Urbandale Middle School

Q: Is Urbandale Middle School a good school?

Urbandale Middle School ranks 201 st of 337 Iowa middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Urbandale Middle School is a public middle school serving 894 students in grades 6-8 within the Urbandale Community School District. The school has a diverse student population, with a racial makeup that is predominantly White (64.99%), with significant populations of Hispanic (13.98%), African American (9.4%), and Asian (5.93%) students.

Urbandale Middle School consistently performs above the state average in ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) test scores across all grade levels and subject areas. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts ranged from 72.8% (6th grade) to 81.8% (7th grade), compared to the state averages of 74.5% (6th grade) and 77.3% (7th grade). In Mathematics, the school's proficiency rates ranged from 70.7% (7th grade) to 74% (8th grade), compared to the state averages of 69.9% (7th grade) and 73.2% (8th grade). However, the school's statewide ranking has declined from a high of 51st out of 318 Iowa middle schools in 2017-2018 to 201st out of 337 in the 2023-2024 school year, and its SchoolDigger rating has decreased from 4 stars out of 5 to 2 stars out of 5 during the same period.

The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at Urbandale Middle School has increased from 10.32% in 2020-2021 to 40.6% in 2022-2023, indicating a growing population of students from lower-income households. When compared to nearby schools, such as Woodside Middle School in the Saydel Community School District and the schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District, Urbandale Middle School has stronger academic performance. However, the nearby schools in the West Des Moines Community School District have academic performance that is more comparable to Urbandale Middle School.

Detail:

Public 6-8

7701 Aurora Avenue
Urbandale, IA 50322-1764

(515) 457-6600

District: Urbandale Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
201^st of 337 Iowa Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,993

Students who attend Urbandale Middle School usually attend:

High:

Urbandale High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.8

Number of students: 894

Racial breakdown:

White:

65.0%

Hispanic:

14.0%

African American:

9.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 40.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Urbandale Middle School ranks worse than 59.6% of middle schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 49.31. (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

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Urbandale Middle School is $8,993.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Urbandale Middle School 201^st of 337 Iowa public middle schools. (See Urbandale Middle School in the ranking list.)

Urbandale Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Urbandale Community School District 175^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Urbandale Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	62.41	122^nd	349	65.0%
2013	66.47	95^th	350	72.9%
2014	65.88	115^th	337	65.9%
2015	67.61	104^th	349	70.2%
2016	71.61	78^th	343	77.3%
2017	74.57	54^th	327	83.5%
2018	75.32	51^st	318	84.0%
2019	72.06	67^th	342	80.4%
2021	53.17	170^th	324	47.5%
2022	49.09	190^th	337	43.6%
2023	49.11	197^th	334	41.0%
2024	49.31	201^st	337	40.4%

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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Enrollment information for Urbandale Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	594	6	14	2	0	n/a	n/a	616
1989	642	3	19	3	1	n/a	n/a	668
1990	643	2	16	0	0	n/a	n/a	661
1991	681	7	14	6	0	n/a	n/a	708
1992	681	10	15	3	0	n/a	n/a	709
1993	748	6	22	4	1	n/a	n/a	781
1994	810	13	25	5	3	n/a	n/a	856
1995	839	14	18	11	0	n/a	n/a	882
1996	839	14	18	11	0	n/a	n/a	882
1997	850	10	17	8	1	n/a	n/a	886
1998	827	11	14	9	1	n/a	n/a	862
1999	783	19	11	11	0	n/a	n/a	824
2000	753	21	6	11	0	n/a	n/a	791
2001	738	23	9	12	1	n/a	n/a	783
2002	737	26	10	14	0	n/a	n/a	787
2003	737	26	10	14	0	n/a	n/a	787
2004	761	28	11	16	2	n/a	n/a	818
2005	754	30	12	23	1	n/a	n/a	820
2006	731	33	19	21	1	n/a	n/a	805
2007	709	29	24	27	1	n/a	n/a	790
2008	690	51	29	31	2	n/a	n/a	803
2009	679	58	37	40	2	n/a	n/a	816
2010	680	61	25	57	1	1	30	855
2011	709	60	31	53	1	0	36	890
2012	692	61	25	56	1	0	35	870
2013	685	60	30	61	1	0	40	877
2014	696	64	29	66	0	3	39	897
2015	710	59	34	69	2	4	39	917
2016	712	62	48	68	2	4	37	933
2017	729	61	43	70	2	2	37	944
2018	706	51	48	86	0	2	45	938
2019	692	63	33	97	0	0	52	937
2020	686	53	56	113	2	0	59	969
2021	638	66	49	115	2	0	60	930
2022	592	80	54	123	4	5	56	914
2023	581	84	53	125	2	3	46	894

