The top reported proficiency rate is 92% in Math. The lowest is 90% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Mitchellville Elementary
Mitchellville Elementary serves prekindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Southeast Polk Community School District. The school is located in Mitchellville, a small city roughly sixteen miles northeast of Des Moines that sits within the Des Moines–West Des Moines metropolitan area. The town’s character is shaped in part by the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women, a state prison that is a major local employer and influences the community’s population profile. Mitchellville is described as rural by some sources, and its civic anchors include Thomas Mitchell Park, City Hall, and the elementary school itself. No public library or transit system specific to the town was identified in available sources. The population has seen modest growth in recent years, and the town functions largely as a small residential community within the broader Des Moines metro area, with some residents likely commuting to the capital for work.
Mitchellville Elementary is a regular public school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade. It is not a charter or magnet school. The school is part of the Southeast Polk Community School District, and no recent district-level changes of lasting impact were found in available sources. The school’s enrollment is small for its grade band, with a student body that is predominantly white. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on the share of students with individualized education programs or English learner status was not available in the source materials.
On state assessments, Mitchellville Elementary posted strong results. Proficiency rates in math, English language arts, and science were all well above the midpoint among tested schools in Polk County. The school’s overall proficiency index placed it in the top quartile relative to other districts in the county. Participation rates on the assessments were high, and the school’s performance was consistent across subjects. Because the data covers only a single year, no trend line is available, but the single-year snapshot shows a school where the large majority of students met or exceeded state proficiency standards.
The school serves prekindergarten through fifth grade, so there is no graduation rate to report. Chronic absenteeism data was also not available in the source materials. A parent may want to ask the school directly about attendance patterns and how the school supports students who need extra help, as those details are not captured in the data provided.
The student body is small and predominantly white, with a small number of students identifying as two or more races and very small numbers of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that is moderate and suggests a mix of household incomes within the attendance zone. The school does not appear to have a Title I designation in the available data, though a parent may want to confirm that directly with the district.
Housing in Mitchellville is moderately priced relative to national benchmarks. The median home value in the area is somewhat above the state median, and the estimated monthly mortgage payment is higher than the typical rent, which is a pattern common in many markets. The area’s median household income is in line with national figures, and the unemployment rate has been stable. For a family considering a move, Mitchellville offers a small-town setting within commuting distance of Des Moines, with housing costs that are not out of line with the broader region.
The school itself is a straightforward neighborhood elementary school. It does not offer specialized programs like magnet or charter options, and no information about specific course offerings or enrichment programs was available in the source materials. A parent looking for a school with strong core academic results in a small, community-oriented setting would find Mitchellville Elementary worth a close look. The proficiency data suggests that students here are performing well on state standards, and the school’s size allows for a setting where students and staff are likely to know each other well. A parent who wants a wider array of program options or a more diverse student body may want to explore other schools in the district or region, but for a family focused on solid foundational academics in a small-town environment, this school delivers on that front.
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