Carver Elementary

Summary:

Carver Elementary is a public elementary school in Des Moines, Iowa, serving 423 students in grades PK-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.

Carver Elementary consistently ranks among the lowest-performing elementary schools in Iowa, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science that are significantly lower than the state and district averages. The school has an extremely high percentage of students (94.8%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. Despite a relatively low student-teacher ratio, Carver Elementary spends approximately $17,672 per student, which is higher than the spending at some nearby schools like Findley Elementary and Cattell Elementary.

The challenges faced by Carver Elementary may be reflective of broader systemic issues within the district or the local community, as the majority of the schools in the immediate vicinity also struggle with low performance and high rates of economic disadvantage. Addressing these issues will likely require a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach that addresses the unique needs of the school's student population and the broader educational and socioeconomic context in which it operates.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

705 E University Ave
Des Moines, IA 50316

(515) 242-8418

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
544^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,672

Students who attend Carver Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Hiatt Middle School
High:	East High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.0

Number of students: 423

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

53.9%

African American:

24.8%

White:

10.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 94.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Carver Elementary ranks worse than 97.7% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 32^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 3.69. (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 Carver Elementary 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 Carver Elementary is $17,672, which is the 8^th highest among 38 elementary schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Carver Elementary 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 Carver Elementary

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	4.31	613^th	626	2.1%
2013	6.80	598^th	624	4.2%
2014	2.72	590^th	603	2.2%
2015	3.54	597^th	616	3.1%
2016	2.63	588^th	599	1.8%
2017	1.14	571^st	574	0.5%
2018	1.06	564^th	567	0.5%
2019	3.82	589^th	603	2.3%
2021	1.85	561^st	567	1.1%
2022	1.17	571^st	574	0.5%
2023	0.78	564^th	565	0.2%
2024	3.69	544^th	557	2.3%

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 Carver Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2008	207	135	65	233	2	n/a	n/a	642
2009	175	147	50	266	4	n/a	n/a	642
2010	112	156	47	311	6	0	48	680
2011	102	146	42	313	9	1	58	671
2012	103	146	44	324	7	1	56	681
2013	119	132	37	364	4	1	38	695
2014	109	139	44	346	6	1	41	686
2015	72	130	29	304	4	2	36	577
2016	73	137	30	282	4	1	28	555
2017	65	155	33	290	4	1	25	573
2018	59	156	33	275	7	1	18	549
2019	49	116	28	259	8	2	22	484
2020	47	102	26	251	6	2	27	461
2021	47	96	29	252	4	1	23	452
2022	47	96	22	242	3	1	27	438
2023	46	105	18	228	4	1	21	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 Carver Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	642	53.6	12.0	83.3
2009	642	52.0	12.3	77.1
2010	680	49.9	13.6	87.4
2011	671	50.0	13.4	87.3
2012	681	50.5	13.4	99.6
2013	695	55.5	12.5	94.4
2014	686	51.5	13.3	95
2015	577	48.0	12.0	93.2
2016	555	48.0	11.5	92.1
2017	573	45.5	12.5	93
2018	549	44.9	12.2	95.6
2019	484	45.4	10.6	95.7
2020	461	42.4	10.8	94.1
2021	452	42.7	10.5	94.9
2022	438	39.3	11.1	95.4
2023	423	35.2	12.0	94.8

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 Carver Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	642	53.6	12.0	83.3
2009	642	52.0	12.3	77.1
2010	680	49.9	13.6	87.4
2011	671	50.0	13.4	87.3
2012	681	50.5	13.4	99.6
2013	695	55.5	12.5	94.4
2014	686	51.5	13.3	95
2015	577	48.0	12.0	93.2
2016	555	48.0	11.5	92.1
2017	573	45.5	12.5	93
2018	549	44.9	12.2	95.6
2019	484	45.4	10.6	95.7
2020	461	42.4	10.8	94.1
2021	452	42.7	10.5	94.9
2022	438	39.3	11.1	95.4
2023	423	35.2	12.0	94.8

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 Carver Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,648 (9.3%)	$16,024 (90.7%)	$17,672