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 Urbandale Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	616	32.1	19.1	2.9
1989	668	32.1	20.8	2.5
1990	661	31.6	20.9	1.8
1991	708	39.5	17.9	1.6
1992	709	40.0	17.7	2.4
1993	781	43.8	17.8	1.5
1994	856	45.2	18.9	2.3
1995	882	52.0	17.0	2.8
1996	882	52.0	17.0	2.8
1997	886	51.5	17.2	2.9
1998	862	53.5	16.1	5
1999	824	36.0	22.9	7.9
2000	791	33.0	24.0	7.5
2001	783	34.0	23.0	8
2002	787	53.7	14.7	10.4
2003	787	53.7	14.7	10.4
2004	818	52.1	15.7	11.7
2005	820	53.1	15.4	11.5
2006	805	55.8	14.4	11.9
2007	790	53.4	14.8	14.1
2008	803	54.0	14.9	16.4
2009	816	54.0	15.1	19
2010	855	56.0	15.2	20.9
2011	890	56.5	15.7	23.5
2012	870	57.6	15.0	26
2013	877	55.5	15.8	27.6
2014	897	56.3	15.9	26.3
2015	917	56.0	16.3	22.6
2016	933	56.0	16.6	25.8
2017	944	55.5	17.0	25.8
2018	938	53.4	17.5	29.3
2019	937	58.2	16.0	33.8
2020	969	56.6	17.1	35.2
2021	930	57.0	16.3	10.3
2022	914	58.5	15.6	37.1
2023	894	56.5	15.8	40.6

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 Urbandale Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	616	32.1	19.1	2.9
1989	668	32.1	20.8	2.5
1990	661	31.6	20.9	1.8
1991	708	39.5	17.9	1.6
1992	709	40.0	17.7	2.4
1993	781	43.8	17.8	1.5
1994	856	45.2	18.9	2.3
1995	882	52.0	17.0	2.8
1996	882	52.0	17.0	2.8
1997	886	51.5	17.2	2.9
1998	862	53.5	16.1	5
1999	824	36.0	22.9	7.9
2000	791	33.0	24.0	7.5
2001	783	34.0	23.0	8
2002	787	53.7	14.7	10.4
2003	787	53.7	14.7	10.4
2004	818	52.1	15.7	11.7
2005	820	53.1	15.4	11.5
2006	805	55.8	14.4	11.9
2007	790	53.4	14.8	14.1
2008	803	54.0	14.9	16.4
2009	816	54.0	15.1	19
2010	855	56.0	15.2	20.9
2011	890	56.5	15.7	23.5
2012	870	57.6	15.0	26
2013	877	55.5	15.8	27.6
2014	897	56.3	15.9	26.3
2015	917	56.0	16.3	22.6
2016	933	56.0	16.6	25.8
2017	944	55.5	17.0	25.8
2018	938	53.4	17.5	29.3
2019	937	58.2	16.0	33.8
2020	969	56.6	17.1	35.2
2021	930	57.0	16.3	10.3
2022	914	58.5	15.6	37.1
2023	894	56.5	15.8	40.6

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 Urbandale Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$119 (1.3%)	$8,874 (98.7%)	$8,993

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Urbandale 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 67^th of 342 Middle schools	Ranks 197^th of 334 Middle schools	39.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Urbandale Middle School)	75.3	73.6	1.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Urbandale Community School District)	75.3	73.6	1.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.5	72.7	5.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Urbandale Middle School)	76.7	74.7	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Urbandale Community School District)	76.7	74.7	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	69.9	0.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Urbandale Middle School)	74.4	75.4	1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Urbandale Community School District)	74.4	75.4	1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.9	74.2	4.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Urbandale Middle School)	79.2	71.3	7.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Urbandale Community School District)	79.2	71.3	7.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	70.1	68.9	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Urbandale Middle School)	81.6	74	7.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Urbandale Community School District)	81.6	74	7.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.5	76	6.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Urbandale Middle School)	82.5	71.6	10.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Urbandale Community School District)	82.5	71.6	10.9%
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	937	894	4.6%
African American	63	84	33.3%
American Indian	0	2
Asian	33	53	60.6%
Hispanic	97	125	28.9%
Pacific Islander	0	3
White	692	581	16%
Two or More Races	52	46	11.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	33.8%	40.6%	6.8%

