The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in English language arts. The lowest is 32% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Capitol View Elementary School
Capitol View Elementary is a regular public school in the Des Moines Independent Community School District, serving students from prekindergarten through fifth grade. It is one of many neighborhood elementary schools in Iowa’s capital and most populous city, a place that functions as a major insurance center with a core of financial services and publishing jobs, 46 residential neighborhoods, and extensive parkland and trail networks. The school sits within a community that has seen some metropolitan-area population growth and tech-sector development in recent years.
The student body is diverse and predominantly low-income. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places the school in a high-poverty context. Hispanic students make up the largest group, followed by white and Black students, with smaller shares identifying as Asian, two or more races, and American Indian or Alaska Native. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available in the source material, so a parent who wants to understand those supports would need to ask the school directly.
On state assessments administered in 2024-25 through the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP), Capitol View’s proficiency rates in math and English language arts were below the midpoint for Polk County districts. In math, a share of students scored proficient or above; in English language arts, a similar share did. Science results were lower still. The school’s overall proficiency index across tested subjects placed it in the bottom quarter relative to other districts in the county. Only a single year of assessment data was available, so no trend can be drawn. The school’s participation rate was high, above nine-tenths of enrolled students.
For a school that serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and chronic absenteeism data was not available in the source material. No information on discipline, staffing ratios, or course access was provided, so those dimensions of school environment are a gap that a parent may wish to investigate by contacting the school or visiting in person.
Capitol View is a regular public school with no charter or magnet designation. The Des Moines district, which oversees it, has not provided additional context about recent initiatives or changes at this school specifically. The housing market in the surrounding area is moderate compared to state and national benchmarks: typical home values are below the Iowa median, and rents are similarly positioned. That context makes the area potentially more accessible for families seeking affordable housing, though the high concentration of poverty at the school means that the student population comes from a community with significant economic need.
For a parent weighing options, Capitol View offers a standard elementary curriculum in a high-need urban setting. Its state test results are below the county average, and a family would want to understand what interventions, enrichment, or support programs the school provides. The school’s diversity and location within a large, metro-area district mean that students will later feed into a broader system of middle and high schools, but the data here does not speak to those later pathways. The missing pieces on special education and English learner services are notable: those are common areas of concern for families with children who have individualized education plans or are learning English, and without the data, the school’s capacity in those areas remains unconfirmed.
See more original research from School Decision →