Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 59 schools in district

North High School

501 Holcomb Ave, Des Moines, IA 50313Des Moines Independent Comm School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
1,458
Students
Total enrolled
84%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
~avg
$16,525
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 15% vs nat'l
22.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 43% vs nat'l
42/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 16% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,458 students in grades 09–12 in Des Moines, Iowa.
15% above average funding
District spends $16,525 per pupil, 15% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 42th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

North High School is a very large high in Des Moines, Iowa, serving grades 09–12 with 1,458 students. The district invests $16,525 per student — 15% above the national average of $14,347, with a 22.1:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 87% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at North High School

1,458
Total Students
22.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
87%
Free Lunch
66
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution734 male · 723 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility87%
National avg 52% · 1,264 students
Student Composition
11%
20%
36%
26%
Asian11%
White20%
Hispanic / Latino36%
Black26%
Multiracial6%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 190897000566

Academic Outcomes at North High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
84
Near avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
84%
State avg
91%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
42
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 42th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 39th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 50313

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$16,525Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$16,525
State avg
$17,386
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,271
Student Support$3,140
Administration$1,983
Operations$2,479
Other$1,653
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $16,525 spent per student, an estimated $7,321 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
56%
29%
State government
56.2%
Local (property tax)
29.4%
Federal programs
14.4%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 84% graduation rate — near the national average of 87%
  • Above-average funding — $16,525/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 22.1:1 student-teacher ratio — larger classes than the national average of 15.4:1
  • 87% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Brubaker Elementary SchoolStudebaker Elementary SchoolCapitol View Elementary SchoolRiver Woods Elementary School
+10 more
↓
Middle
Weeks Middle SchoolMeredith Middle SchoolHarding Middle SchoolMcCombs Middle School
+6 more
↓
High School
Lincoln High SchoolEast High SchoolRoosevelt High SchoolHoover High School
+1 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyPolk County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictDes Moines Independent Comm School District →
Phone: (515)242-7200
NCES ID: 190897000566
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Des Moines seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Des Moines Independent Comm School District
High
Lincoln High School
2,403 students · 09–12
● 47 opp76% FRL
High
East High School
2,040 students · 09–12
● 42 opp79% FRL
High
Roosevelt High School
1,986 students · 09–12
● 42 opp53% FRL
High
Hoover High School
991 students · 09–12
● 48 opp78% FRL
Mid
Weeks Middle School
684 students · 06–08
● 47 opp86% FRL
High
Virtual Campus
668 students · 06–12
79% FRL
Mid
Meredith Middle School
664 students · 06–08
● 48 opp84% FRL
Mid
Harding Middle School
655 students · 06–08
● 42 opp89% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
501 Holcomb Ave, Des Moines, IA 50313
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.