Weeks Middle School

Summary:

Weeks Middle School is a public middle school in Des Moines, Iowa, serving 684 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, Weeks Middle School consistently performs below the state and district averages in standardized test scores across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts ranged from 41.5% to 49.7%, compared to the state average of 74.5% to 77.5%. Similarly, in Mathematics, the proficiency rates ranged from 28.4% to 42%, significantly lower than the state average of 69.9% to 73.2%. The school has a diverse student population, with a higher percentage of minority students compared to the state and nearby schools, and a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, at 85.67% in the 2022-2023 school year.

Despite the academic challenges faced by Weeks Middle School, some nearby schools within the same district, such as Merrill Middle School and Callanan Middle School, perform significantly better, with proficiency rates in the 60-70% range, outperforming the state average in many subject areas. This suggests that factors such as socioeconomic status and resource availability may be contributing to the academic challenges at Weeks Middle School, and that collaboration with higher-performing schools could be a valuable strategy to improve outcomes.

Detail:

Public 6-8

901 East Park Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50315

(515) 242-8449

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
333^rd of 337 Iowa Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,586

Students who attend Weeks Middle School usually attend:

High:

East High School

Feeder schools for Weeks Middle School:

Elementary:	Howe Elementary
	McKinley Elementary School
	River Woods Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.9

Number of students: 668

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

40.6%

White:

19.8%

African American:

18.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 77.7%

See top rated Iowa middle schools

Compare Weeks Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Weeks Middle School ranks worse than 98.8% of middle schools in Iowa. It also ranks 8^th 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 1.28. (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 Weeks Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the Des Moines Independent Community School District. Student population at Weeks Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (40.6%), White (19.8%), African American (18.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 77.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Weeks Middle School is 15.9, which is the 5^th best among 10 middle schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Weeks Middle School employs 41.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Weeks Middle School is $14,586. 6 middle schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Weeks Middle School 333^rd of 337 Iowa public middle schools. (See Weeks 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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Your rating for Weeks Middle School?

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Rank History for Weeks Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	7.58	339^th	349	2.9%
2013	7.96	337^th	350	3.7%
2014	4.75	328^th	337	2.7%
2015	3.54	340^th	349	2.6%
2016	7.48	328^th	343	4.4%
2017	7.94	308^th	327	5.8%
2018	6.68	305^th	318	4.1%
2019	4.82	334^th	342	2.3%
2021	2.60	317^th	324	2.2%
2022	2.14	333^rd	337	1.2%
2023	1.44	327^th	334	2.1%
2024	1.28	333^rd	337	1.2%

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 Weeks Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	564	11	26	40	1	n/a	n/a	0	642
1989	564	12	22	38	0	n/a	n/a	0	636
1990	554	10	29	39	3	n/a	n/a	0	635
1991	586	14	23	45	4	n/a	n/a	0	672
1992	596	26	29	58	1	n/a	n/a	0	710
1993	605	26	30	73	3	n/a	n/a	0	737
1994	569	22	35	74	3	n/a	n/a	0	703
1995	515	45	35	143	4	n/a	n/a	0	742
1996	515	45	35	143	4	n/a	n/a	0	742
1997	557	41	36	167	5	n/a	n/a	0	806
1998	585	32	42	131	9	n/a	n/a	0	799
1999	595	45	39	133	3	n/a	n/a	0	815
2000	549	53	50	163	3	n/a	n/a	0	818
2001	551	86	44	164	2	n/a	n/a	0	847
2002	528	104	51	179	3	n/a	n/a	0	865
2003	528	104	51	179	3	n/a	n/a	0	865
2004	497	92	51	180	2	n/a	n/a	0	822
2005	485	104	52	168	4	n/a	n/a	0	813
2006	446	92	57	190	3	n/a	n/a	0	788
2007	409	86	50	181	2	n/a	n/a	0	728
2008	401	91	59	195	3	n/a	n/a	0	749
2009	374	108	61	210	3	n/a	n/a	0	756
2010	293	99	55	240	4	1	57	0	749
2011	231	99	70	222	3	2	50	0	677
2012	226	94	76	224	2	0	53	0	675
2013	234	108	74	221	2	3	47	0	689
2014	209	111	63	193	1	3	53	0	633
2015	216	109	79	220	1	2	43	0	670
2016	216	108	89	254	1	3	46	0	717
2017	222	93	88	295	1	3	40	0	742
2018	190	117	90	317	0	2	50	0	766
2019	184	98	100	342	2	0	49	0	775
2020	165	108	99	337	5	0	58	0	772
2021	156	119	101	308	5	0	54	0	743
2022	134	125	85	289	3	0	49	0	685
2023	135	121	102	278	2	0	45	1	684
2024	132	123	96	271	1	0	45	0	668

