114	1	0	36	0	461
2012	217	64	20	102	1	0	32	0	436
2013	206	83	17	104	1	0	27	0	438
2014	218	69	14	115	1	0	24	0	441
2015	223	82	15	111	1	0	32	0	464
2016	226	99	17	110	0	0	30	0	482
2017	215	80	23	110	0	0	29	0	457
2018	221	86	17	99	0	0	28	0	451
2019	218	96	25	92	0	0	30	0	461
2020	218	85	22	84	1	0	36	0	446
2021	199	80	21	59	1	0	35	0	395
2022	183	83	15	67	0	0	38	0	386
2023	218	83	16	74	1	0	46	0	438
2024	213	82	21	84	0	0	44	0	444

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 Perkins Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	257	17.3	14.8	42.4
1989	301	1.4	215.0	34.6
1990	356	20.1	17.7	37.4
1991	363	25.0	14.5	34.4
1992	338	26.0	13.0	42.3
1993	293	26.7	11.0	40.6
1994	324	31.4	10.3	43.2
1995	270	24.8	10.9	47.4
1996	270	24.8	10.9	47.4
1997	263	24.8	10.6	57
1998	258	24.8	10.4	48.8
1999	278	22.1	12.6	67.3
2000	286	26.7	10.7	57.5
2001	315	27.8	11.3	61.9
2002	340	28.3	12.0	51.8
2003	340	28.3	12.0	51.8
2004	342	29.8	11.5	52.6
2005	361	27.8	13.0	57.9
2006	361	29.6	12.2	60.9
2007	423	29.4	14.4	55.8
2008	455	31.0	14.7	59.8
2009	460	32.0	14.4	60.4
2010	438	32.9	13.2	60.3
2011	461	31.0	14.8	62.5
2012	436	28.5	15.2	57.8
2013	438	29.5	14.8	59.8
2014	441	28.5	15.4	52.2
2015	464	28.0	16.5	57.8
2016	482	30.0	16.0	59.3
2017	457	31.0	14.7	58.2
2018	451	30.6	14.7	58.3
2019	461	28.2	16.3	62
2020	446	29.6	15.0	62.6
2021	395	28.4	13.9	57.7
2022	386	29.2	13.2	60.9
2023	438	28.1	15.5	61
2024	444	29.2	15.1	55.6

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 Perkins Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	257	17.3	14.8	42.4
1989	301	1.4	215.0	34.6
1990	356	20.1	17.7	37.4
1991	363	25.0	14.5	34.4
1992	338	26.0	13.0	42.3
1993	293	26.7	11.0	40.6
1994	324	31.4	10.3	43.2
1995	270	24.8	10.9	47.4
1996	270	24.8	10.9	47.4
1997	263	24.8	10.6	57
1998	258	24.8	10.4	48.8
1999	278	22.1	12.6	67.3
2000	286	26.7	10.7	57.5
2001	315	27.8	11.3	61.9
2002	340	28.3	12.0	51.8
2003	340	28.3	12.0	51.8
2004	342	29.8	11.5	52.6
2005	361	27.8	13.0	57.9
2006	361	29.6	12.2	60.9
2007	423	29.4	14.4	55.8
2008	455	31.0	14.7	59.8
2009	460	32.0	14.4	60.4
2010	438	32.9	13.2	60.3
2011	461	31.0	14.8	62.5
2012	436	28.5	15.2	57.8
2013	438	29.5	14.8	59.8
2014	441	28.5	15.4	52.2
2015	464	28.0	16.5	57.8
2016	482	30.0	16.0	59.3
2017	457	31.0	14.7	58.2
2018	451	30.6	14.7	58.3
2019	461	28.2	16.3	62
2020	446	29.6	15.0	62.6
2021	395	28.4	13.9	57.7
2022	386	29.2	13.2	60.9
2023	438	28.1	15.5	61
2024	444	29.2	15.1	55.6

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 Perkins Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,156 (7.9%)	$13,541 (92.1%)	$14,697

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Perkins 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 379^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 402^nd of 565 Elementary schools	8.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Perkins Elementary School)	52.9	62.3	9.4%
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 (Perkins Elementary School)	69.1	68.6	0.5%
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 (Perkins Elementary School)	72	72.9	0.9%
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 (Perkins Elementary School)	80	71.4	8.6%
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 (Perkins Elementary School)	54.9	63.1	8.2%
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 (Perkins Elementary School)	70.7	66.2	4.5%
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	461	438	5%
African American	96	83	13.5%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	25	16	36%
Hispanic	92	74	19.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	218	218
Two or More Races	30	46	53.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	62%	61%	1.1%

Schools Near Perkins 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 English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
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
Horizon Science Academy Des Moines	Public, Charter	K-3	4801 Franklin Ave 2nd	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Horizon Science Academy	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(515) 335-1937	79	9	8.7	3.8%	32 (40.5%)	21 (26.6%)	17 (21.5%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (10.1%)								(n/a)
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	291	24	12.0	63.9%	105 (36.1%)	52 (17.9%)	72 (24.7%)	36 (12.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (8.6%)	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
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
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	383	26	14.9	40.2%	235 (61.4%)	61 (15.9%)	50 (13.1%)	5 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (8.4%)	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
Windsor Elementary	Public	K-5	5912 University Avenue	Des Moines	50311	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8440	267	22	11.9	48.3%	147 (55.1%)	36 (13.5%)	56 (21.0%)	7 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (7.9%)	28	448^th of 557 public elementary schools	19.6%		35.2	428^th of 565 public elementary schools	24.2%	20	59.7	50.0	55.8				75.8	62.2	60.5				37.2		$15,936	$723	$15,213
Cowles Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	6401 College Ave	Des Moines	50324	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-7818	403	23	17.5	15.9%	312 (77.4%)	6 (1.5%)	34 (8.4%)	12 (3.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (8.9%)	61	243^rd of 557 public elementary schools	56.4%		57.7	259^th of 565 public elementary schools	54.2%	16	72.2	93.9	79.4	75.8	97.0	81.5	75.0	78.8	64.7	69.7	84.8	82.1	64.7	78.6	$14,566	$624	$13,942
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	298	24	12.5	63.8%	101 (33.9%)	66 (22.1%)	64 (21.5%)	33 (11.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (11.1%)	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
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
Greenwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	316 37th Street	Des Moines	50312	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8410	307	21	14.8	49.8%	162 (52.8%)	55 (17.9%)	35 (11.4%)	9 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	42 (13.7%)	45.1	364^th of 557 public elementary schools	34.6%		24.1	466^th of 565 public elementary schools	17.5%	102	68.8	52.3	74.2				87.5	52.3	71.0				64.5		$16,236	$666	$15,571

Frequently Asked Questions about Perkins Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Perkins Elementary School?

Students at Perkins Elementary School are 48% White, 19% Hispanic, 18% African American, 10% Two or more races, 5% Asian.

How many students attend Perkins Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 444 students attended Perkins Elementary School.

Is Perkins Elementary School a good school?

Perkins Elementary School ranks 342^nd of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Perkins Elementary School in?

Des Moines Independent Community School District

What schools do graduates of Perkins Elementary School attend?

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

High : Roosevelt 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.