The top reported proficiency rate is 87% in English language arts. The lowest is 72% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Timberline School
Timberline School is a public school serving eighth and ninth graders in the Waukee Community School District, a fast-growing suburban district west of Des Moines. Because it serves only these two grades, it functions as a bridge between middle school and high school. The school does not have a graduation rate to report, as it does not serve graduating seniors.
The school’s academic performance, based on state testing in the 2024-2025 school year, shows a mixed picture. In English language arts, a large majority of students scored at the proficient level. In math, a solid majority did as well, though the share was somewhat smaller than in ELA. In science, about three in four students met the proficiency bar. When compared against other districts in Dallas County, Timberline’s combined proficiency across subjects places it in the bottom quartile. In a county where most districts perform well, that relative position is worth noting, though the school’s own proficiency rates still show that most students are meeting state standards.
Enrollment is large, with roughly equal numbers of eighth and ninth graders. The student body is predominantly white, with Asian, Black, Hispanic, and multiracial students each making up notable shares. About one in four students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that gives a sense of the economic diversity present. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the reporting we reviewed.
Located in Waukee, the school sits in a community that has been growing rapidly. Waukee describes itself as having a community-oriented feel, and its development includes the Kettlestone mixed-use project on the southern edge, which offers shopping, dining, parks, and trails. The city’s historic downtown centers on Triangle Park along Hickman Road. Waukee is largely auto-oriented, with minimal public transit—it is the largest city in Iowa without fixed-route bus service. Major employers include Apple, which has a data center campus in the area, and the school district itself. Housing values and rents in the area are above the state median, reflecting the demand for homes in this growing suburb. The district is the fastest-growing in Iowa, and voters recently approved a bond for a new elementary school, a new middle school, and other upgrades, with enrollment projected to keep climbing.
A parent considering Timberline should understand that it is not a conventional three- or four-year high school but a two-grade stepping stone. Students enter in eighth grade and move on to one of the district’s two high schools after ninth grade. The district has two feeder systems, so the high school a student attends depends on where they live. In recent years, the district has undergone significant restructuring. Waukee Northwest High School opened in fall 2021 as a second high school. New elementary boundaries were approved in 2024, taking effect in the 2025-2026 school year, with some students reassigned to different elementary schools. Families moving into the district should expect continued growth, school construction, and the possibility of future boundary adjustments.
Timberline’s academic results are solid in absolute terms, with most students meeting state standards in all three tested subjects. The school’s position relative to other Dallas County districts is lower, but the county overall has high proficiency rates, so that context matters. For a family whose priority is strong proficiency in a growing suburban setting, with the understanding that their child will change schools after ninth grade, Timberline fits that profile. A family that wants to understand the specific supports available for students with disabilities or English learners may want to ask the school directly, as those numbers were not available in the public data we examined.
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