Summary:
There is only one middle school located in the 50316 zip code - Hiatt Middle School, which is part of the Des Moines Independent Community School District. Based on the available data, Hiatt Middle School is a low-performing school, ranking in the bottom 10% of Iowa middle schools over the past few years.
Hiatt Middle School faces significant challenges, with a 21.6% chronic absenteeism rate and test scores in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science that are significantly below the state and district averages. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, only 43.1% of 6th graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 72.8% statewide. The school serves a high-poverty student population, with over 83% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.
Despite the school's poor performance, it spends a relatively high amount per student ($16,661) and has a relatively low student-teacher ratio (12.8). This suggests that additional resources and smaller class sizes have not been enough to overcome the challenges faced by the school. Addressing the issues at Hiatt Middle School will likely require a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to support the school and its community.
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