The top reported proficiency rate is 54% in English language arts. The lowest is 30% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Madison Elementary School
Madison Elementary School is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in the Des Moines Independent Community School District. Located in Iowa’s capital city, it is one of many elementary schools in a large, urban district. The school enrolls a modest number of students for its grade band, and the student body is diverse. A majority of students identify as Hispanic, with sizable shares of white, Asian, and multiracial students, and smaller numbers of Black and Native American students. A large majority of families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which signals a high level of economic need in the school’s attendance zone.
The housing market in Madison’s immediate zip code is more affordable than both the state and national averages, a pattern common in older urban neighborhoods. Des Moines itself is the state capital and a major center for insurance, financial services, and publishing. The city has seen steady population growth in its metropolitan area, and major tech and data-processing facilities have been built nearby, contributing to economic development. The city maintains extensive parkland and trails, and downtown is home to landmarks such as the Iowa State Capitol and the Des Moines Art Center. All of this shapes the broader context families encounter when considering this school.
On state assessments, Madison’s results fall noticeably below many other Polk County schools. In math, roughly half of students scored at the proficient level or above. In English language arts, the share was similar. Science proficiency was lower, at about three in ten students. When compared to other districts across Polk County, Madison’s overall proficiency index placed it in the bottom quartile of the available cohort. This is a straightforward signal that academic outcomes, as measured by the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, are a soft spot. A parent looking at these results would want to discuss with the school what supports are in place—such as intervention programs or instructional strategies—to address the gap, especially since the school has no prior-year trend data to show recent movement.
Several pieces of information that could help a family evaluate the school more fully are missing from the available data. There is no reported figure for the share of students with disabilities or the share of English learners, both of which are common in an urban elementary school and matter for understanding the range of student needs. There is no discipline data, no staffing details such as teacher experience or student-to-teacher ratios, and no information on attendance or chronic absenteeism. Program offerings, such as art, music, or extended-day options, were not available in the data reviewed. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate, and the civil rights data is also absent. Families should ask the school directly for this information to get a fuller picture.
Madison Elementary fits a family that values a neighborhood school with a diverse student body and is comfortable engaging with the school about academic support. The accessible housing in the area may be a draw for those looking for an affordable entry point into the Des Moines market. But the proficiency numbers are clearly below most other Polk County schools, and the lack of detailed contextual data means a prospective family will need to do some legwork to understand the full environment. The school is a regular public school with no charter or magnet designation, operating within the framework of a large urban district. For a family whose priority is strong measured academic performance, other options in the county may be more aligned; for a family rooted in this neighborhood or drawn to the diversity and affordability, it is worth a deeper look.
See more original research from School Decision →