The top reported proficiency rate is 83% in English language arts. The lowest is 73% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Indian Hills Junior High School
Indian Hills Junior High School serves seventh and eighth graders in Clive, a mostly residential suburb of Des Moines that sits at the crossroads of I-35 and I-80. Clive is car-oriented, with commercial development strung along major arterial roads rather than a traditional downtown; the defining pedestrian amenity is the Greenbelt Park and trail system that runs through the city along Walnut Creek. The city is actively growing, with substantial acreage under development for both residential and commercial uses, and the housing market reflects that affluence, with home values well above state and national benchmarks. The school is part of the West Des Moines Community School District, which operates a distinctive secondary structure where ninth graders attend a dedicated freshman high school before moving to Valley High School for grades ten through twelve.
The student body is roughly evenly split between seventh and eighth graders. The composition is majority white, with a sizable Hispanic population and smaller shares of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that positions the school as serving a moderately mixed-income population within an otherwise affluent suburban corridor.
On the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, Indian Hills posts strong results across the board. The school’s overall proficiency index—a mean of reported rates in math, English language arts, and science—sits above the midpoint when compared with other districts in Polk County. In math and English language arts, the large majority of tested students met or exceeded the state’s proficiency standard, and science results were also strong, though the science assessment covers only a portion of the grade levels and is a separate test. This is a school where the typical student is working at grade level or above in the core subjects, and the academic floor appears high relative to many peers in the county.
The school’s grade range means there is no graduation rate to report; that metric applies only to high schools. Similarly, data on special education identification and English learner status were not provided, nor were discipline or staffing figures, so a fuller picture of student support and school climate would require a conversation with the school directly. Chronic absenteeism data was also absent from the available records.
Indian Hills is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. The district has been investing in capital construction, with notable outlays on facilities in recent years, which may be relevant for families considering the condition of the building and broader campus environment. Clive’s location makes it a short drive from the broader Des Moines job market, and the city is served by multiple Des Moines Area Regional Transit bus routes for those who need public transportation.
For a family looking at this school, the evidence points to a junior high where academic performance is a clear strength, the peer environment is diverse in background but generally on strong academic footing, and the surrounding community is growing and well-resourced. The school fits students who are on track for college-preparatory high school work, and the district’s ninth-grade transition structure is a specific feature worth understanding before enrollment. The gaps in the data mean that questions about special education services, English learner supports, and disciplinary climate would need to be answered directly by the school.
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