Schools Near Urbandale 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 5th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th 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
Urbandale Middle School	Public	6-8	7701 Aurora Avenue	Urbandale	50322	Polk County	Urbandale Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 457-6600	894	57	15.8	40.6%	581 (65.0%)	84 (9.4%)	125 (14.0%)	53 (5.9%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	46 (5.1%)	49.3	201^st of 337 public middle schools	40.4%		49.1	197^th of 334 public middle schools	41.0%	4		72.8	81.8	80.3		71.1	70.7	74.0		61.7	$8,993	$119	$8,874
Meredith Middle School	Public	6-8	4827 Madison Ave	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-7250	664	47	14.0	83.9%	132 (19.9%)	235 (35.4%)	148 (22.3%)	96 (14.5%)	4 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	47 (7.1%)	4.2	323^rd of 337 public middle schools	4.2%		4.6	320^th of 334 public middle schools	4.2%	3		50.0	57.6	51.4		43.4	50.0	51.6		42.7	$14,971	$1,099	$13,873
Summit Middle School	Public	6-7	9500 Windsor Parkway	Johnston	50131	Polk County	Johnston Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 986-0318	1,112	69	16.0	26.8%	738 (66.4%)	126 (11.3%)	83 (7.5%)	106 (9.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (5.2%)	68.9	96^th of 337 public middle schools	71.5%		74.6	62^nd of 334 public middle schools	81.4%	34		82.3	84.0			82.9	75.4				$11,977	$474	$11,503
Indian Hills Junior High School	Public	7-8	9401 Indian Hills Dr	Clive	50325	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 633-4700	696	53	13.1	45.4%	354 (50.9%)	71 (10.2%)	154 (22.1%)	63 (9.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (7.5%)	59.8	149^th of 337 public middle schools	55.8%		65.5	109^th of 334 public middle schools	67.4%	40			83.2	77.3			78.9	81.3		64.5	$15,125	$193	$14,931
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	634	36	17.5	44.6%	375 (59.1%)	101 (15.9%)	79 (12.5%)	21 (3.3%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (8.5%)	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
Stilwell Junior High School	Public	7-8	1601 Vine St	West Des Moines	50265	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 633-6000	684	48	14.3	36.1%	449 (65.6%)	72 (10.5%)	91 (13.3%)	30 (4.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	39 (5.7%)	52.1	189^th of 337 public middle schools	43.9%		56.8	166^th of 334 public middle schools	50.3%	23			76.9	79.3			66.2	82.0		67.2	$15,102	$192	$14,909
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	507	32	15.8	76.7%	133 (26.2%)	195 (38.5%)	101 (19.9%)	24 (4.7%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.6%)	49 (9.7%)	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
Dc-G Oak View	Public	7-8	1300 SW County Line Rd	Grimes	50111	Polk County	Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 986-0105	578	32	17.8	16.1%	513 (88.8%)	25 (4.3%)	22 (3.8%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.2%)	79.6	39^th of 337 public middle schools	88.4%		80.7	34^th of 334 public middle schools	89.8%	5			87.6	90.2			79.7	82.8		82.1	$11,541	$246	$11,295
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	655	37	17.5	89.5%	109 (16.6%)	182 (27.8%)	226 (34.5%)	87 (13.3%)	6 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	44 (6.7%)	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
Woodside Middle School	Public	5-8	5810 NE 14th St	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Saydel Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 265-3451	359	36	10.0	71.0%	248 (69.1%)	1 (0.3%)	74 (20.6%)	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (8.9%)	19.5	296^th of 337 public middle schools	12.2%		16.5	297^th of 334 public middle schools	11.1%	1	63.8	64.0	74.4	61.4	67.5	54.1	64.6	56.0	47.5	54.8	$14,080	$452	$13,628

Frequently Asked Questions about Urbandale Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Urbandale Middle School?

Students at Urbandale Middle School are 65% White, 14% Hispanic, 9% African American, 6% Asian, 5% Two or more races.

Is Urbandale Middle School a good school?

Urbandale Middle School ranks 201^st of 337 Iowa middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Urbandale Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 894 students attended Urbandale Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Urbandale Middle School attend?

Students who attend Urbandale Middle School usually go on to attend Urbandale High School

What district is Urbandale Middle School in?

Urbandale 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.