The top reported proficiency rate is 92% in Math. The lowest is 86% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Shuler Elementary School
Shuler Elementary School is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Clive, a mostly residential suburb of Des Moines that sits at the crossroads of I-35 and I-80. The school is part of the Waukee Community School District, a fast-growing system that has been reshaping its boundaries and building new buildings to keep pace with enrollment. The district opened a second high school a few years ago, voters recently approved a substantial bond to fund another elementary and a new middle school, and the school board approved new elementary boundaries effective for the 2025-2026 school year, reassigning a significant number of K-4 students. Current fifth graders and siblings of enrolled students were grandfathered in, but the pattern of boundary adjustments means families moving into the area should expect that growth will continue to drive change.
Clive itself is actively developing, with a large number of acres under construction for residential and commercial use, and the city's population has grown noticeably since the 2020 Census. Housing values are well above state and national medians, reflecting an affluent suburban market. The city is car-oriented, with commercial strips along major arterials and no traditional walkable downtown. The Greenbelt Park and trail system along Walnut Creek provides recreational walking and biking paths. Public transit connects Clive to the broader Des Moines region via several bus routes.
Shuler Elementary is a relatively large school for its grade band, with an enrollment concentrated in the upper elementary grades. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of students who are Asian, two or more races, Hispanic, Black, and a very small number of American Indian or Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, well below typical district levels for Iowa—a signal of the area's overall affluence.
State testing results from the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) show strong performance across all three tested subjects. Proficiency rates in mathematics, English language arts, and science are all high, with math notably above the rest. Participation rates were near universal. Compared to other districts in Dallas County, Shuler's overall proficiency index lands in the top quartile, meaning it ranks among the higher-performing elementary schools in the county on these measures. Because this is only a single year of data, there is no trend line to examine yet.
The district brief reports that special education and English learner counts were missing from the data provided, so a parent who wants to understand how the school supports students with IEPs or English language needs should follow up directly with the school or district.
What this school offers is a solid academic foundation in a growing, high-demand suburban community. The peer environment reflects the area's affluence, with a relatively low share of students facing economic disadvantage. The school's size means children will be in a large elementary setting, with multiple sections per grade. Families moving into the district should be aware that the Waukee district is still building out its capacity—new elementary and middle schools are on the way, and boundary adjustments have been recurring as the system adjusts to growth. That growth also means the community is dynamic, with new housing developments and continued in-migration.
For a family looking at Shuler, the key considerations are whether the school's strong state test results and affluent peer environment match their priorities, and whether the pace of growth in the district—and the associated boundary changes—is something they are comfortable navigating. The school does not have a graduation rate because it serves only elementary grades. No data on chronic absenteeism or discipline was available. The academic picture is clear and positive; the growth context is the factor that will shape the experience over time.
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