Original Research by School Decision on Jessie Franklin Taylor
Jessie Franklin Taylor is a public school in Des Moines, Iowa, that serves only pre‑kindergarten. It is a regular school within the Des Moines Independent Community School District, not a charter or magnet. Because it serves the earliest grade only, there are no state assessment results to report—those tests begin in third grade—and no graduation rate. Any measure that depends on a tested grade or a high school cohort simply does not apply here.
The student body is diverse and predominantly from low‑income households. A very high share of children qualify for free or reduced‑price lunch, which positions the school to serve a community with substantial economic need. Racially and ethnically, the largest groups are Black and Hispanic, followed by White and Asian students, with smaller shares of children who identify as two or more races, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. The available data does not include counts of students with Individualized Education Programs or English‑learner status, so a parent who has a child with special needs or who is learning English would want to ask the school directly about those supports.
The school sits in Des Moines, Iowa’s capital and most populous city. Des Moines is a major center for the insurance industry and financial services, and it also hosts a significant publishing base. The city has many miles of trails and a large acreage of parkland, which points to recreational amenities nearby. The downtown area, with the Iowa State Capitol, the Des Moines Art Center, and the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates, is a short drive from the school’s location. The Des Moines metropolitan area has grown in recent years, with large tech companies building data‑processing and logistical facilities in the region, and the city has seen voluntary annexation that added new residents. Housing in the school’s zip code is comparatively affordable. Home values and rents sit below state and national averages, and the area has experienced modest price appreciation over the past year.
Because Jessie Franklin Taylor is a pre‑K‑only school, the central question for a family is what kind of early childhood program it offers. The data provided does not describe the instructional approach, whether classes are full‑day or half‑day, the teacher‑to‑student ratio, or any enrichment or wrap‑around services. The school is modest in enrollment, which is typical for a single‑grade program, but a parent should verify staffing levels and classroom size. Given the high share of families eligible for meal assistance, the school likely provides meals through a community‑eligibility program. No information on discipline or attendance was available, but those metrics are less common at the pre‑K level.
Jessie Franklin Taylor functions as an entry point for early education in a large urban district. The city context offers cultural and recreational resources, and the housing market is accessible relative to many other parts of the state. A parent looking at this school will need to gather specifics directly from the school or district to determine whether the curriculum, schedule, and support services align with their child’s needs. The absence of comparative district‑level data on proficiency or chronic absenteeism is simply a reflection of the school’s grade band, not a signal of quality.
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