West Des Moines Community School District

The West Des Moines Community School District operates 14 schools, including 9 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 2 high schools, and 1 alternative school, serving students from preschool through 12th grade. The district is located in the western suburbs of Des Moines, Iowa, and is known for its strong academic performance and diverse student population.

Among the standout schools in the district, Westridge Elementary consistently ranks as one of the top elementary schools in the state, with a 4-star rating and high proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Similarly, Crossroads Park Elementary is another high-performing elementary school with a 4-star rating and strong test scores, particularly in English Language Arts. At the middle school level, Indian Hills Junior High School ranks in the top half of Iowa middle schools and has above-average proficiency rates in core subjects.

However, the district also faces some challenges, as evidenced by the performance of Walnut Creek Campus, the district's alternative high school, which has significantly lower test scores and a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating it is one of the lowest-performing high schools in the state. Additionally, the district's high schools have a slightly lower four-year graduation rate compared to the state average, and all schools in the district have a higher-than-average chronic absenteeism rate, which likely contributes to the performance gaps observed across the district.