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Madison Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

508^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 576 Iowa Elementary Schools

Better than 12% of Iowa elementary schools

Summary

Madison Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Des Moines, Iowa, serving grades K-5 with a total enrollment of 247 students. 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.

Madison Elementary School faces significant challenges, with consistently high chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 21.6% to 42.0% over the past few years, significantly higher than the state and district averages. The school's test scores on the ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) are also consistently lower than the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2024-2025, only 30.8% of 3rd graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 46% for the district and 67.9% for the state. Additionally, Madison Elementary School has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 80.57% to 89.71% over the past few years, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

When compared to other nearby schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District, such as Cattell Elementary School, Madison Elementary School generally performs worse on key metrics such as test scores and chronic absenteeism rates. The school's declining performance and lower test scores compared to its peers suggest a need for targeted interventions and support to improve student outcomes.

285

Students ?

12.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$18,238

Per pupil spending ?

88.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

806 E Hoffman St
Des Moines, IA 50316

(515) 242-8420

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

Students who attend Madison Elementary School usually attend:

High:

North High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

54.0%

White:

21.1%

Asian:

10.5%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

Compare Madison Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 8th percentile in 2015 → 12th in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Iowa average (49% vs 71% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (12th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (30% vs 22% Iowa)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school49%

District avg50%

Iowa avg71%

508^th of 576

Iowa public elementary schools ?

Bottom 12%▲ up 4 pts since 2015

From bottom 8% (2015) to bottom 12% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Iowa Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

13^th of 38Elementary 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	15.2	508 of 576	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	4.9	538 of 557	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	2.7	555 of 565	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	6.4	548 of 574	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	13.3	515 of 567	9.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	10.8	562 of 603	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	11.7	515 of 567	9.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	10.5	524 of 574	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	11.8	548 of 599	8.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	9.0	567 of 616	8.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	23.0	514 of 603	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	30.9	511 of 624	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	19.8	565 of 626	9.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Iowa (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts53%-18 vs state

Mathematics52%-22 vs state

Science30%-34 vs state

★

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Schools Near Madison Elementary 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 3rd Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 4th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 5th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Madison Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	806 E Hoffman St	Des Moines	50316	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8420	285	24	12.0	88.8%	60 (21.1%)	18 (6.3%)	154 (54.0%)	30 (10.5%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (7.4%)	15.2	508^th of 576 public elementary schools	11.8%		4.9	538^th of 557 public elementary schools	3.4%	30	30.8	70.6	60.0		38.5	55.9	62.5		30.0	$18,238	$1,698	$16,540
Cattell Elementary School	Public	K-5	3101 E 12th St	Des Moines	50316	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8403	314	27	11.6	86.3%	88 (28.0%)	65 (20.7%)	101 (32.2%)	28 (8.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	28 (8.9%)	6.8	542^nd of 576 public elementary schools	5.9%		29.4	443^rd of 557 public elementary schools	20.5%	99	47.7	60.0	40.4		47.7	46.0	54.4		26.3	$16,110	$1,920	$14,190
Findley Elementary School	Public	K-6	3025 Oxford Street	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8407	324	25	12.7	85.2%	92 (28.4%)	62 (19.1%)	93 (28.7%)	43 (13.3%)	2 (0.6%)	3 (0.9%)	29 (9.0%)	4.6	553^rd of 576 public elementary schools	4.0%		10.2	513^th of 557 public elementary schools	7.9%	40	35.7	44.4	40.4	66.7	33.3	33.3	36.2	54.5	36.2	$16,683	$1,316	$15,366
Oak Park	Public	K-5	3928 6th Avenue	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8428	288	27	10.6	78.5%	79 (27.4%)	71 (24.7%)	92 (31.9%)	19 (6.6%)	3 (1.0%)	3 (1.0%)	21 (7.3%)	5.2	547^th of 576 public elementary schools	5.0%		2.7	546^th of 557 public elementary schools	2.0%	1	39.0	51.5	42.6		61.0	45.5	46.8		21.3	$16,793	$1,701	$15,092
Garton Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2820 E 24th St	Des Moines	50317	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8408	535	36	14.8	89.3%	101 (18.9%)	94 (17.6%)	243 (45.4%)	58 (10.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	38 (7.1%)	5	552^nd of 576 public elementary schools	4.2%		12.4	499^th of 557 public elementary schools	10.4%	53	37.8	49.2	33.8		63.5	47.6	41.3		28.8	$16,721	$1,650	$15,072
Moulton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1541 8th Street	Des Moines	50314	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8427	465	33	14.2	94.2%	28 (6.0%)	240 (51.6%)	140 (30.1%)	27 (5.8%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (5.6%)	9	534^th of 576 public elementary schools	7.3%		7.2	526^th of 557 public elementary schools	5.6%	8	36.5	44.3	54.0		40.5	34.4	66.7		38.1	$16,426	$1,675	$14,751
Cornell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	5817 NE 3rd St	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Saydel Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 244-8173	555	39	14.3	15.5%	391 (70.5%)	13 (2.3%)	115 (20.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (6.3%)	64.3	227^th of 576 public elementary schools	60.6%		34.5	419^th of 557 public elementary schools	24.8%	192	76.5	76.5			81.2	80.0				$12,990	$832	$12,159
Carver Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	705 E University Ave	Des Moines	50316	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8418	436	31	14.1	92.4%	31 (7.1%)	96 (22.0%)	260 (59.6%)	19 (4.4%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (6.0%)	3.2	565^th of 576 public elementary schools	1.9%		3.7	544^th of 557 public elementary schools	2.3%	21	33.9	47.4	36.5		44.6	47.4	47.6		36.5	$17,672	$1,648	$16,024
Phillips Elementary	Public	K-5	1701 Lay St	Des Moines	50317	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8431	263	24	10.9	79.1%	129 (49.0%)	24 (9.1%)	89 (33.8%)	5 (1.9%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (5.3%)	9.6	530^th of 576 public elementary schools	8.0%		11.5	504^th of 557 public elementary schools	9.5%	26	40.0	56.3	43.2		66.0	59.4	40.5		32.4	$16,246	$669	$15,577
King Elementary School	Public	K-5	1849 Forest Ave	Des Moines	50314	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8417	315	24	13.1	96.2%	19 (6.0%)	126 (40.0%)	128 (40.6%)	25 (7.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.8%)	1.5	573^rd of 576 public elementary schools	0.5%		1	555^th of 557 public elementary schools	0.4%	18	34.1	29.7	43.9		46.3	27.0	17.1		26.8	$18,403	$2,345	$16,058

Frequently Asked Questions about Madison Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Madison Elementary School?

Students at Madison Elementary School are 54% Hispanic, 21% White, 11% Asian, 7% Two or more races, 6% African American.

Is Madison Elementary School a good school?

Madison Elementary School ranks in the bottom 11.8% of Iowa elementary schools.

What district is Madison Elementary School in?

Des Moines Independent Community School District

What schools do graduates of Madison Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Madison Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : North High School

How many students attend Madison Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 285 students attended Madison Elementary School.

Rate Madison Elementary 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.