Merrill Middle School

Located at 5301 Grand Ave, in Des Moines, Iowa, Merrill Middle School is a well-populated 6-8 campus that educates 657 students (grades 6 through 8), operated by Des Moines Independent Comm School District. That puts it 64% larger than the typical public school in Iowa, which averages around 400 students.

Within Des Moines Independent Comm School District, which oversees 59 schools and 29,676 students, Merrill Middle School is one campus in the system.

Demographically, Merrill Middle School lists that the largest single group is White, at 59% of enrollment. The remainder looks like 16% Black, 13% Hispanic, 8% multiracial, 3% Asian. That is visibly less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 76%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Merrill Middle School has 39 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 16.8:1. That figure is higher than the state norm's 15.2:1 average. Around 44% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

After controlling for student poverty, Merrill Middle School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 70.1% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 72.2%.

Around the school, community-level numbers for Polk County indicate the typical household earns roughly $83,576 per year, about 40% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate sits near 7%. Across Polk County's 137 public schools (combined enrollment of about 77,436 students), Merrill Middle School is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Hanawalt Elementary, roughly 0.3 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. On composite proficiency, Merrill Middle School comes 1st of 8 in the immediate cluster, higher than the nearby-schools average of 61.1%.

Geographically, the school is in a city-core area.

Five-year trend. Merrill Middle School's enrollment has contracted 12% since 2018, when it stood at 743 (now 657). White enrollment moved from 64% to 59% across the same window. Class-load math has fell: from 18.9:1 in 2018 to 16.8:1 in 2025.

Within the allk12 community for this school, posts here usually surface around fundraisers, lost-and-found posts, and report-card season. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.