Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Callanan Middle School

Public Grades 6-8

333^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 344 Iowa Middle Schools

Better than 3% of Iowa middle schools

Summary

Callanan Middle School is a public middle school in Des Moines, Iowa, serving 543 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Des Moines Independent Community School District, which is ranked 306 out of 313 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. Callanan Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom third of Iowa middle schools over the past 10 years, with a ranking between 309-339 out of 318-349 schools.

Callanan Middle School faces significant challenges, including very high chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 21.6% to 42.0% over the past few years, well above the state average. The school's test scores on the ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) are consistently below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2024-2025, only 49% of 6th graders were proficient in English Language Arts, compared to 72.8% statewide. Callanan also has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 74.03% to 77.34% over the past few years, indicating the socioeconomic challenges faced by the student population.

When comparing Callanan Middle School to other middle schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District, it becomes clear that Callanan is one of the lowest-performing schools in the district. For instance, Merrill Middle School, which is only 1.7 miles away, has significantly higher test scores, lower chronic absenteeism, and a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. The broader challenges facing the Des Moines Independent Community School District, which is ranked 306 out of 313 districts in the state, may also be contributing to the performance issues at Callanan Middle School.

553

Students ?

15.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,075

Per pupil spending ?

79.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3010 Center Street
Des Moines, IA 50312

(515) 242-8101

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

Students who attend Callanan Middle School usually attend:

High:

Roosevelt High School

Feeder schools for Callanan Middle School:

Elementary:	Downtown School
	Edmunds Elementary School
	Greenwood Elementary School
	King Elementary School
	More...
	Walnut Street School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

38.5%

White:

26.6%

Hispanic:

21.0%

See top rated Iowa middle schools

Compare Callanan Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 3rd percentile in 2015 → 3rd in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Iowa average (48% vs 74% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (3rd percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (39% vs 22% Iowa)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school48%

District avg51%

Iowa avg74%

333^rd of 344

Iowa public middle schools ?

Bottom 3%▬ steady since 2015

See the entire ranking list of Iowa Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 10Middle Schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District

306^th of 313Des Moines Independent Community School District among Iowa districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Iowa percentile	Rating
2025	2.3	333 of 344	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	6.9	319 of 337	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	7.2	316 of 334	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	7.2	321 of 337	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	6.1	310 of 324	4.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	12.4	315 of 342	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	3.0	310 of 318	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	5.0	319 of 327	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	8.6	325 of 343	5.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	3.8	339 of 349	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	2.8	331 of 337	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	7.4	341 of 350	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	12.3	337 of 349	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Iowa (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts51%-25 vs state

Science48%-22 vs state

Mathematics44%-29 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Callanan Middle School and help other families decide.

