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:
333rd of 337 Iowa Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,586 Help


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:  17.5 Help
Number of students:  684

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
40.6%
White:
19.7%
African American:
17.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  85.7% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Weeks Middle School ranks worse than 98.8% of middle schools in Iowa. It also ranks 8th among 10 ranked middle schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 1.28. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Weeks Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the Des Moines Independent Community School District.  (See more...)
Finance
Help
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 333rd 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 301st of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Weeks Middle School

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

Data source: test scores: Iowa Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Weeks Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    





Data source: Iowa Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Weeks Middle School

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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

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

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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

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

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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

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

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal 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 334th of 342 Middle schoolsRanks 327th 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)46.439.1
 7.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Des Moines Independent Community School District)48.345.6
 2.7%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)67.572.7
 5.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Weeks Middle School)47.232.4
 14.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Des Moines Independent Community School District)51.141
 10.1%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)69.469.9
 0.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Weeks Middle School)42.738.5
 4.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Des Moines Independent Community School District)47.848.4
 0.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)69.974.2
 4.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Weeks Middle School)44.629.2
 15.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Des Moines Independent Community School District)51.943.3
 8.6%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)70.168.9
 1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Weeks Middle School)48.246.4
 1.8%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Des Moines Independent Community School District)50.751.5
 0.8%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)69.576
 6.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Weeks Middle School)52.438.6
 13.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Des Moines Independent Community School District)51.946.1
 5.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)71.872
 0.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students775684
 11.7%
African American98121
 23.5%
American Indian22
Asian100102
 2%
Hispanic342278
 18.7%
Pacific Islander00
White184135
 26.6%
Two or More Races4945
 8.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients89.2%85.7%
 3.5%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Weeks Middle School

Students at Weeks Middle School are 41% Hispanic, 20% White, 18% African American, 15% Asian, 7% Two or more races.

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

In the 2022-23 school year, 684 students attended Weeks Middle School.

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


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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.





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