The top reported proficiency rate is 63% in English language arts. The lowest is 50% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Walnut Street School
Walnut Street School is a regular public elementary school serving preschool through fifth grade in downtown Des Moines, part of the Des Moines Independent Community School District. The school is located on Walnut Street in the heart of the city, placing it within walking distance of the Iowa State Capitol, the Des Moines Art Center, and the central business district. This is an urban school in Iowa’s capital and largest city, a place known as a center for the insurance industry, financial services, and publishing, with a downtown that anchors civic life through parks, trails, and cultural institutions.
The student body is diverse in background. Roughly a third of students are white, a third are Black, and the remainder are Hispanic, two or more races, or Asian. A substantial share of families qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The school enrolls about enough children to fill a small-to-mid-sized elementary building for this grade band. Data on the share of students receiving special education services or classified as English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.
Academically, Walnut Street School’s state assessment results for the most recent year show a mixed picture. Performance on the English language arts test is stronger than in math, with a higher proportion of students meeting proficiency standards. Science results, available only at certain tested grades, land somewhere between the two. When compared with other districts in Polk County, the school’s overall proficiency index—an average across subjects and tested grades—falls below the midpoint of the cohort. This means that students here tend to score lower on state tests than students at many of the county’s other elementary schools. There is only one year of data available, so no trend about improvement or decline could be determined.
Because Walnut Street School serves only early and elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and the school does not offer the kind of advanced coursework or career pathways that parents of high schoolers look for. No data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing ratios were provided, leaving gaps in the picture of daily school climate.
The housing context around the school reflects the downtown Des Moines market. Home values in the zip code are in line with national averages, though they have softened slightly year over year. Rental costs are moderate, and the area is generally affordable relative to household income, which aligns with the typical mix of downtown professionals, service workers, and families near the urban core.
A parent considering Walnut Street School should weigh its central location and diverse student body against academic performance that, while showing a relative strength in reading, is below the county average overall. The lack of certain data points—especially around special populations and school environment—means a visit and conversation with the principal would be important to fill in the full picture of student support and daily experience. For families who value an urban setting with economic and cultural resources at hand, this school offers an elementary option embedded in the life of Des Moines, but the academic results suggest it may present more challenges than some of its neighboring districts’ schools.
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