Des Moines Elementary

Des Moines Elementary, a medium-sized primary school in Des Moines, Washington, part of Highline School District, hosts 500 students, covering grades pre-K through 5. By comparison, Washington's public schools average about 380 students each, so Des Moines Elementary sits 32% bigger than that benchmark.

Across the 36 schools in Highline School District (18,072 students total), Des Moines Elementary accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On the student-mix side, Des Moines Elementary lists that the largest single group is Hispanic at 29%, but no single group is in the majority. Other groups include 22% White, 17% Black, 17% multiracial, 12% Asian. That is considerably more Hispanic than the county at large, where the share is closer to 11%.

In terms of school funding signals, The school lists 32 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 15.7:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 17.3:1, putting Des Moines Elementary tighter than the state norm the norm. About 63% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. That share is noticeably above King County's rate of about 38%.

After controlling for student poverty, Des Moines Elementary tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 38.2% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 37.1%.

Zooming out to the county, community-level numbers for King County indicate median household income runs about $124,746, about 57% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 5%. Across King County's 544 public schools (combined enrollment of about 278,492 students), Des Moines Elementary is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Parkside Elementary, roughly 0.6 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Des Moines Elementary. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Des Moines Elementary at 1st of 9; the average score across the group is 22.0%.

Des Moines Elementary operates from a bedroom-community location.

Over the past 7-year window. Des Moines Elementary's enrollment has expanded 27% since 2018, when it stood at 395 (now 500). Over the same period, the White share shrank from 38% to 22%. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 17.5:1 in 2018 to 15.7:1 today.

On allk12, 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.