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Average

#882 of 1,280 schools in IA

Meredith Middle School

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

A Des Moines Independent Comm School District middle school serving grades 6th – 8th.

4827 Madison Ave, Des Moines, IA 50310

  • Math 51% vs IA 73% (2025)
  • Reading 59% vs IA 77% (2025)
  • 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.4Very Good40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.45 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics4.5Below Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency51.3% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency59.2% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg-21.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-14.5 pts
Overall Proficiency55% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)54% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected+0.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile26th
Resources & Environment3.8Needs Improvement25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.5:1
District spending per student$15,518
Chronic Absenteeism47%

Students at Meredith Middle School score 55% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 54%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency51%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
73%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency59%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
77%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 15 points since 2020, reaching 55% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
63%
ELA
57%
2010
Math
61%
ELA
52%
2011
Math
49%
ELA
40%
2012
Math
52%
ELA
38%
2013
Math
53%
ELA
48%
2014
Math
56%
ELA
52%
2015
Math
55%
ELA
56%
2016
Math
56%
ELA
58%
2017
Math
54%
ELA
53%
2018
Math
49%
ELA
48%
2019
Math
49%
ELA
48%
2020*
Math
40%
ELA
40%
2021*
Math
40%
ELA
40%
2022
Math
36%
ELA
46%
2025
Math
51%
ELA
59%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 51% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 50% (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

74.3%

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 Meredith 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 43Car-Dependent
  • Transit 36Some Transit
  • Bike 42Somewhat 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

$74,473

Median home value

$213,800

Median rent

$1,043/mo

College educated

36.4%

Homeownership

68.3%

Poverty rate

11.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 50310; 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
Urbandale Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.16–82.2 mi869Compare →
Johnston Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.18–93.0 mi1,200Compare →
Callanan Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.36–83.2 mi543Compare →
Ruby Van MeterEnrollment path unverified2.5K–123.3 mi112Compare →

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
#12 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

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

About Meredith Middle School

Meredith Middle School is a public middle school in Des Moines, IA, part of Des Moines Independent Comm School District, serving approximately 653 students in grades 6th-8th with a 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 out of 10 and ranks #882 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 51% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 50% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Meredith Middle School

What grades does Meredith Middle School serve?

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

How many students attend Meredith Middle School?

Meredith Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 653 students.

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

The student-teacher ratio at Meredith Middle School is 14.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Meredith Middle School rank in IA?

Meredith Middle School ranks #882 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Meredith Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Meredith Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 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 Meredith Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Meredith Middle School has 51% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 50% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Meredith Middle School a charter school?

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

Is Meredith Middle School a Title I school?

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

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

74.3% of students at Meredith 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
653
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
45
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Polk County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
47.0%
Area population (ZIP 50310)
31,283
Area average commute
19.3 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 50310; 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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