Morris Elementary School

Summary:

Morris Elementary School is a public elementary school in Des Moines, Iowa, serving 444 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 Iowa and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Morris Elementary School has a diverse student population, with 36.49% White, 17.34% African American, 36.94% Hispanic, 3.15% Asian, and 6.08% two or more races. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by ISASP test scores, is consistently lower than the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school's 3rd-grade proficiency rates in English Language Arts (35.4%) and Mathematics (35.4%) were significantly below the state (64.2% and 76.3%) and district (43.1% and 55.5%) averages. Additionally, Morris Elementary School has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 85.94% to 87.61% over the past three school years, which is significantly higher than the nearby schools in the same district.

Despite the school's challenges, it has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 11.3 to 12.5 over the past three school years, which is lower than the nearby schools in the same district. However, Morris Elementary School has consistently ranked in the bottom 10-15% of Iowa elementary schools based on the SchoolDigger statewide ranking, with a 0-star rating for the past several years. This suggests that the school is struggling to provide a high-quality education to its students, even when compared to other schools in the district that face similar demographic challenges.

Detail:

Public K-5

1401 Geil Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50315

(515) 242-8421

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
516^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,468

Students who attend Morris Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Lincoln High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.5

Number of students: 444

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

36.9%

White:

36.5%

African American:

17.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 87.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Morris Elementary School ranks worse than 92.6% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 22^nd 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 9.45. (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 Morris 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 Morris Elementary School is $16,468, which is the 16^th highest among 38 elementary schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Morris 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 Morris Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	23.72	553^rd	626	11.7%
2013	11.12	585^th	624	6.3%
2014	6.88	573^rd	603	5.0%
2015	2.94	601^st	616	2.4%
2016	19.26	518^th	599	13.5%
2017	14.49	508^th	574	11.5%
2018	14.92	499^th	567	12.0%
2019	9.86	568^th	603	5.8%
2021	11.62	523^rd	567	7.8%
2022	10.30	527^th	574	8.2%
2023	7.67	530^th	565	6.2%
2024	9.45	516^th	557	7.4%

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 Morris Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	332	5	5	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	346
1989	333	9	5	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	350
1990	341	4	6	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	353
1991	350	4	7	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	368
1992	387	13	3	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	408
1993	321	6	4	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	336
1994	372	4	4	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	387
1995	381	5	4	9	2	n/a	n/a	0	401
1996	381	5	4	9	2	n/a	n/a	0	401
1997	320	5	3	7	2	n/a	n/a	0	337
1998	322	2	2	5	5	n/a	n/a	0	336
1999	324	2	1	5	6	n/a	n/a	0	338
2000	344	1	1	6	5	n/a	n/a	-28	329
2001	300	2	2	7	5	n/a	n/a	0	316
2002	425	20	6	93	2	n/a	n/a	0	546
2003	425	20	6	93	2	n/a	n/a	0	546
2004	418	24	9	121	4	n/a	n/a	0	576
2005	397	43	10	142	3	n/a	n/a	0	595
2006	339	41	9	184	5	n/a	n/a	0	578
2007	337	42	12	199	4	n/a	n/a	0	594
2008	315	45	16	199	6	n/a	n/a	0	581
2009	358	52	18	214	6	n/a	n/a	0	648
2010	329	57	31	243	2	0	30	0	692
2011	276	47	28	223	2	0	26	0	602
2012	269	58	26	241	2	0	20	0	616
2013	272	53	28	238	3	0	23	0	617
2014	281	62	20	215	2	0	32	0	612
2015	284	83	22	174	0	0	32	0	595
2016	255	73	25	184	3	0	39	0	579
2017	256	80	33	199	2	0	31	0	601
2018	242	87	27	203	2	3	36	0	600
2019	217	103	19	194	2	0	32	0	567
2020	199	92	15	185	3	0	32	0	526
2021	183	88	13	159	3	0	26	0	472
2022	165	83	13	161	2	0	24	0	448
2023	162	77	14	164	0	0	27	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 Morris Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	346	19.6	17.6	24.9
1989	350	17.0	20.5	18.6
1990	353	20.6	17.1	16.7
1991	368	28.6	12.8	17.7
1992	408	27.0	15.1	18.9
1993	336	28.0	12.0	21.1
1994	387	34.3	11.3	20.2
1995	401	26.2	15.3	22.7
1996	401	26.2	15.3	22.7
1997	337	26.2	12.9	24.9
1998	336	26.2	12.8	22
1999	338	21.9	15.4	41.1
2000	329	25.6	12.9	37.8
2001	316	25.7	12.3	39.6
2002	546	42.2	12.9	57.5
2003	546	42.2	12.9	57.5
2004	576	48.0	12.0	57.1
2005	595	44.3	13.4	61.5
2006	578	46.6	12.4	65.9
2007	594	45.9	12.9	63.8
2008	581	47.6	12.2	70.1
2009	648	47.6	13.6	67.1
2010	692	48.6	14.2	73.6
2011	602	48.0	12.5	77.6
2012	616	46.0	13.3	81.2
2013	617	46.0	13.4	84
2014	612	49.8	12.2	79.2
2015	595	49.0	12.1	88.4
2016	579	47.0	12.3	85.5
2017	601	45.3	13.2	84.7
2018	600	45.9	13.0	86.2
2019	567	45.6	12.4	87.5
2020	526	43.5	12.0	87.1
2021	472	41.5	11.3	87.3
2022	448	39.4	11.3	85.9
2023	444	35.5	12.5	87.6

