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Perkins Elementary School

Public Grades K-5

474^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 576 Iowa Elementary Schools

Better than 18% of Iowa elementary schools

Summary

Perkins Elementary School is a public elementary school in Des Moines, Iowa, serving 444 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Des Moines Independent Community School District, which is ranked 306 out of 313 districts in the state.

Perkins Elementary consistently outperforms the district and state averages in standardized test scores, with 64.5% of 5th-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 50.6% for the district and 69.8% for the state. However, the school faces challenges, including high rates of chronic absenteeism ranging from 21.6% to 42.0% and a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 55.63% to 60.96%. The student-teacher ratio at Perkins Elementary, ranging from 13.2 to 15.5, is also higher than some nearby schools.

While Perkins Elementary outperforms the district and state, it is not the highest-performing school in the area. Cowles Elementary School, located about 1.5 miles away, consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Iowa and has significantly higher test scores across all grade levels and subjects. Addressing the underlying causes of chronic absenteeism and the unique needs of the student population at Perkins Elementary will be crucial for improving the school's overall performance.

438

Students ?

15.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,697

Per pupil spending ?

62.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

4301 College
Des Moines, IA 50311

(515) 242-8430

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

Students who attend Perkins Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Roosevelt High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

42.9%

Hispanic:

22.4%

African American:

19.4%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

Compare Perkins Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 51st percentile in 2015 → 18th in 2025

Strengths

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Des Moines Independent Community School District

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Iowa average (60% vs 71% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (18th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 33 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school60%

District avg50%

Iowa avg71%

474^th of 576

Iowa public elementary schools ?

Bottom 18%▼ down 33 pts since 2015

From top 49% (2015) to bottom 18% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Iowa Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

7^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	24.7	474 of 576	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	49.0	342 of 557	38.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	39.6	402 of 565	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	40.6	392 of 574	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	60.6	231 of 567	59.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	43.9	379 of 603	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	46.0	364 of 567	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2017	42.7	399 of 574	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2016	55.0	324 of 599	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2015	57.5	304 of 616	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2014	66.7	213 of 603	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2013	56.9	309 of 624	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2012	49.8	391 of 626	37.5%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Iowa (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics62%-12 vs state

English Language Arts60%-11 vs state

Science55%-9 vs state

★

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Schools Near Perkins 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 English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th 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
Perkins Elementary School	Public	K-5	4301 College	Des Moines	50311	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8430	438	29	15.0	62.8%	188 (42.9%)	85 (19.4%)	98 (22.4%)	22 (5.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (9.6%)	24.7	474^th of 576 public elementary schools	17.7%		49	342^nd of 557 public elementary schools	38.6%	132	53.8	60.9	64.5				64.6	62.5	59.2				55.3		$14,697	$1,156	$13,541
Horizon Science Academy Des Moines	Public, Charter	PK, KG-4	4801 Franklin Ave 2nd	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Charter Organization: Concept Schools	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(515) 335-1937	150	8	18.7	79.3%	68 (45.3%)	41 (27.3%)	21 (14.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (13.3%)	18.1	496^th of 576 public elementary schools	13.9%					(n/a)	36.8	50.0					73.7	58.3
Hillis Elementary School	Public	K-5	2401 56th St	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8412	279	24	11.4	76.3%	100 (35.8%)	60 (21.5%)	71 (25.4%)	28 (10.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (6.8%)	4.2	557^th of 576 public elementary schools	3.3%		17.8	479^th of 557 public elementary schools	14.0%	78	38.1	50.0	41.5				50.0	56.5	34.1				29.3		$16,776	$1,702	$15,074
Monroe Elementary School	Public	K-5	2250 30th St	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8425	341	30	11.3	90.3%	37 (10.9%)	160 (46.9%)	85 (24.9%)	45 (13.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	12 (3.5%)	2.9	567^th of 576 public elementary schools	1.6%		1.8	550^th of 557 public elementary schools	1.3%	17	38.5	40.0	38.5				50.0	51.1	40.4				29.4		$19,913	$3,902	$16,011
Hubbell Elementary	Public	K-5	800 42nd St	Des Moines	50312	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8414	362	24	14.8	42.8%	213 (58.8%)	57 (15.7%)	49 (13.5%)	7 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (9.9%)	44.2	375^th of 576 public elementary schools	34.9%		45.4	360^th of 557 public elementary schools	35.4%	15	67.2	76.7	67.2				70.7	66.7	70.5				60.7		$14,542	$654	$13,888
Windsor Elementary	Public	K-5	5912 University Avenue	Des Moines	50311	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8440	254	22	11.7	57.5%	128 (50.4%)	35 (13.8%)	56 (22.0%)	7 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (11.0%)	24.4	478^th of 576 public elementary schools	17.0%		28	448^th of 557 public elementary schools	19.6%	30	50.0	75.0	55.6				61.8	64.7	54.5				44.4		$15,936	$723	$15,213
Cowles Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	6401 College Ave	Des Moines	50324	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-7818	392	23	16.7	20.2%	308 (78.6%)	4 (1.0%)	30 (7.7%)	12 (3.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (9.2%)	70.6	167^th of 576 public elementary schools	71.0%		61	243^rd of 557 public elementary schools	56.4%	76	62.2	97.0	93.3	85.2	93.8	100.0	70.3	84.8	83.3	77.8	93.8	96.8	83.3	96.8	$14,566	$624	$13,942
Moore Elementary School	Public	K-5	3725 52nd St	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8426	285	24	12.0	67.0%	101 (35.4%)	59 (20.7%)	61 (21.4%)	29 (10.2%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.7%)	32 (11.2%)	17.6	497^th of 576 public elementary schools	13.7%		10.4	510^th of 557 public elementary schools	8.4%	13	54.8	56.5	60.7				64.3	50.0	42.6				55.7		$16,099	$1,236	$14,863
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
Greenwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	316 37th Street	Des Moines	50312	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8410	293	20	14.6	46.4%	164 (56.0%)	49 (16.7%)	37 (12.6%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	34 (11.6%)	40.7	398^th of 576 public elementary schools	30.9%		45.1	364^th of 557 public elementary schools	34.6%	34	65.9	84.4	57.1				63.4	81.3	64.3				57.1		$16,236	$666	$15,571

Frequently Asked Questions about Perkins Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Perkins Elementary School?

Students at Perkins Elementary School are 43% White, 22% Hispanic, 19% African American, 10% Two or more races, 5% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Perkins Elementary School attend?

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

High : Roosevelt High School

How many students attend Perkins Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 438 students attended Perkins Elementary School.

What district is Perkins Elementary School in?

Des Moines Independent Community School District

Is Perkins Elementary School a good school?

Perkins Elementary School ranks in the bottom 17.7% of Iowa elementary schools.

Rate Perkins 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.