The top reported proficiency rate is 79% in Math. The lowest is 70% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Grant Ragan Elementary School
GrantRagan Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Waukee, Iowa, a fast-growing suburb west of Des Moines. The school is part of the Waukee Community School District, which is the fastest-growing in the state and has added a second high school, a major bond-funded building program, and new elementary boundaries in recent years. For a family considering this area, the district’s rapid expansion is a defining reality: schools are being built, attendance zones shift, and enrollment pressure is constant.
Grant Ragan is one of eleven elementary schools in the district. Its student body is large for an elementary school and is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Hispanic, Asian, Black, and multiracial students. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a rate that is low compared with statewide norms. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available.
On state assessments, Grant Ragan’s results show roughly four out of five students scoring proficient in math and English language arts, and about seven out of ten in science. These are solid proficiency rates in absolute terms, but when placed alongside other districts in Dallas County, the school lands in the bottom quartile for overall proficiency across tested subjects. That positioning does not mean the school is struggling; it means that several other elementary schools in the county post even higher scores. A parent weighing options within the district or county might want to look into what student growth measures, classroom-level supports, and instructional approaches look like at Grant Ragan, especially if they are accustomed to the top-tier performance that some neighboring schools report.
Waukee itself has transformed from a coal-mining town into a thriving suburban city. The Kettlestone development on the southern edge combines shopping, dining, parks, and an entertainment district. Apple has built a data center campus, and other large employers have followed. Home values in the area are above the state average, though they have dipped slightly recently, and rents have edged upward. The city is auto-oriented; there is no fixed-route public transit, only demand-response service. Families moving here should expect a car-dependent lifestyle, but also a community with strong civic amenities.
The district context matters for Grant Ragan families. In 2023, voters approved a bond to fund a twelfth elementary school and a new middle school, along with security upgrades. In late 2024, the school board redrew elementary boundaries to take effect in the 2025-2026 school year, reassigning a meaningful number of K-4 students to different schools. Current fifth graders and siblings of enrolled students were grandfathered in, but for anyone moving into the area, the specific feeder pattern for Grant Ragan could change again as the district continues adding capacity.
This is a school in a district that is still catching up to its own growth. The academic profile is solid but not the highest in the county. The community is affluent and expanding fast. For a family looking for a well-resourced suburban elementary school in a growing area, Grant Ragan offers a dependable option, but the district’s constant change is something to factor into the decision.
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