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 Morris Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	346	19.6	17.6	24.9
1989	350	17.0	20.5	18.6
1990	353	20.6	17.1	16.7
1991	368	28.6	12.8	17.7
1992	408	27.0	15.1	18.9
1993	336	28.0	12.0	21.1
1994	387	34.3	11.3	20.2
1995	401	26.2	15.3	22.7
1996	401	26.2	15.3	22.7
1997	337	26.2	12.9	24.9
1998	336	26.2	12.8	22
1999	338	21.9	15.4	41.1
2000	329	25.6	12.9	37.8
2001	316	25.7	12.3	39.6
2002	546	42.2	12.9	57.5
2003	546	42.2	12.9	57.5
2004	576	48.0	12.0	57.1
2005	595	44.3	13.4	61.5
2006	578	46.6	12.4	65.9
2007	594	45.9	12.9	63.8
2008	581	47.6	12.2	70.1
2009	648	47.6	13.6	67.1
2010	692	48.6	14.2	73.6
2011	602	48.0	12.5	77.6
2012	616	46.0	13.3	81.2
2013	617	46.0	13.4	84
2014	612	49.8	12.2	79.2
2015	595	49.0	12.1	88.4
2016	579	47.0	12.3	85.5
2017	601	45.3	13.2	84.7
2018	600	45.9	13.0	86.2
2019	567	45.6	12.4	87.5
2020	526	43.5	12.0	87.1
2021	472	41.5	11.3	87.3
2022	448	39.4	11.3	85.9
2023	444	35.5	12.5	87.6

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 Morris Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,455 (8.8%)	$15,012 (91.2%)	$16,468

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Morris 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 568^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 530^th of 565 Elementary schools	0.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Morris Elementary School)	36.4	37.8	1.4%
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 (Morris Elementary School)	45.5	40.5	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 (Morris Elementary School)	60.5	49.2	11.3%
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 (Morris Elementary School)	63.2	49.2	14%
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 (Morris Elementary School)	41.1	50.8	9.7%
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 (Morris Elementary School)	35.5	55.9	20.4%
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	567	444	21.7%
African American	103	77	25.2%
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	19	14	26.3%
Hispanic	194	164	15.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	217	162	25.3%
Two or More Races	32	27	15.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	87.5%	87.6%	0.1%

Schools Near Morris 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
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
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
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
Jefferson Elementary School	Public	K-5	2425 Watrous Ave	Des Moines	50321	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8416	338	23	14.8	49.7%	220 (65.1%)	29 (8.6%)	51 (15.1%)	10 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	25 (7.4%)	49	341^st of 557 public elementary schools	38.8%		55	283^rd of 565 public elementary schools	49.9%	58	66.0	68.0	77.6	75.5	72.0	69.4	49.0	$13,945	$622	$13,323
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
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
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
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
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
Lakewood Elementary School	Public	4-5	9210 Happy Hollow Dr	Norwalk	50211	Warren County	Norwalk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 981-1850	544	34	16.1	19.5%	473 (86.9%)	7 (1.3%)	38 (7.0%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (4.2%)	76.9	93^rd of 557 public elementary schools	83.3%		72.6	140^th of 565 public elementary schools	75.2%	47		79.6	80.8		81.8	84.6	73.5	$13,305	$405	$12,900

Frequently Asked Questions about Morris Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Morris Elementary School?

Students at Morris Elementary School are 37% Hispanic, 36% White, 17% African American, 6% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

How many students attend Morris Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 444 students attended Morris Elementary School.

Is Morris Elementary School a good school?

Morris Elementary School ranks in the bottom 7.4% of Iowa elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Morris Elementary School attend?

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

High : Lincoln High School

What district is Morris 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.