Moore Elementary School

Moore Elementary School is a middle-of-the-pack primary school in Des Moines, Iowa, one of the schools within Des Moines Independent Comm School District. The school hosts 285 students in grades K through 5.

Across the 59 schools in Des Moines Independent Comm School District (29,676 students total), Moore Elementary School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

In terms of who attends, Moore Elementary School records that 35% of students identify as White, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups; the rest is composed of 21% Hispanic, 21% Black, 11% multiracial, 10% Asian. By comparison, Polk County as a whole is about 76% White, so the school skews meaningfully less White than its surroundings.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Staff filings list 24 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 12.1:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 13.7:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. An estimated 67% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. Set against Polk County (around 49%), the school's rate is north of typical.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Moore Elementary School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 58.4%; this one delivers 48.5%.

Zooming out to the county, census data for Polk County shows median household earnings sit near $83,576, roughly 40% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Moore Elementary School is one of 137 public schools in Polk County (combined enrollment of about 77,436 students).

Nearest neighbor: Meredith Middle School, around 0.5 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Moore Elementary School at 6th of 8; the average score across the group is 54.6%.

Geographically, the school is in a downtown area.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count shrank 4%: 297 students in 2018 compared to 285 in 2025. The White share of enrollment shrank from 48% to 35% over that span.

On this page, the feed for Moore Elementary School typically covers pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.