The brief
A private elementary school in Des Moines, IA serving grades Pre-K – 8th.
It ranks 59 of 170 schools in Iowa.
St Theresa Catholic 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.
- 202584%
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 60 schools in 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 79% (2025 ISASP) · reading/ELA 88% (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 50311; 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.The area
- Median income
- $63,233
- Median home value
- $228,000
- Median rent
- $1,019/mo
- College educated
- 41.4%
- Homeownership
- 48%
- Poverty rate
- 20.3%
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 50311; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.
Getting around
- Walk Score
- 44
- Car-Dependent
- Transit Score
- 31
- Some Transit
- Bike Score
- 33
- Somewhat Bikeable
- City reported crime
- 3,465/100K
- Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Des Moines. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.
Walk, transit and bike scores by
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (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
- White75%
- Asian9%
- Black8%
- Hispanic7%
- Two or More1%
Enrollment mix: NCES Private School Universe Survey (PSS).
Compare nearby
Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.- 8.4Compare →
- 7.0Compare →
- 7.0Compare →
- St Theresa Catholic School6.7
- 6.4Compare →
- 5.4Compare →
- 5.1Compare →
- 5.0Compare →
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 Theresa Catholic School serve?
St Theresa Catholic School serves students in grades Pre-K through 8th.
How many students attend St Theresa Catholic School?
St Theresa Catholic School has an enrollment of approximately 221 students.
What is the student-teacher ratio at St Theresa Catholic School?
The student-teacher ratio at St Theresa Catholic School is 13.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 11:1 for private schools.
How does St Theresa Catholic School rank in IA?
St Theresa Catholic School ranks #59 of 170 private schools in IA.
What is St Theresa Catholic School's MySchoolScout rating?
St Theresa Catholic School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.7 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 Theresa Catholic School?
Based on loaded state assessment records, St Theresa Catholic School has 79% math proficiency (2025 ISASP) and 88% reading/ELA proficiency (2025 ISASP).
Is St Theresa Catholic School a private school?
Yes, St Theresa Catholic 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 Theresa Catholic School a religious school?
St Theresa Catholic School has a Roman Catholic religious affiliation.
School facts
- Grades
- Pre-K – 8th
- Enrollment
- 221
- Gender split
- 52% M / 48% F
- Student-teacher ratio
- 13.3:1
- Teachers (FTE)
- 17
- Type
- Private
- Coed status
- Coed
- Affiliation
- Roman Catholic
- School day
- 7.2 hours
- Days per year
- 171 days
- Setting
- Midsize City
- County
- Polk County
- Phone
- (515) 277-0178
- Area population (ZIP 50311)
- 15,889
- Area average commute
- 18.1 min
- Area median age
- 30.8
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.