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Harding Middle School

Public Grades 6-8

340^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 344 Iowa Middle Schools

Better than 1% of Iowa middle schools

Summary

Harding Middle School is a public middle school in Des Moines, Iowa, serving 634 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. Harding Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of Iowa middle schools over the past 10 years.

Harding Middle School stands out for its high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 21.6% to 45.6% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average and the rates of nearby schools like Merrill Middle School. Academically, Harding students perform well below the state and district averages on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. For example, in 2024-2025, only 39.6% of 6th graders, 37.5% of 7th graders, and 48.2% of 8th graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state averages of 72.8%, 74.9%, and 80.2%, respectively.

Harding Middle School also has an exceptionally high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 81.86% to 90.38% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the rates of nearby schools. Despite this, Harding spends $13,719 per student, which is higher than the spending at some nearby schools within the same district. These factors suggest that the school may be serving a more disadvantaged student population, and targeted interventions and support are needed to address the underlying issues contributing to the school's challenges.

603

Students ?

15.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,719

Per pupil spending ?

88.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

203 E Euclid Ave
Des Moines, IA 50313

(515) 242-8445

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

Students who attend Harding Middle School usually attend:

High:

North High School

Feeder schools for Harding Middle School:

Elementary:	Findley Elementary School
	Moulton Elementary School
	Oak Park

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

34.3%

African American:

29.5%

White:

15.9%

See top rated Iowa middle schools

Compare Harding Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 2nd percentile in 2015 → 1st in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Iowa average (41% vs 74% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (1st percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (46% vs 22% Iowa)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school41%

District avg51%

Iowa avg74%

340^th of 344

Iowa public middle schools ?

Bottom 1%▼ down 1 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of Iowa Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

9^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	0.6	340 of 344	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	0.7	334 of 337	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	1.3	328 of 334	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	0.9	335 of 337	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	0.6	323 of 324	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	1.5	340 of 342	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	2.1	314 of 318	1.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	3.1	324 of 327	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	2.1	339 of 343	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	3.4	341 of 349	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	0.8	335 of 337	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	7.6	340 of 350	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	2.8	346 of 349	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Iowa (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics42%-30 vs state

English Language Arts42%-34 vs state

Science35%-35 vs state

1.0

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★0

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★2

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What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, March 6, 2023

Not at all the best school. Bullying has been allowed to rise above and beyond. Suspensions don't last and because parents of bullies refuse to discipline as well as force said bullies to learn their lesson. Certain staff members have been fired recently - one for racial slur and another for whatever purpose (students and parents are glad he's gone) Harding has gone downhill in rapid fire succession and the more that parents call out situations and the bullies/thugs who create them, the more that school oppresses, suppresses and represses freedom of speech regarding dead on description.
If there was a zero star option I'd give it just that.
Harding is now full on- a total lost cause and for reasoning that they absolutely willingly bend a knee to agendas, whiney rats and more! Close Quote

by a student
Tuesday, May 17, 2011

I went to the school for a year, it was horrible. If you love you're child send them to another school where they can really learn and be successful. Close Quote

Schools Near Harding 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 5th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
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
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
Goodrell Middle School	Public	6-8	3300 E. 29th Street	Des Moines	50317	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8444	511	33	15.3	84.7%	170 (33.3%)	92 (18.0%)	166 (32.5%)	40 (7.8%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	38 (7.4%)	1.2	337^th of 344 public middle schools	2.0%		1.8	331^st of 337 public middle schools	1.8%	6		39.2	34.6	55.7		35.1	39.5	46.0		45.7	$15,696	$1,024	$14,672
Woodside Middle School	Public	5-8	5810 NE 14th St	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Saydel Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 265-3451	396	28	14.3	56.6%	262 (66.2%)	6 (1.5%)	84 (21.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (10.6%)	35.4	265^th of 344 public middle schools	23.0%		19.5	296^th of 337 public middle schools	12.2%	31	66.3	77.0	72.6	75.0	57.8	69.3	63.7	61.7	44.6	68.8	$14,080	$452	$13,628
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
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
Hoyt Middle School	Public	6-8	2700 E 42nd St	Des Moines	50317	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8446	455	29	15.8	82.6%	175 (38.5%)	84 (18.5%)	146 (32.1%)	22 (4.8%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (5.1%)	1.5	336^th of 344 public middle schools	2.3%		1.3	332^nd of 337 public middle schools	1.5%	4		30.0	43.8	56.7		32.3	41.0	46.8		48.2	$14,771	$931	$13,840
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
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
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Harding Middle School

What district is Harding Middle School in?

Des Moines Independent Community School District

What is the racial makeup of Harding Middle School?

Students at Harding Middle School are 34% Hispanic, 30% African American, 16% White, 10% Asian, 9% Two or more races.

Is Harding Middle School a good school?

Harding Middle School ranks in the bottom 1.2% of Iowa middle schools.

How many students attend Harding Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 603 students attended Harding Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Harding Middle School attend?

Students who attend Harding Middle School usually go on to attend North High School

Rate Harding Middle School!

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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.