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Monroe Elementary School

Public Grades K-5
567th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 576 Iowa Elementary Schools
Better than 2% of Iowa elementary schools
Summary

Monroe Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Des Moines, Iowa, serving grades K-5 with a total enrollment of 377 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.

Monroe Elementary School has consistently struggled with low academic performance, with test scores that are significantly lower than the district and state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, only 38.5% of 3rd graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 46% for the district and 67.9% for the state. The school also has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 21.6% to 42.0% over the past few years, which is much higher than the district and state averages. Additionally, the school has an extremely high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 88.86% to 94.56% over the past few years, suggesting a high concentration of students from low-income families.

When comparing Monroe Elementary School to nearby schools in the same district, it becomes clear that the school is underperforming compared to its peers. For instance, Hubbell Elementary, which is located just 1.73 miles away, has significantly higher test scores and a higher statewide ranking. Despite the higher spending per student at Monroe Elementary School, the school's performance continues to lag behind the district and state averages, raising questions about the effective allocation and utilization of resources to support student learning.

341
Students ?
11.3
Student/teacher ratio ?
$19,913
Per pupil spending ?
90.3%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 2250 30th St
       Des Moines, IA  50310

(515) 242-8425

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District


Students who attend Monroe Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Meredith Middle School
High:    Hoover High School
Racial breakdown:

African American:
46.9%
Hispanic:
24.9%
Asian:
13.2%
more
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At a glance
▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — <1st percentile in 2015 → 2nd in 2025
Strengths
✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher
Worth a look
!Test scores below the Iowa average (41% vs 71% meeting standards)
!In the lower quartile statewide (2nd percentile)
!High chronic absenteeism (30% vs 22% Iowa)
Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?
This school41%
District avg50%
Iowa avg71%
567th of 576
Iowa public elementary schools ?
Bottom 2%▲ up 1 pts since 2015
See the entire ranking list of Iowa Elementary Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
35th of 38Elementary Schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District
306th 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

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIowa percentileRating
20252.9567 of 5761.6%☆☆☆☆☆
20241.8550 of 5571.3%☆☆☆☆☆
20232.8554 of 5651.9%☆☆☆☆☆
20221.7566 of 5741.4%☆☆☆☆☆
20212.0559 of 5671.4%☆☆☆☆☆
20190.7602 of 6030.2%☆☆☆☆☆
20181.4562 of 5670.9%☆☆☆☆☆
20172.3561 of 5742.3%☆☆☆☆☆
20162.3591 of 5991.3%☆☆☆☆☆
20150.4614 of 6160.3%☆☆☆☆☆
20146.1576 of 6034.5%☆☆☆☆☆
20132.3617 of 6241.1%☆☆☆☆☆
20120.5624 of 6260.3%☆☆☆☆☆
By subject vs Iowa (2024-2025) ?
Mathematics47%-27 vs state
English Language Arts39%-32 vs state
Science29%-35 vs state

★
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Frequently Asked Questions about Monroe Elementary School

Students at Monroe Elementary School are 47% African American, 25% Hispanic, 13% Asian, 11% White, 4% Two or more races.

In the 2024-25 school year, 341 students attended Monroe Elementary School.

Monroe Elementary School ranks in the bottom 1.6% of Iowa elementary schools.

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

Middle : Meredith Middle School
High : Hoover High School


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Schools in Des Moines, IA

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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.




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