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Carver Elementary

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 589^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 564^th of 565 Elementary schools	2.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Carver Elementary)	19.7	15.5	4.2%
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 (Carver Elementary)	32.9	27.6	5.3%
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 (Carver Elementary)	30.6	28.4	2.2%
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 (Carver Elementary)	38.8	37.3	1.5%
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 (Carver Elementary)	32.5	25	7.5%
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 (Carver Elementary)	55.8	39.3	16.5%
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	484	423	12.6%
African American	116	105	9.5%
American Indian	8	4	50%
Asian	28	18	35.7%
Hispanic	259	228	12%
Pacific Islander	2	1	50%
White	49	46	6.1%
Two or More Races	22	21	4.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	95.7%	94.8%	0.9%

Schools Near Carver Elementary

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
Carver Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	705 E University Ave	Des Moines	50316	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8418	423	35	12.0	94.8%	46 (10.9%)	105 (24.8%)	228 (53.9%)	18 (4.3%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	21 (5.0%)	3.7	544^th of 557 public elementary schools	2.3%		0.8	564^th of 565 public elementary schools	0.2%	20	31.0	44.1	32.2	48.3	50.8	45.8	25.4	$17,672	$1,648	$16,024
Capitol View Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	320 E. 16th	Des Moines	50316	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8402	505	44	11.5	94.5%	119 (23.6%)	75 (14.9%)	275 (54.5%)	16 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.0%)	5.3	532^nd of 557 public elementary schools	4.5%		5.2	542^nd of 565 public elementary schools	4.1%	10	33.3	50.7	46.0	50.0	50.7	38.1	31.7	$18,793	$3,389	$15,405
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
Walnut Street School	Public	PK, KG-5	901 Walnut St	Des Moines	50309	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8438	269	20	13.5	65.4%	94 (34.9%)	86 (32.0%)	44 (16.4%)	14 (5.2%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.7%)	28 (10.4%)	33	430^th of 557 public elementary schools	22.8%		28.8	444^th of 565 public elementary schools	21.4%	14	50.0	82.1	65.4	70.0	53.6	57.7	48.0	$16,042	$659	$15,382
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
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
Findley Elementary School	Public	K-5	3025 Oxford Street	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8407	304	25	12.1	86.2%	96 (31.6%)	60 (19.7%)	82 (27.0%)	45 (14.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (6.6%)	10.2	513^th of 557 public elementary schools	7.9%		11	520^th of 565 public elementary schools	8.0%	7	41.5	43.2	49.0	43.9	43.2	57.1	46.9	$16,683	$1,316	$15,366
Cattell Elementary School	Public	K-5	3101 E 12th St	Des Moines	50316	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8403	322	29	11.0	84.8%	89 (27.6%)	66 (20.5%)	111 (34.5%)	21 (6.5%)	3 (0.9%)	1 (0.3%)	31 (9.6%)	29.4	443^rd of 557 public elementary schools	20.5%		19.5	483^rd of 565 public elementary schools	14.5%	40	50.0	56.5	74.4	50.0	51.6	79.1	53.5	$16,110	$1,920	$14,190
McKinley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1610 SE 6th Street	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8423	285	24	11.9	89.5%	77 (27.0%)	33 (11.6%)	128 (44.9%)	17 (6.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (9.8%)	8.1	519^th of 557 public elementary schools	6.8%		6.5	535^th of 565 public elementary schools	5.3%	16	31.7	41.7	54.5	39.0	52.8	57.6	33.3	$18,844	$1,470	$17,374
Downtown School	Public	K-5	1800 Grand Avenue	Des Moines	50309	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 284-5848	243	20	12.3	25.1%	163 (67.1%)	23 (9.5%)	25 (10.3%)	4 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (11.5%)	71.2	149^th of 557 public elementary schools	73.2%		57.5	261^st of 565 public elementary schools	53.8%	112	63.6	86.4	84.2	78.8	84.1	73.7	71.1	$14,247	$621	$13,626

Frequently Asked Questions about Carver Elementary

What district is Carver Elementary in?

Des Moines Independent Community School District

What schools do graduates of Carver Elementary attend?

Students who attend Carver Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Hiatt Middle School
High : East High School

How many students attend Carver Elementary?

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

Is Carver Elementary a good school?

Carver Elementary ranks in the bottom 2.3% of Iowa elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Carver Elementary?

Students at Carver Elementary are 54% Hispanic, 25% African American, 11% White, 5% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

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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.