Valley Southwoods

As a mid-sized senior high in West Des Moines, Iowa, Valley Southwoods instructs 678 students from grade 9, part of West Des Moines Comm School District. Compared to the state average of about 468 students per school, that is 45% bigger than typical.

West Des Moines Comm School District runs 13 schools in total, collectively educating 9,009 students. Valley Southwoods is one of those campuses.

On the student-mix side, Valley Southwoods records that 58% of the student body identifies as White; the rest reads as 18% Hispanic, 12% Black, 6% Asian, 6% multiracial. That is considerably less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 76%.

On the resource side, Valley Southwoods records 49 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 13.9:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 17.3:1 average. Around 49% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Valley Southwoods tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 67.5% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 74.4%.

In the area at large, ACS estimates for Polk County put median household earnings sit near $83,576, roughly 40% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. Valley Southwoods is one of 137 public schools in Polk County (combined enrollment of about 77,436 students).

Nearest neighbor: Jordan Creek Elementary School, around 0.3 miles off. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Valley Southwoods ranks 4th on composite proficiency, above the local average of 72.9%.

The campus sits in a metropolitan setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count contracted 6%: 725 students in 2018 compared to 678 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 66% to 58% across the same window.

On allk12, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.