Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 59 schools in district

Stowe Elementary School

1411 E 33rd St, Des Moines, IA 50317Des Moines Independent Comm School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Non-Charter
313
Students
Total enrolled
$16,525
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 15% vs nat'l
12.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 20% vs nat'l
39/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 23% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 313 students in grades KG–05 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 39th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Stowe Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary in Des Moines, Iowa, serving grades KG–05 with 313 students. The district invests $16,525 per student — 15% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.3:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 88% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 39/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Stowe Elementary School

313
Total Students
12.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
88%
Free Lunch
26
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution158 male · 155 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility88%
National avg 52% · 274 students
Student Composition
40%
33%
18%
Asian4%
White40%
Hispanic / Latino33%
Black18%
Multiracial4%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 190897000577

Academic Outcomes at Stowe Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
39
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 39th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 22th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 50317

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
  • Above-average funding — $16,525/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 12.3:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 88% 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 SchoolNorth High School
+2 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountyPolk County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictDes Moines Independent Comm School District →
Phone: (515)242-8435
NCES ID: 190897000577
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Des Moines seeking a public elementary 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
North High School
1,458 students · 09–12
● 42 opp87% 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
District School Rankings
Location
1411 E 33rd St, Des Moines, IA 50317
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.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
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.