Rate Callanan Middle School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Callanan Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				ISASP English Language Arts (2025)			ISASP Mathematics (2025)			ISASP Science (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISASP English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Callanan Middle School	Public	6-8	3010 Center Street	Des Moines	50312	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8101	553	35	15.7	79.9%	147 (26.6%)	213 (38.5%)	116 (21.0%)	19 (3.4%)	3 (0.5%)	8 (1.4%)	47 (8.5%)	2.3	333^rd of 344 public middle schools	3.2%		6.9	319^th of 337 public middle schools	5.3%	14	49.0	50.3	54.7	41.2	40.9	50.7	48.0	$15,075	$880	$14,196
Merrill Middle School	Public	6-8	5301 Grand Ave	Des Moines	50312	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8448	657	39	16.7	43.7%	386 (58.8%)	104 (15.8%)	87 (13.2%)	22 (3.3%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	55 (8.4%)	48	209^th of 344 public middle schools	39.2%		42.5	224^th of 337 public middle schools	33.5%	15	69.2	80.3	77.9	74.3	75.1	72.9	69.1	$12,938	$599	$12,340
Brody Middle School	Public	6-8	2501 Park Ave	Des Moines	50321	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8443	641	39	16.4	71.3%	287 (44.8%)	82 (12.8%)	193 (30.1%)	23 (3.6%)	3 (0.5%)	4 (0.6%)	49 (7.6%)	3.9	327^th of 344 public middle schools	4.9%		6.6	320^th of 337 public middle schools	5.0%	7	49.8	53.3	61.4	46.3	45.1	52.0	51.0	$14,143	$628	$13,515
Hiatt Middle School	Public	6-8	1430 E. University Ave	Des Moines	50316	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-7774	488	35	14.1	93.4%	65 (13.3%)	100 (20.5%)	260 (53.3%)	35 (7.2%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	23 (4.7%)	0.5	341^st of 344 public middle schools	0.9%		0.2	335^th of 337 public middle schools	0.6%	6	43.1	46.2	46.3	30.6	36.4	38.1	37.3	$16,661	$1,079	$15,582
Meredith Middle School	Public	6-8	4827 Madison Ave	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-7250	662	40	16.4	79.8%	153 (23.1%)	200 (30.2%)	146 (22.1%)	104 (15.7%)	5 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	50 (7.6%)	7	322^nd of 344 public middle schools	6.4%		4.2	323^rd of 337 public middle schools	4.2%	1	52.9	61.7	63.0	41.9	57.4	54.5	49.8	$14,971	$1,099	$13,873
Harding Middle School	Public	6-8	203 E Euclid Ave	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8445	603	38	15.7	88.6%	96 (15.9%)	178 (29.5%)	207 (34.3%)	62 (10.3%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (9.3%)	0.6	340^th of 344 public middle schools	1.2%		0.7	334^th of 337 public middle schools	0.9%	6	39.6	37.5	48.2	40.3	43.8	42.5	35.2	$13,719	$830	$12,889
Stilwell Junior High School	Public	7-8	1601 Vine St	West Des Moines	50265	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 633-6000	645	48	13.4	47.0%	385 (59.7%)	80 (12.4%)	104 (16.1%)	28 (4.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (7.3%)	43.3	237^th of 344 public middle schools	31.1%		52.1	189^th of 337 public middle schools	43.9%	48		79.5	75.1		73.2	73.5	64.2	$15,102	$192	$14,909
Weeks Middle School	Public	6-8	901 East Park Avenue	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8449	688	48	14.1	87.4%	133 (19.3%)	121 (17.6%)	292 (42.4%)	97 (14.1%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (6.0%)	1.7	334^th of 344 public middle schools	2.9%		1.3	333^rd of 337 public middle schools	1.2%	1	47.7	55.8	49.2	36.4	43.6	40.8	42.4	$14,586	$1,091	$13,495
Urbandale Middle School	Public	6-8	7701 Aurora Avenue	Urbandale	50322	Polk County	Urbandale Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 457-6600	892	59	15.1	41.4%	565 (63.3%)	77 (8.6%)	136 (15.2%)	62 (7.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	50 (5.6%)	43.1	240^th of 344 public middle schools	30.2%		49.3	201^st of 337 public middle schools	40.4%	39	71.4	71.4	85.0	68.6	67.2	74.1	70.2	$8,993	$119	$8,874
Indian Hills Junior High School	Public	7-8	9401 Indian Hills Dr	Clive	50325	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 633-4700	661	52	12.7	51.9%	334 (50.5%)	70 (10.6%)	159 (24.1%)	52 (7.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (7.0%)	65.2	118^th of 344 public middle schools	65.7%		59.8	149^th of 337 public middle schools	55.8%	31		84.4	83.1		81.0	80.1	74.0	$15,125	$193	$14,931

Frequently Asked Questions about Callanan Middle School

What district is Callanan Middle School in?

Des Moines Independent Community School District

Is Callanan Middle School a good school?

Callanan Middle School ranks in the bottom 3.2% of Iowa middle schools.

What high school do graduates of Callanan Middle School attend?

Students who attend Callanan Middle School usually go on to attend Roosevelt High School

How many students attend Callanan Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 553 students attended Callanan Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Callanan Middle School?

Students at Callanan Middle School are 39% African American, 27% White, 21% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 1% Pacific Islander.

Rate Callanan Middle School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

IAIowa Middle School Rankings

IAIowa District Rankings

Schools in Des Moines, IA

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Callanan Middle School!

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Iowa Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.