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 Weeks Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	642	41.1	15.6	29.6
1989	636	44.2	14.3	27.4
1990	635	38.0	16.7	24.1
1991	672	42.5	15.8	23.1
1992	710	45.0	15.7	25.5
1993	737	47.0	15.7	26.6
1994	703	50.2	14.0	29
1995	742	44.5	16.7	36.7
1996	742	44.5	16.7	36.7
1997	806	44.5	18.1	39.5
1998	799	44.5	18.0	38
1999	815	45.6	17.9	45.5
2000	818	50.1	16.3	43.2
2001	847	50.3	16.8	53.8
2002	865	50.4	17.2	56.9
2003	865	50.4	17.2	56.9
2004	822	53.7	15.3	54.9
2005	813	49.5	16.4	62.7
2006	788	53.0	14.9	67.1
2007	728	53.0	13.7	59.9
2008	749	53.0	14.1	69.3
2009	756	51.4	14.7	69.2
2010	749	55.5	13.5	76.1
2011	677	49.5	13.6	76.1
2012	675	49.0	13.7	82.1
2013	689	52.2	13.1	85.5
2014	633	48.0	13.1	82.5
2015	670	47.0	14.2	82.8
2016	717	49.0	14.6	84.9
2017	742	52.3	14.1	84.6
2018	766	50.0	15.3	85.1
2019	775	50.2	15.4	89.2
2020	772	50.5	15.2	88.2
2021	743	48.0	15.4	87.2
2022	685	45.3	15.1	86.6
2023	684	38.9	17.5	85.7
2024	668	41.7	15.9	77.7

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 Weeks Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	642	41.1	15.6	29.6
1989	636	44.2	14.3	27.4
1990	635	38.0	16.7	24.1
1991	672	42.5	15.8	23.1
1992	710	45.0	15.7	25.5
1993	737	47.0	15.7	26.6
1994	703	50.2	14.0	29
1995	742	44.5	16.7	36.7
1996	742	44.5	16.7	36.7
1997	806	44.5	18.1	39.5
1998	799	44.5	18.0	38
1999	815	45.6	17.9	45.5
2000	818	50.1	16.3	43.2
2001	847	50.3	16.8	53.8
2002	865	50.4	17.2	56.9
2003	865	50.4	17.2	56.9
2004	822	53.7	15.3	54.9
2005	813	49.5	16.4	62.7
2006	788	53.0	14.9	67.1
2007	728	53.0	13.7	59.9
2008	749	53.0	14.1	69.3
2009	756	51.4	14.7	69.2
2010	749	55.5	13.5	76.1
2011	677	49.5	13.6	76.1
2012	675	49.0	13.7	82.1
2013	689	52.2	13.1	85.5
2014	633	48.0	13.1	82.5
2015	670	47.0	14.2	82.8
2016	717	49.0	14.6	84.9
2017	742	52.3	14.1	84.6
2018	766	50.0	15.3	85.1
2019	775	50.2	15.4	89.2
2020	772	50.5	15.2	88.2
2021	743	48.0	15.4	87.2
2022	685	45.3	15.1	86.6
2023	684	38.9	17.5	85.7
2024	668	41.7	15.9	77.7

