Total enrollment
6,359
-780 (-11%) vs SY 2020-21
11 schools in Southeast Polk Comm School District
Iowa · 6,359 students · 5 cities
Southeast Polk Comm School District runs 11 public K-12 schools per the latest NCES counts, with total enrollment near 6,359 (8 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high).
4-year change in Southeast Polk Comm School District
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
10
-1 (-9%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Southeast Polk Comm School District ranks
Among districts| Measure | This district | In Iowa | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 74.2% | #88 of 169 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 6,359 | #14 of 234 | #1,475 of 9,234 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 10 | #17 of 234 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 14.9:1 | #187 of 234 | #5,415 of 9,044 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 39.1% | #102 of 234 | #5,630 of 8,164 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 49.3% | #29 of 119 | #3,069 of 6,853 |
Districts need at least 2 schools and 500 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Inside Southeast Polk Comm School District
State test results across the district's 10 scored schools run from Runnells Elementary at 89.8% proficient to Willowbrook Elementary at 63.5%, a gap of 26.3 points. That is the 14th widest gap among 56 Iowa districts with four or more scored schools.
Since 2017-18, the 10 district schools that reported both years went from 6,084 to 6,359 students (up 5%) and from 373 to 427 full-time teachers (up 14%), as of 2024-25.
Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across each school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25; schools with fewer than 100 students and schools serving specialized populations are left out. Staffing figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data and count only schools that reported students and teachers in both years.
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Polk High School | Pleasant Hill | High | 10-12 | 1,722 |
| Southeast Polk Middle School | Altoona | Middle | 06-07 | 1,112 |
| Clay Elementary | Altoona | Elementary | PK-05 | 700 |
| Willowbrook Elementary | Altoona | Elementary | PK-05 | 523 |
| Four Mile Elementary | Pleasant Hill | Elementary | PK-05 | 495 |
| Delaware Elementary | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-05 | 440 |
| Altoona Elementary | Altoona | Elementary | PK-05 | 429 |
| Centennial Elementary | Altoona | Elementary | PK-05 | 423 |
| Runnells Elementary | Runnells | Elementary | PK-05 | 260 |
| Mitchellville Elementary | Mitchellville | Elementary | PK-05 | 255 |
| Southeast Polk Junior High | Pleasant Hill | High | 08-09 | · |
About Southeast Polk Comm School District
Southeast Polk Comm School District is a low-population public-school district in Iowa. The district oversees 11 schools and educates approximately 6,359 students.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Southeast Polk Comm School District consists of 8 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools.
Per-school enrollment averages around 578 in this district, noticeably above the Iowa typical of 376.
Looking at the last 4 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 6,359 students, contracted 11% from the 7,139 reported in SY 2020-21. Southeast Polk Comm School District now counts 10 public schools, down from 11 in SY 2020-21.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Southeast Polk Comm School District discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.