Summary:
The city of West Des Moines, Iowa is home to 14 schools, including 10 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 2 high schools, and 1 alternative school. These schools serve students across a range of grades and are part of the West Des Moines Community School District and the Waukee Community School District.
Among the standout schools in the area are Westridge Elementary, which consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in the state with a 4-star rating and high proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Jordan Creek Elementary School and Woodland Hills Elementary School also perform exceptionally well, with strong test scores and 4-star ratings. In contrast, Walnut Creek Campus struggles with low test scores despite having the highest per-student spending in the area.
Across the schools, there are some concerning trends, such as high rates of chronic absenteeism ranging from 21.6% to 26.9%. Additionally, the data reveals a significant disparity in academic performance between the top-performing and lower-performing schools, suggesting opportunities to learn from the practices of the high-achieving schools and apply them to improve outcomes at the struggling schools. While increased funding may not be the sole solution, addressing attendance issues and leveraging district-level factors could be key focus areas for improvement in the West Des Moines school system.
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