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Below Average

#1103 of 1,280 schools in IA

Callanan Middle School

Middle School · Des Moines Independent Comm School District · Des Moines, IA

A Des Moines Independent Comm School District middle school where students score 7 points below what's typical for similar communities.

3010 Center Street, Des Moines, IA 50312

  • Math 44% vs IA 73% (2025)
  • Reading 51% vs IA 77% (2025)
  • 17:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.4Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.68 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics2.9Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency44.3% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency51.3% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg-28.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-22.4 pts
Overall Proficiency48% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)55% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected-6.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile11th
Resources & Environment3.0Needs Improvement25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio17:1
District spending per student$15,518
Chronic Absenteeism43.3%

Students at Callanan Middle School score 48% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 55%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency44%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
73%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency51%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
77%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 14 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 48% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
63%
ELA
61%
2010
Math
61%
ELA
57%
2011
Math
54%
ELA
50%
2012
Math
51%
ELA
47%
2013
Math
51%
ELA
53%
2014
Math
57%
ELA
59%
2015
Math
56%
ELA
64%
2016
Math
53%
ELA
59%
2017
Math
49%
ELA
54%
2018
Math
53%
ELA
50%
2019
Math
53%
ELA
50%
2020*
Math
50%
ELA
47%
2021*
Math
50%
ELA
47%
2022
Math
45%
ELA
51%
2025
Math
44%
ELA
51%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 52% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 53% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 35 test records from IA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

74%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Callanan Middle School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 69Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 35Some Transit
  • Bike 55Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,846/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Des Moines), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$82,720

Median home value

$274,400

Median rent

$1,057/mo

College educated

61.9%

Homeownership

64.5%

Poverty rate

8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 50312; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Ruby Van MeterEnrollment path unverified2.5K–120.1 mi112Compare →
Merrill Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.26–81.7 mi651Compare →
Brody Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified3.36–82.4 mi598Compare →
Hiatt Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified3.16–83.2 mi466Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Des Moines Independent Comm School District

Schools in district
59
Rank in district
#24 of 59
District spending per student
$15,518NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
21.3%Census SAIPE · 2024

Callanan Middle School is listed in Des Moines Independent Comm School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Callanan Middle School

Callanan Middle School is a public middle school in Des Moines, IA, part of Des Moines Independent Comm School District, serving approximately 543 students in grades 6th-8th with a 17:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 out of 10 and ranks #1,103 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 52% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 53% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Callanan Middle School

What grades does Callanan Middle School serve?

Callanan Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Callanan Middle School?

Callanan Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 543 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Callanan Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Callanan Middle School is 17:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Callanan Middle School rank in IA?

Callanan Middle School ranks #1,103 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Callanan Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Callanan Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Callanan Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Callanan Middle School has 52% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 53% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Callanan Middle School a charter school?

No, Callanan Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Callanan Middle School a Title I school?

No, Callanan Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Callanan Middle School?

74.0% of students at Callanan Middle School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
543
Student-Teacher Ratio
17:1
Teachers (FTE)
32
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Polk County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
43.3%
Area population (ZIP 50312)
15,492
Area average commute
15.8 min
Area median age
40.5
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 ISASP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 ISASP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 ISASP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 ISASP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 50312; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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