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Below Average

#1129 of 1,280 schools in IA

Findley 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 8 points below what's typical for similar communities.

3025 Oxford Street, Des Moines, IA 50313

  • Math 39% vs IA 74% (2025)
  • Reading 47% vs IA 73% (2025)
  • 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.1Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.54 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics2.6Needs Improvement30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency39.3% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency46.8% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg-37.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-22.3 pts
Overall Proficiency43% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)51% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected-8.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile9th
Resources & Environment8.1Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.8:1
District spending per student$15,518
Chronic Absenteeism34.2%

Students at Findley Elementary School score 43% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 51%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency39%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
74%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency47%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
73%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 11 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 43% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
57%
ELA
52%
2010
Math
62%
ELA
67%
2011
Math
67%
ELA
72%
2012
Math
67%
ELA
72%
2013
Math
77%
ELA
72%
2014
Math
67%
ELA
57%
2015
Math
67%
ELA
57%
2016
Math
57%
ELA
57%
2017
Math
42%
ELA
52%
2018
Math
47%
ELA
47%
2019
Math
47%
ELA
47%
2020*
Math
47%
ELA
42%
2021*
Math
47%
ELA
42%
2022
Math
57%
ELA
57%
2025
Math
39%
ELA
47%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 54% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 55% (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 37 test records from IA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

80.6%

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 Findley 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 69Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 35Some Transit
  • Bike 47Somewhat Bikeable
  • 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

$64,077

Median home value

$161,800

Median rent

$1,077/mo

College educated

16.2%

Homeownership

74%

Poverty rate

13.2%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 50313; 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
Cattell Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.3K–50.7 mi308Compare →
Madison Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified2.8K–50.8 mi247Compare →
Oak ParkEnrollment path unverified3.0K–50.8 mi309Compare →
Moulton Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.7PK–51.2 mi450Compare →

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
#31 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

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

About Findley Elementary School

Findley Elementary School is a public elementary school in Des Moines, IA, part of Des Moines Independent Comm School District, serving approximately 284 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.0 out of 10 and ranks #1,129 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 54% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 55% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Findley Elementary School

What grades does Findley Elementary School serve?

Findley Elementary School serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Findley Elementary School?

Findley Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 284 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Findley Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Findley Elementary School is 11.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Findley Elementary School rank in IA?

Findley Elementary School ranks #1,129 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Findley Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Findley Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.0 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 Findley Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Findley Elementary School has 54% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 55% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Findley Elementary School a charter school?

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

Is Findley Elementary School a Title I school?

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

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

80.6% of students at Findley 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
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
284
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
24
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Polk County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
34.2%
Area population (ZIP 50313)
18,280
Area average commute
17.5 min
Area median age
37.6
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 50313; 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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