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Needs Improvement

#1191 of 1,280 schools in IA

Stowe 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 13 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1411 E 33rd St, Des Moines, IA 50317

  • Math 35% vs IA 75% (2025)
  • Reading 44% vs IA 72% (2025)
  • 13:1 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-1.53 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics2.0Needs Improvement30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency34.8% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency44.4% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg-41.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-24.7 pts
Overall Proficiency40% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)53% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected-13.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile4th
Resources & Environment6.4Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13:1
District spending per student$15,518
Chronic Absenteeism37.6%

Students at Stowe Elementary School score 40% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 53%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency35%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
75%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency44%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
72%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 10 points since 2020, reaching 40% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
57%
ELA
57%
2010
Math
57%
ELA
57%
2011
Math
47%
ELA
42%
2012
Math
57%
ELA
47%
2013
Math
52%
ELA
47%
2014
Math
57%
ELA
52%
2015
Math
57%
ELA
52%
2016
Math
49%
ELA
49%
2017
Math
47%
ELA
47%
2018
Math
42%
ELA
42%
2019
Math
42%
ELA
42%
2020*
Math
27%
ELA
32%
2021*
Math
27%
ELA
32%
2022
Math
27%
ELA
32%
2025
Math
35%
ELA
44%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 44% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 45% (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

77.8%

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 Stowe 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 29Car-Dependent
  • Transit 28Some Transit
  • Bike 14Somewhat 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

$61,569

Median home value

$165,200

Median rent

$1,079/mo

College educated

15.2%

Homeownership

70.9%

Poverty rate

14.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 50317; 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
St Joseph Elementary SchoolPrivate · tuition5.0privatePK–80.5 mi173Compare →
Phillips ElementaryEnrollment path unverified3.6K–51.1 mi254Compare →
Willard Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.4K–51.1 mi282Compare →
Brubaker Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.6K–51.4 mi618Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Des Moines Independent Comm School District

Schools in district
59
Rank in district
#40 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

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

About Stowe Elementary School

Stowe Elementary School is a public elementary school in Des Moines, IA, part of Des Moines Independent Comm School District, serving approximately 311 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 13:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.4 out of 10 and ranks #1,191 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 44% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 45% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Stowe Elementary School

What grades does Stowe Elementary School serve?

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

How many students attend Stowe Elementary School?

Stowe Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 311 students.

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

The student-teacher ratio at Stowe Elementary School is 13:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Stowe Elementary School rank in IA?

Stowe Elementary School ranks #1,191 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Stowe Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Stowe Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.4 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 Stowe Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Stowe Elementary School has 44% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 45% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Stowe Elementary School a charter school?

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

Is Stowe Elementary School a Title I school?

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

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

77.8% of students at Stowe 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
311
Student-Teacher Ratio
13:1
Teachers (FTE)
24
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Polk County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
37.6%
Area population (ZIP 50317)
36,721
Area average commute
22.1 min
Area median age
35
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 50317; 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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