The top reported proficiency rate is 66% in Math. The lowest is 41% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Horizon Science Academy Des Moines
Horizon Science Academy Des Moines is a tuition-free public charter school that opened in August 2023 with a STEM-focused curriculum. It serves kindergarten through third grade and plans to add one grade per year, with the goal of eventually offering a full K–12 pathway. For the 2025–2026 school year it expanded to serve prekindergarten through sixth grade. The school received a federal Charter Schools Program grant to support its launch. Because it is still in its early years, its enrollment is small, and its grade band is limited to early elementary.
Des Moines is Iowa’s capital and largest city, a major center for the insurance industry with a sizable financial services and publishing base. The city and its metro area have seen steady population growth, supported in part by data-processing and logistical facilities built by large technology companies. The school sits within this broader urban context, offering a free public option for families who want a school focused on science, technology, engineering, and math from the beginning of their child’s education.
The student body is diverse. White students make up the largest share, followed by Black and Hispanic students, with smaller shares of students who identify as two or more races and Asian. Data on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education, and English learner status were not reported, which is a significant gap for families trying to understand the school’s socioeconomic and support profile. A parent may want to ask the school directly about these figures.
State testing data are available only for the tested grades, which in this school means third grade. On the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, proficiency in math was solid, while proficiency in English language arts was more modest. The school’s overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades placed it below the midpoint among districts in Polk County. Only one year of test data exists, so there is no trend to examine. Participation on the assessments was full, which lends reliability to the results.
The school’s district, also called Horizon Science Academy, is a charter organization that operates this Des Moines campus. The school itself operates as a non-selective, non-profit regular public school. Because it serves only early elementary grades, there is no graduation rate, and chronic absenteeism data were not available. Program offerings beyond the STEM focus and a reported 1:1 technology model were not detailed in the available information.
This is a very new and still-growing school. For families in Des Moines who value a STEM emphasis and want a small, early-elementary environment that will expand over time, it offers a distinctive option. The test results provide an initial academic snapshot, but the school’s trajectory is still unfolding, and several pieces of context that parents often rely on, such as student support data and longer-term performance, are not yet available.
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