Monroe Elementary School

Monroe Elementary School is one of the mid-sized elementary campuss in Des Moines, Iowa, overseen by Des Moines Independent Comm School District, with 341 students on its rolls from grades K through 5.

Des Moines Independent Comm School District runs 59 schools in total, collectively educating 29,676 students. Monroe Elementary School is one of those campuses.

On the student-mix side, Monroe Elementary School shows that the largest single group is Black at 47%, but no single group is in the majority. The remainder consists of 25% Hispanic, 13% Asian, 11% White, 4% multiracial. By comparison, Polk County as a whole is about 7% Black, so the school skews visibly more Black than its surroundings.

On the income-and-resources front, The school currently runs with 30 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 11.4:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.7:1, putting Monroe Elementary School tighter than the state norm the norm. An estimated 90% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. By comparison, Polk County runs at roughly 49%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully above the surrounding baseline.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Monroe Elementary School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 46.8%; this one delivers 37.5%.

In the broader community, census data for Polk County shows median household income runs about $83,576, 40% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 7%. Across Polk County's 137 public schools (combined enrollment of about 77,436 students), Monroe Elementary School is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Perkins Elementary School, around 1.0 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Monroe Elementary School at 5th of 6; the average score across the group is 48.1%.

The school occupies an urban site.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Monroe Elementary School has contracted 34%, going from 513 students in 2018 to 341 in 2025. The Black share of enrollment expanded from 36% to 47% over that span.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.