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Private elementary school · West Des Moines, Iowa

St Francis of Assisi School

St Francis of Assisi School rates 4.9 on the private-school model, which scores no academics: the estimated academic score shown on this page is drawn from 13 schools in West Des Moines for context and is not part of the rating.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus on our ten-point scale.
4.9this school

4.9 on a one-to-ten scale.

#151 of 170 schools in Iowa · The estimated academic score from 13 schools in West Des Moines is context only and is not part of this rating

The brief

A private elementary school in West Des Moines, IA serving grades Pre-K – 8th.

It ranks 151 of 170 schools in Iowa.

St Francis of Assisi School is a private school: it enrolls by application and tuition, and its rating comes from the private-school model, which is not comparable with a public rating.

Math88%14 points above the Iowa average of 74%Grades 3–8 · 451 students tested · 2025 ISASP
Reading91%16 points above the Iowa average of 75%Grades 3–8 · 451 students tested · 2025 ISASP
In 2025, 88% of students were proficient in math and 91% in reading, against Iowa averages of 74% and 75%.2025 ISASP; 14 test records from IA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Classroom Attention
3.3
30% of the rating
Instructional Commitment
6.8
15% of the rating
Diversity & Inclusion
5.7
20% of the rating
Community Context
Data not available
School Profile
5.0
15% of the rating
About this school's datarating: low confidence · 5 sources, 2019–2025

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

  • Estimated academic score. This school does not have standardized test data. Based on 13 schools in West Des Moines. Learn more
  • What this rating measures: classroom size, instructional time, student diversity, community resources, and school characteristics. Private schools are ranked against other private schools in IA.
  • Component weights adjusted due to data availability.

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 88% (2025 ISASP) · reading/ELA 91% (2025 ISASP).

Score basis: private school model. Data coverage: 80% of scoring components had data. Components scored: 4 of 5. Ranking pool: private schools in IA.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Private School Universe Survey (PSS) · SY 2023–24 · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · 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 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.
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 50266; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments 2025 ISASP; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
St Francis of Assisi School and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$85,282
Median home value
$325,100
Median rent
$1,285/mo
College educated
60%
Homeownership
50.1%
Poverty rate
7.2%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 50266; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
38
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
36
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
1,670/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for West Des Moines. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (West Des Moines), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Who goes here

  • White91%
  • Two or More3%
  • Asian2%
  • Black1%
  • Hispanic1%
  • Native American1%
  • Pacific Islander1%

Enrollment mix: NCES Private School Universe Survey (PSS).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Private-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. Sacred Heart School4.1 mi · private
    5.1Compare →
  2. St Francis of Assisi Schoolthis school
    4.9
  3. not ratedCompare →
Two grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and one rates higher than St Francis of Assisi School among the rated peers.Private-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does St Francis of Assisi School serve?

St Francis of Assisi School serves students in grades Pre-K through 8th.

How many students attend St Francis of Assisi School?

St Francis of Assisi School has an enrollment of approximately 680 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at St Francis of Assisi School?

The student-teacher ratio at St Francis of Assisi School is 15.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 11:1 for private schools.

How does St Francis of Assisi School rank in IA?

St Francis of Assisi School ranks #151 of 170 private schools in IA.

What is St Francis of Assisi School's MySchoolScout rating?

St Francis of Assisi School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.9 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 St Francis of Assisi School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, St Francis of Assisi School has 88% math proficiency (2025 ISASP) and 91% reading/ELA proficiency (2025 ISASP).

Is St Francis of Assisi School a private school?

Yes, St Francis of Assisi School is a private coeducational school with a Roman Catholic affiliation. Private schools are not required to participate in state standardized testing, so academic performance data may be limited compared to public schools.

Is St Francis of Assisi School a religious school?

St Francis of Assisi School has a Roman Catholic religious affiliation.

School facts

Grades
Pre-K – 8th
Enrollment
680
Gender split
52% M / 48% F
Student-teacher ratio
15.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
44
Type
Private
Coed status
Coed
Affiliation
Roman Catholic
School day
7 hours
Days per year
177 days
Setting
Small City
County
Dallas County
Area population (ZIP 50266)
36,770
Area average commute
17.5 min
Area median age
35

NCES Private School Universe Survey (PSS) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Iowa Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.