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#986 of 1,280 schools in IA

Capitol View Elementary School

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

A Des Moines Independent Comm School District elementary school where students score 5 points below what's typical for similar communities.

320 E. 16th, Des Moines, IA 50316

  • Math 43% vs IA 75% (2025)
  • Reading 44% vs IA 72% (2025)
  • 12.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.3Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.93 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics2.9Needs Improvement30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency42.7% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency43.9% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg-34 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-25.2 pts
Overall Proficiency43% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)49% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected-5.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile11th
Resources & Environment7.2Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio12.4:1
District spending per student$15,518
Chronic Absenteeism36.9%

Students at Capitol View Elementary School score 43% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 49%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency43%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
75%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency44%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
72%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 6 points since 2020, reaching 43% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
60%
ELA
57%
2010
Math
60%
ELA
58%
2011
Math
39%
ELA
41%
2012
Math
49%
ELA
51%
2013
Math
47%
ELA
49%
2014
Math
51%
ELA
51%
2015
Math
55%
ELA
58%
2016
Math
57%
ELA
59%
2017
Math
54%
ELA
58%
2018
Math
51%
ELA
48%
2019
Math
51%
ELA
48%
2020*
Math
43%
ELA
31%
2021*
Math
43%
ELA
31%
2022
Math
30%
ELA
41%
2025
Math
43%
ELA
44%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 48% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 48% (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

85.3%

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 Capitol View Elementary 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 77Very Walkable
  • Transit 41Some Transit
  • Bike 50Bikeable
  • 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

$53,090

Median home value

$137,300

Median rent

$963/mo

College educated

12.7%

Homeownership

66.5%

Poverty rate

19.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 50316; 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
Joshua Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition8.2privateK–120.8 mi175Compare →
Holy Family SchoolPrivate · tuition8.4privateK–80.9 mi211Compare →
Carver ElementaryEnrollment path unverified3.8PK–51.0 mi419Compare →
Mckinley Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified3.3PK–51.5 mi269Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

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

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Des Moines Independent Comm School District

Schools in district
59
Rank in district
#16 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

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

About Capitol View Elementary School

Capitol View Elementary School is a public elementary school in Des Moines, IA, part of Des Moines Independent Comm School District, serving approximately 545 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 12.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.0 out of 10 and ranks #986 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 48% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Capitol View Elementary School

What grades does Capitol View Elementary School serve?

Capitol View Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Capitol View Elementary School?

Capitol View Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 545 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Capitol View Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Capitol View Elementary School is 12.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Capitol View Elementary School rank in IA?

Capitol View Elementary School ranks #986 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Capitol View Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Capitol View Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.0 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 Capitol View Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Capitol View Elementary School has 48% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Capitol View Elementary School a charter school?

No, Capitol View Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Capitol View Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Capitol View Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Capitol View Elementary School?

85.3% of students at Capitol View Elementary 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
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
545
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
44
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Polk County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
36.9%
Area population (ZIP 50316)
16,188
Area average commute
19.1 min
Area median age
31.7
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 50316; 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

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