Ruby Van Meter

Located at 710 28th St, in Des Moines, Iowa, Ruby Van Meter is a small all-grades campus that instructs 109 students (grades K through 12), run under Des Moines Independent Comm School District. That puts it 54% below the typical public school in Iowa, which averages around 239 students.

Ruby Van Meter is one of 59 schools operated by Des Moines Independent Comm School District, a district that works with 29,676 students overall.

In terms of who attends, Ruby Van Meter logs that 45% of students identify as White, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. The remainder reads as 29% Hispanic, 17% Black, 6% multiracial. By comparison, Polk County as a whole is about 76% White, so the school skews considerably less White than its surroundings.

On the resource side, On paper, Ruby Van Meter has 22 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 5.0:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 19.1:1, putting Ruby Van Meter tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 72% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. Set against Polk County (around 49%), the school's rate is noticeably above typical.

In the area at large, ACS estimates for Polk County put the typical household earns roughly $83,576 per year, 40% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. In all, Polk County runs 137 public schools (combined enrollment of about 77,436 students), of which Ruby Van Meter is one.

Nearest neighbor: Callanan Middle School, around 0.1 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

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

Inside the community feed, recent activity here tends to focus on science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.