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 Weeks Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,091 (7.5%)	$13,495 (92.5%)	$14,586

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Weeks 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 334^th of 342 Middle schools	Ranks 327^th of 334 Middle schools	0.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Weeks Middle School)	46.4	39.1	7.3%
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 (Weeks Middle School)	47.2	32.4	14.8%
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 (Weeks Middle School)	42.7	38.5	4.2%
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 (Weeks Middle School)	44.6	29.2	15.4%
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 (Weeks Middle School)	48.2	46.4	1.8%
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 (Weeks Middle School)	52.4	38.6	13.8%
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	775	684	11.7%
African American	98	121	23.5%
American Indian	2	2
Asian	100	102	2%
Hispanic	342	278	18.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	184	135	26.6%
Two or More Races	49	45	8.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	89.2%	85.7%	3.5%

Schools Near Weeks 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
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	668	42	15.9	77.7%	132 (19.8%)	123 (18.4%)	271 (40.6%)	96 (14.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (6.7%)	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	598	32	18.6	64.5%	278 (46.5%)	74 (12.4%)	177 (29.6%)	26 (4.3%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (6.5%)	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
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	644	40	16.1	77.0%	172 (26.7%)	125 (19.4%)	239 (37.1%)	59 (9.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (7.3%)	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
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	466	36	12.8	83.7%	61 (13.1%)	101 (21.7%)	252 (54.1%)	30 (6.4%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	19 (4.1%)	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
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	543	33	16.5	74.0%	142 (26.2%)	213 (39.2%)	113 (20.8%)	22 (4.1%)	3 (0.6%)	5 (0.9%)	43 (7.9%)	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	651	37	17.3	36.4%	384 (59.0%)	105 (16.1%)	74 (11.4%)	22 (3.4%)	5 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	59 (9.1%)	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
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	634	38	16.6	81.9%	100 (15.8%)	180 (28.4%)	210 (33.1%)	83 (13.1%)	5 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	54 (8.5%)	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
Goodrell Middle School	Public	6-8	3300 E. 29th Street	Des Moines	50317	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8444	493	35	14.2	74.2%	172 (34.9%)	106 (21.5%)	153 (31.0%)	28 (5.7%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	30 (6.1%)	1.8	331^st of 337 public middle schools	1.8%		1.6	326^th of 334 public middle schools	2.4%	5	34.1	46.1	51.7	35.7	49.4	44.8	35.2	$15,696	$1,024	$14,672
Hoyt Middle School	Public	6-8	2700 E 42nd St	Des Moines	50317	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8446	486	31	15.6	70.8%	219 (45.1%)	80 (16.5%)	134 (27.6%)	17 (3.5%)	4 (0.8%)	2 (0.4%)	29 (6.0%)	1.3	332^nd of 337 public middle schools	1.5%		1.3	329^th of 334 public middle schools	1.5%	3	45.5	50.0	52.6	41.3	32.5	42.2	36.4	$14,771	$931	$13,840
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	531	41	12.8	33.0%	432 (81.4%)	9 (1.7%)	57 (10.7%)	19 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.6%)	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

Frequently Asked Questions about Weeks Middle School

Is Weeks Middle School a good school?

Weeks Middle School ranks in the bottom 1.2% of Iowa middle schools.

What high school do graduates of Weeks Middle School attend?

Students who attend Weeks Middle School usually go on to attend East High School

What is the racial makeup of Weeks Middle School?

Students at Weeks Middle School are 41% Hispanic, 20% White, 18% African American, 14% Asian, 7% Two or more races.

What district is Weeks Middle School in?

Des Moines Independent Community School District

How many students attend Weeks Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 668 students attended Weeks Middle 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.