The top reported proficiency rate is 76% in English language arts. The lowest is 63% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Carlisle Middle School
Carlisle Middle School serves sixth through eighth graders in the Carlisle Community School District, a regular public school located in a small but growing city within the Des Moines metropolitan area. The school sits on a campus developed as part of a major residential and commercial development along Scotch Ridge Road, separate from the district’s high school and elementary campuses, which are closer to the historic downtown.
Academically, the school’s performance on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress shows a solid foundation, though with some variation. In math and English language arts, roughly three-quarters of students met proficiency standards, while in science the share was lower, at about three in five. Participation rates on the assessments were very high, above 98 percent across all three subjects, which means the results reflect nearly the entire tested population. However, when compared with other districts in Warren County, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades falls in the bottom quartile. The county has five districts, and while Carlisle Middle School’s numbers are not weak in absolute terms, they trail the middle and top of that group. This is a useful context for a parent weighing how the school stacks up against nearby options.
The student body is predominantly White, with a notable Hispanic minority and a smaller Asian presence. Roughly one-third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a measure of economic need. The available data does not include counts for students with disabilities or English learners, which is a gap. A parent whose child receives special education services or is learning English may want to ask the school directly about those populations and the supports in place.
Carlisle itself is a city of modest but steady growth, part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines metropolitan area. Its historic downtown sits along School and First Streets, and the community has industrial roots including a General Mills flour mill and a Heartland Coop grain elevator, both established in the 1950s and later annexed into the city. The Summerset Trail, a rail-trail converted from an abandoned railway, has its northern terminus in Carlisle and provides a recreational corridor for walking and biking. Housing values and rents in the area have risen, reflecting the metro’s expansion and Carlisle’s location less than a short drive from downtown Des Moines. The city’s population has increased over recent decades, and the development along Scotch Ridge Road that includes the middle school campus is a sign of suburban-style growth extending beyond the original town center.
The district itself has not publicly reported any major changes in the recent period that would affect parents, based on available information. The school remains a straightforward neighborhood middle school serving a growing community. For a family considering Carlisle, the middle school offers a reasonably sized environment, consistent test participation, and a proficiency profile that is respectable on its own but not the strongest in the county. The absence of data on special education and English learner enrollment is worth noting; parents with children in those categories should confirm what services are available. The broader community context is one of expansion and metro adjacency, with housing costs that have climbed but remain below the national median. The school fits a family looking for a regular public middle school in a growing small city with easy access to Des Moines, and who want to understand its relative academic standing compared with other Warren County districts.
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