Schools by Reading Proficiency in Des Moines Independent Comm School District (2025)

Schools ranked by the share of tested students proficient or above in reading/language arts (EDFacts, all students). Listed with official data; 53 schools in Des Moines Independent Comm School District, Iowa. Rank positions shown on each profile are within United States and Iowa.

#	School	Sector	Reading · math	Success Index (US)	Key result	Students
1	Cowles Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades PK–8	Public	88% · 83%	84.8 Top 5%	83% Math proficiency	392
2	Downtown School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	77% · 72%	83.7 Top 10%	72% Math proficiency	197
3	Merrill Middle School Des Moines · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	69% · 68%	72.3 Top 25%	68% Math proficiency	657
4	Pleasant Hill Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	67% · 67%	69.0 Top 25%	67% Math proficiency	241
5	Jefferson Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	62% · 77%	73.9 Top 25%	77% Math proficiency	312
6	Hanawalt Elementary Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	62% · 67%	71.9 Top 25%	67% Math proficiency	312
7	Greenwood Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	62% · 67%	69.7 Top 25%	67% Math proficiency	293
8	Brody Middle School Des Moines · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	61% · 63%	58.8 Top 50%	63% Math proficiency	641
9	Hubbell Elementary Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	59% · 58%	65.2 Top 50%	58% Math proficiency	362
10	Perkins Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	58% · 70%	63.8 Top 50%	70% Math proficiency	438
11	Windsor Elementary Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	57% · 67%	67.9 Top 50%	67% Math proficiency	254
12	Roosevelt High School Des Moines · High · Grades 9–12	Public	55% · 51%	46.5 Lower 50%	51% Math proficiency	2,051
13	Willard Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	52% · 67%	58.0 Top 50%	67% Math proficiency	247
14	Walnut Street School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	52% · 62%	57.5 Top 50%	62% Math proficiency	257
15	Moore Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	52% · 57%	58.4 Top 50%	57% Math proficiency	285
16	Wright Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	52% · 57%	55.0 Top 50%	57% Math proficiency	265
17	Park Ave Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	52% · 47%	47.5 Lower 50%	47% Math proficiency	380
18	Samuelson Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	50% · 55%	52.5 Top 50%	55% Math proficiency	386
19	Callanan Middle School Des Moines · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	50% · 53%	48.6 Lower 50%	53% Math proficiency	553
20	Capitol View Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	48% · 51%	44.6 Lower 50%	51% Math proficiency	533
21	Meredith Middle School Des Moines · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	48% · 49%	44.6 Lower 50%	49% Math proficiency	662
22	Brubaker Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	48% · 46%	46.8 Lower 50%	46% Math proficiency	622
23	McCombs Middle School Des Moines · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	47% · 54%	44.8 Lower 50%	54% Math proficiency	670
24	Oak Park Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	47% · 47%	49.5 Lower 50%	47% Math proficiency	288
25	Phillips Elementary Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	47% · 47%	48.6 Lower 50%	47% Math proficiency	263
26	Findley Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–6	Public	47% · 47%	45.1 Lower 50%	47% Math proficiency	324
27	Madison Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	47% · 47%	44.9 Lower 50%	47% Math proficiency	285
28	Hillis Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	47% · 42%	46.3 Lower 50%	42% Math proficiency	279
29	Studebaker Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	45% · 53%	46.3 Lower 50%	53% Math proficiency	561
30	Weeks Middle School Des Moines · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	45% · 47%	43.3 Lower 50%	47% Math proficiency	688
31	Lincoln High School Des Moines · High · Grades 9–12	Public	45% · 42%	33.5 Lower 50%	42% Math proficiency	2,364
32	Morris Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	44% · 46%	41.5 Lower 50%	46% Math proficiency	519
33	Jackson Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	44% · 46%	39.8 Lower 50%	46% Math proficiency	490
34	Hoyt Middle School Des Moines · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	43% · 48%	41.0 Lower 50%	48% Math proficiency	455
35	Garton Elementary Des Moines · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	42% · 47%	37.8 Lower 50%	47% Math proficiency	535
36	Cattell Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	42% · 42%	41.3 Lower 50%	42% Math proficiency	314
37	Stowe Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	42% · 42%	40.7 Lower 50%	42% Math proficiency	297
38	McKinley Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	42% · 42%	40.3 Lower 50%	42% Math proficiency	275
39	Howe Elementary Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	42% · 42%	39.6 Lower 50%	42% Math proficiency	297
40	Hoover High School Des Moines · High · Grades 9–12	Public	42% · 39%	31.6 Lower 50%	39% Math proficiency	898
41	Goodrell Middle School Des Moines · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	40% · 47%	39.1 Lower 50%	47% Math proficiency	511
42	River Woods Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	40% · 39%	38.5 Lower 50%	39% Math proficiency	493
43	East High School Des Moines · High · Grades 9–12	Public	39% · 26%	23.7 Lower 50%	26% Math proficiency	1,952
44	Harding Middle School Des Moines · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	36% · 38%	30.6 Lower 50%	38% Math proficiency	603
45	North High School Des Moines · High · Grades 9–12	Public	36% · 32%	24.7 Lower 50%	32% Math proficiency	1,428
46	South Union Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	34% · 38%	34.2 Lower 50%	38% Math proficiency	422
47	Moulton Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	33% · 36%	26.9 Lower 50%	36% Math proficiency	465
48	Lovejoy Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	32% · 37%	32.0 Lower 50%	37% Math proficiency	394
49	Hiatt Middle School Des Moines · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	31% · 34%	26.8 Lower 50%	34% Math proficiency	488
50	Carver Elementary Des Moines · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	28% · 43%	29.1 Lower 50%	43% Math proficiency	436
51	Monroe Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	28% · 30%	28.1 Lower 50%	30% Math proficiency	341
52	Edmunds Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	27% · 42%	32.8 Lower 50%	42% Math proficiency	259
53	King Elementary School Des Moines · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	17% · 27%	19.7 Lower 50%	27% Math proficiency	315

Cowles Elementary School in Des Moines leads the 2025 list of schools by reading proficiency in Des Moines Independent Comm School District with Reading · math 88% · 83%. Of the 53 schools shown, 53 are public.

For the full picture see the wider Iowa schools by reading proficiency rankings, every school on the Des Moines Independent Comm School District page, or the comparison tool to put a shortlist side by side.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best reading results school in Des Moines Independent Comm School District?

Cowles Elementary School in Des Moines, Iowa ranks first among schools by reading proficiency in Des Moines Independent Comm School District with Reading · math 88% · 83% (Enrollment: 392).

How are schools by reading proficiency in Des Moines Independent Comm School District ranked?

Schools ranked by the share of tested students proficient or above in reading/language arts (EDFacts, all students). Figures are the most recent published by the national authority and matched to the school directory.

Are these 2025 rankings official?

No. They are computed by Success Tutoring from official American data (Urban Institute Education Data Portal (NCES CCD, EDFacts); NCES Common Core of Data). States set their own assessments and proficiency cut scores, so proficiency rates are most comparable within a state. Use the state rankings for like-for-like comparisons.