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Below Average

#1104 of 1,280 schools in IA

Pleasant Hill Elementary School

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

A Des Moines Independent Comm School District elementary school serving grades Kindergarten – 5th.

4801 E Oakwood Dr, Des Moines, IA 50327

  • Math 62% vs IA 75% (2025)
  • Reading 62% vs IA 72% (2025)
  • 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.2Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.98 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics5.0Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency62.4% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency62% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg-14.3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-7.1 pts
Overall Proficiency62% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)61% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected+1.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile32th
Resources & Environment8.6Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.7:1
District spending per student$15,518
Chronic Absenteeism31.3%

Students at Pleasant Hill Elementary School score 62% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 61%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency62%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
75%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency62%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
72%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 15 points since 2020, reaching 62% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
87%
ELA
82%
2010
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2011
Math
72%
ELA
77%
2012
Math
77%
ELA
77%
2013
Math
77%
ELA
72%
2014
Math
87%
ELA
82%
2015
Math
82%
ELA
82%
2016
Math
82%
ELA
77%
2017
Math
77%
ELA
77%
2018
Math
67%
ELA
67%
2019
Math
67%
ELA
67%
2020*
Math
47%
ELA
47%
2021*
Math
47%
ELA
47%
2022
Math
52%
ELA
57%
2025
Math
62%
ELA
62%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 70% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 70% (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

63%

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 Pleasant Hill 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 17Car-Dependent
  • Bike 27Somewhat 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

$90,759

Median home value

$303,000

Median rent

$1,219/mo

College educated

32.3%

Homeownership

78.6%

Poverty rate

8.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 50327; 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
Stowe Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified3.4K–52.0 mi311Compare →
Willard Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.4K–52.1 mi282Compare →
Brubaker Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.6K–52.4 mi618Compare →
Four Mile ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.5PK–52.4 mi489Compare →

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
#25 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

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

About Pleasant Hill Elementary School

Pleasant Hill Elementary School is a public elementary school in Des Moines, IA, part of Des Moines Independent Comm School District, serving approximately 211 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 out of 10 and ranks #1,104 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 70% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 70% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Pleasant Hill Elementary School

What grades does Pleasant Hill Elementary School serve?

Pleasant Hill Elementary School serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Pleasant Hill Elementary School?

Pleasant Hill Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 211 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Pleasant Hill Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Pleasant Hill Elementary School is 11.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Pleasant Hill Elementary School rank in IA?

Pleasant Hill Elementary School ranks #1,104 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Pleasant Hill Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Pleasant Hill Elementary 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 Pleasant Hill Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Pleasant Hill Elementary School has 70% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 70% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Pleasant Hill Elementary School a charter school?

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

Is Pleasant Hill Elementary School a Title I school?

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

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

63.0% of students at Pleasant Hill 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
211
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
18
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Polk County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
31.3%
Area population (ZIP 50327)
12,875
Area average commute
21.3 min
Area median age
41.2
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 50327; 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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