Public schools in West Des Moines, IA
13 open public schools with an address in West Des Moines, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
13
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
8,986
13 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
14.7:1
Iowa median 13.7:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of West Des Moines public schools
The federal directory lists 13 public schools in West Des Moines, IA: 9 elementary, 1 middle, 2 high, 1 combined or other. The 13 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 8,986 students, an average of 691 per school. The largest campus is Valley High School (2,178 students), and the largest elementary school is Westridge Elementary (744).
West Des Moines Comm School District operates the most schools here (10), and 2 regular districts have at least one West Des Moines campus. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 14.7:1, higher than the statewide school median of 13.7:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
Among 3 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 of 3 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 48% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving West Des Moines
Elementary schools in West Des Moines
9| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookview Elementary School Waukee Comm School District | KG–05 | 592 | 14.3:1 | |
| Crossroads Park Elementary School West Des Moines Comm School District | KG–06 | 530 | 14.7:1 | |
| Fairmeadows Elementary School West Des Moines Comm School District | PK–06 | 542 | 15.9:1 | |
| Hillside Elementary School West Des Moines Comm School District | PK–06 | 548 | 11.7:1 | |
| Jordan Creek Elementary School West Des Moines Comm School District | PK–06 | 652 | 16.9:1 | |
| Maple Grove Elementary School Waukee Comm School District | KG–05 | 577 | 13.1:1 | |
| Western Hills Elementary School West Des Moines Comm School District | PK–06 | 570 | 14.9:1 | |
| Westridge Elementary West Des Moines Comm School District | PK–06 | 744 | 16.1:1 | |
| Woodland Hills Elementary School Waukee Comm School District | KG–05 | 578 | 15.2:1 |
Middle schools in West Des Moines
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stilwell Junior High School West Des Moines Comm School District | 07–08 | 645 | 13.4:1 |
High schools in West Des Moines
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley High School West Des Moines Comm School District | 10–12 | 2,178 | 18.3:1 | |
| Walnut Creek Campus West Des Moines Comm School District · Alternative School | 09–12 | 152 | 10.8:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in West Des Moines
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Southwoods West Des Moines Comm School District | 09–09 | 678 | 13.9:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White56.8%
- Hispanic16.9%
- Black11.4%
- Asian6.5%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial8.1%
Enrollment-weighted across 13 West Des Moines schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (8,986 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in West Des Moines
How many public schools are in West Des Moines, IA?
The current NCES directory lists 13 open public schools with a location address in West Des Moines: 9 elementary, 1 middle, 2 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 8,986 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve West Des Moines?
Schools with an address in West Des Moines belong to 2 education agencies, led by West Des Moines Comm School District (10 schools), Waukee Comm School District (3 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in West Des Moines?
Valley High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in West Des Moines, with 2,178 students in 2024–25 (grades 10–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in West Des Moines?
No school with an address in West Des Moines is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Iowa.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in West Des Moines schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across West Des Moines public schools is 14.7:1, higher than the Iowa school median of 13.7:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in West Des Moines guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Iowa cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Iowa cities