The top reported proficiency rate is 69% in Math. The lowest is 55% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Greenwood Elementary School
Greenwood Elementary School is a regular public school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in the Des Moines Independent Community School District. Located on 37th Street in the city’s western neighborhoods, it sits within Iowa’s capital, a city that anchors a major insurance and financial services industry and maintains an extensive system of parks and trails. The school draws from a residential area where home values run above the state average and where the rental market, after a period of increase, has recently softened slightly. For a family considering this part of Des Moines, the housing stock reflects a relatively stable, established part of the metro.
Academically, the school’s most recent state assessments show that strong majorities of students test proficient in math and English language arts, while science proficiency, though still at a majority level, is lower. The numbers available cover only a single year, so there is no trend to discuss. Measured against the set of districts in Polk County, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects sits below the midpoint of that comparison group. That is a broad signal worth noting: a parent who prioritizes test-based performance relative to the county may want to ask the school how it supports students who are below the bar and how it addresses the gap in science. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to examine, and data on chronic absenteeism and discipline were not available in the source material.
The student body is moderately sized for an elementary school, and the demographic mix is majority white, with Black students making up the next largest share, followed by students who identify as two or more races, Hispanic students, and small shares of Asian and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. About half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a proportion that points to a meaningful spread of economic backgrounds. Information on the number of students with disabilities or English learners was not present in the data, so a parent should check directly with the school if those supports are a priority.
The school is part of a large urban district that oversees dozens of elementary, middle, and high schools across Des Moines and its suburbs. No district-level strategic updates or recent initiatives were available in the research material, so it is not possible to say whether the district is pursuing specific academic reforms or facility investments at this time. The city itself is a growing metro area, with a population that has continued to increase, and major technology and insurance employers have expanded their local footprints. That growth adds housing pressure but also brings economic stability and property investment.
What Greenwood Elementary offers is a solid, mainstream elementary experience in a diverse urban setting within a district that serves a wide range of students. The academic results are respectable in literacy and math but do not place the school among the top tier of Polk County elementary schools. For a family that values the convenience of an in‑neighborhood school with a balanced peer group and that is comfortable asking the school about its science instruction and how it works with students who need extra help, Greenwood is a reasonable option. Those seeking very strong test performance relative to county peers, or who need detailed data on special education and English‑learner services, will want to investigate further with the school directly.
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