The top reported proficiency rate is 91% in Science. The lowest is 85% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Cowles Elementary School
Cowles Elementary School serves children from preschool through eighth grade in a single building, a structure that itself tells a family something important: this is a neighborhood school where a student could start in pre-kindergarten and stay until they head off to high school. That kind of continuity is rare in a single school, and it shapes the experience. The school is part of the Des Moines Independent Community School District, Iowa's capital city district, and sits in a residential area of a city that blends state government, insurance and financial services, and a growing tech presence with data centers from major companies.
On the 2024-25 Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, Cowles posted strong academic results. In English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above was well above the state median. In math, the proficiency rate was also strong. In science, the rate was even higher. The school's overall proficiency index, which combines results across subjects and grades tested, placed it in the top quartile among schools in Polk County. This is a school where a large majority of students are meeting or exceeding state standards, and the pattern is consistent across subjects.
The student body of about this size for a pre-K-through-eighth-grade school is predominantly white, with smaller shares of students who are Hispanic, Asian, Black, and multiracial. About a sixth of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that is low relative to many schools in the district. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available, so a family with a child receiving special education services or learning English would want to ask the school directly about those supports.
The school's location in Des Moines places it in a city of roughly the state's largest size, with about this many neighborhoods spread over a substantial area. The city offers extensive parkland and miles of trails. Major employers include Principal Financial Group, Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Wells Fargo, and Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, and downtown civic life is anchored by the Iowa State Capitol, the Des Moines Art Center, and the Iowa State Fairgrounds. The metro area has been growing, with new residents added through annexation and the construction of data-processing facilities by technology companies.
Housing values in the area sit near the state average. Rent levels are such that a typical household making a median income would spend a manageable share on rent. The 30-year mortgage rate at the time of this data was near the national average. A national benchmark for housing values showed modest year-over-year growth.
Because Cowles does not serve grades eleven or twelve, it has no reported graduation rate, and no chronic absenteeism data was available. There is no disciplinary data on file. Families looking for Advanced Placement courses or career-technical programs will not find them in a pre-K-through-eighth-grade building. The strength of the school is instead in its core academic program and the stability of a single campus through middle school.
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