It’s natural to want to give your kids the best — especially when they’re going through a life transition as massive as moving. Since school is where they spend most of their time outside the home, pick a Des Moines area public school with the culture and learning environment to help your child thrive. Be sure to wrap your young ones into the decision and prioritize their desires in the process.
Start by reviewing these top public schools in Des Moines, Iowa area from Compelling Homes! We aggregated these picks from Niche and the U.S. News and World Report.
We list them below in no particular order below:
District: Ankeny
Grades: Pre-K, K-5
Number of students: 702
Teacher-student ratio: 18 to 1
Northeast Elementary School is one of the best public elementary schools in Des Moines. Northeast is a Leader in Me school and guides staff to use five core beliefs to support students. These five beliefs are: everyone can be a leader, everyone has genius, change starts with me, educators empower students to lead their own learning, and develop the person as a whole. Students at Northeast are also taught the seven Franklin Covey leadership habits and provided leadership opportunities in the classroom where they can practice these skills.
District: Waukee
Grades: Pre-K, K-5
Number of students: 595
Teacher-student ratio: 15 to 1
Grant Ragan employs a Responsive Classroom approach to elementary learning. This evidence-based approach is proven to promote the social and emotional competence of students by creating a classroom environment that is safe and engaging. A Responsive Classroom revolves around four main facets: engaging academics, positive community, effective management, and developmentally responsive teaching.
District: Waukee
Grades: K-5
Number of students: 585
Teacher-student ratio: 15 to 1
Located in West Des Moines, Brookview Elementary is also a Leader in Me school with a strong emphasis on empowering students. The guiding vision at Brookview is to, “[Build] leaders of integrity and character who are motivated to make a positive impact on the world around them.” Students and staff alike keep this goal front of mind by taking on the Brookview Pledge, “I pledge to be a leader of integrity and character who is motivated to make a positive impact on the world around me.”
District: Johnston
Grades: 6-7
Number of students: 1,109
Teacher-student ratio: 16 to 1
The Summit Middle School is the only sixth and seventh-grade building in the district, and also has the district’s sole pool. Summit stands out for its 1:1 iPad program that gives each student an iPad in an effort to both create equity among students and encourage new technology-based opportunities. The school was named an Apple Distinguished School for its iPad program in 2018.
District: Ankeny
Grades: 6-7
Number of students: 977
Teacher-student ratio: 16 to 1
Directly in the center of Ankeny Community School District, Prairie Ridge is the best middle school in the Des Moines Area, according to Niche. It serves around 1,000 middle-school students and offers more than 20 after-school opportunities to keep the multitudes engaged even after school hours have ended.
District: Waukee
Grades: 6-7
Number of students: 951
Teacher-student ratio: 15 to 1
Waukee Middle School originally opened in 1974 but was remodeled in 2008 with modern features. What really sets the schools apart, though, is the theme of kindness carried throughout the 2021-22 school year. Students could join the first-ever school book club, which featured kindness-themed books. WMS also held a school-wide Read-In Day where students participated in a variety of kindness and community-building activities.
District: West Des Moines Community Schools
Grades: 10-12
Number of students: 2,013
Teacher-student ratio: 17 to 1
Valley High School is a three-year school located in West Des Moines. Students at the high school are encouraged to develop the Four A’s: academics, activities, art, and athletics. There are over 20 sports and a myriad of other political, professional, or hobby-based clubs offered to students to help them round out these areas. Some examples include World Cultures Club, Youth for Mental Health, Valley Vinyl Club, and Greenhouse Club.
District: Ankeny
Grades: 10-12
Number of students: 1,307
Teacher-student ratio: 18 to 1
Ankeny Centennial High School is among the best Des Moines area high schools. The campus is located in the heart of Ankeny just eight minutes from Ankeny High School, another highly-ranked option. The high school is ranked fifth-best in the state for public high schools in addition to being the third-best high school in the state for athletes, according to Niche.
District: Johnston
Grades: 10-12
Number of students: 1,708
Teacher-student ratio: 21 to 1
Like Summit Middle School, Johnston Senior High School is a 1:1 iPad school. The original high school building went up in 1974, but in 2017 the school moved to a brand new facility. The new building design aims to encourage teacher-student collaboration in common spaces.
Is Iowa a good place to live?
We may be a bit biased, but the team at Compelling Homes loves living and working in Iowa! However, the answer to your question really depends on where you live and how well the area fits your family. Whether you’re moving to Iowa or simply moving to a new area in Iowa, it can be difficult to find a home you like in a school district you like too. Remodeling can be the solution. Don’t just move into a new home — create one. And remember: when it comes to remodeling, don’t stop at “good enough”... make it Compelling!