The top reported proficiency rate is 78% in Math. The lowest is 55% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Radiant Elementary School
Radiant Elementary School is a regular public elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade within the Waukee Community School District, located in the Des Moines suburb of Urbandale. The school itself sits in a fast-growing part of Dallas County, which has experienced rapid population growth in recent years, and the broader district has been one of the fastest-growing in Iowa, adding students each year and opening new buildings to keep pace.
The school is large for an elementary, with enrollment spread relatively evenly across each grade level. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Asian, Black, Hispanic, and multiracial students. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting the school serves a largely middle- to upper-income attendance area. The school does not offer a dedicated program for an alternative or special purpose; it is a neighborhood elementary school in a regular public school system.
Academically, Radiant's performance on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress places it in a measured position within the county. Overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades falls near the bottom among the few districts in Dallas County, a contrast that families may want to examine more closely with the school. In math, the large majority of students scored at or above the proficient level, a strong result. In English language arts, about seven in ten students were proficient. In science, just over half of tested students reached the proficient mark. The school's participation rate was very high, meaning these results capture nearly all enrolled students. Only one year of testing data was available for the school, so no trend can be assessed yet; this is a snapshot of the first year for which results were reported.
The district context matters for any family considering Radiant. The Waukee district opened a second high school in 2021 to relieve overcrowding, and voters approved a major bond in 2023 to fund additional elementary and middle school capacity. The school board also approved new elementary boundaries effective for the 2025-2026 school year, shifting some students among schools to balance enrollment as the district continues building. This means that for families moving into Radiant's attendance area, the feeder pattern to later schools is not static, and boundary adjustments are a known feature of the district's growth rather than an unusual event.
The locale is suburban Urbandale, a car-oriented city with a modest parks and trail system and limited public transit. The city has a growing commercial and employment base, anchored by finance, insurance, and healthcare employers. The housing market in the school's zip code reflects the suburban character, with home values above the state and national medians and rents that are moderate relative to incomes. The area's growth pressure is evident in recent annexations and infrastructure investments, and the district's own enrollment projections suggest continued expansion.
For a parent weighing this school, the central considerations are straightforward. Radiant is a large suburban elementary in a fast-growing district, delivering solid math results and somewhat lower reading and science proficiency relative to peers in the county. The school has a low share of students from low-income households and a student body that is mostly white. The district's rapid growth means families should expect ongoing construction, potential boundary changes, and a secondary system that has already been restructured. The school's academic performance, while adequate in absolute terms, does not match the highest levels seen in the county, and a parent interested in deeper gaps in science instruction or in how the school supports students who are not yet proficient would want to raise those questions directly with building leadership.
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