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Best Schools in Des Moines, WA
Des Moines, WA has 22 public schools (5 high, 5 middle, 11 elementary) serving 12,194 students. On average they score 34% on state proficiency tests against a projected 30%, so schools in Des Moines meet expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Des Moines, WA
The top high schools in Des Moines, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Maritime High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Highline School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 83 Students
2. Mount Rainier High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Highline School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1873 Students
3. Federal Way High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Federal Way School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1640 Students
4. Cascade Public Schools
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Why Not You Academy • Charter • Grades 9 - 12 • 146 Students
5. Tyee High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Highline School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 674 Students
Best Middle Schools in Des Moines, WA
The top middle schools in Des Moines, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Sylvester Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Highline School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 619 Students
2. Lakota Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Federal Way School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 632 Students
3. Sacajawea Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Federal Way School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 684 Students
4. Chinook Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Highline School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 599 Students
5. Pacific Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Highline School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 651 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Des Moines, WA
The top elementary schools in Des Moines, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. North Hill Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Highline School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 495 Students
2. Marvista Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Highline School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 536 Students
3. Nautilus K-8 School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Federal Way School District • Public • Grades KG - 8 • 440 Students
4. Woodmont K-8 School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Federal Way School District • Public • Grades KG - 8 • 439 Students
5. Des Moines Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Highline School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 520 Students
6. Adelaide Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Federal Way School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 306 Students
7. Madrona Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Highline School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 384 Students
8. Parkside Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Highline School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 445 Students
9. Midway Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Highline School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 537 Students
10. St Philomena School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
St Philomena School • Private • Grades Pre K - 8 • 277 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Des Moines, WA
City-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Des Moines, WA has a total population of 33,134 with 22% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 86%, and 30% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Des Moines, WA
K-12 Students
High School Graduates
Adults 25+ with HS diplomas
College Graduates
Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher
Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Des Moines, WA.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
47.44 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
3.59 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
43.85 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Des Moines, WA.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Des Moines, WA.
ISP Report Card
Internet Infrastructure Grade
Average Download Speed
Speed Most Residents Can Get
Digital Connectivity Index
ISP Connectivity Demand Report
To read more about these statistics, please visit Des Moines, WA Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Des Moines, WA
How many schools are in Des Moines, WA?
Des Moines, WA has 22 public schools: 5 high schools, 5 middle schools and 11 elementary schools, serving 12,194 students in total.
How do schools in Des Moines perform on state tests?
On average, 22 schools in Des Moines score 34% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 30%, so on average schools in Des Moines meet expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Des Moines?
Every public school gets a SchoolGrade from A+ to F based on the share of students at or above the state proficiency bar. The Impact Grade compares that result with what we would expect given the school’s student and community context, so schools that outperform their circumstances stand out. Schools cannot pay to change a grade. Read the full methodology.
Best Schools in Cities Near Des Moines, WA
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 42%
- Projected: 36%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 33%
- Projected: 27%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 31%
- Projected: 24%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 39%
- Projected: 33%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 36%
- Projected: 34%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 34%
- Projected: 28%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 35%
- Projected: 27%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 47%
- Projected: 39%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 65%
- Projected: 52%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 34%
- Projected: 24%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
Every school in Des Moines
9 of 9 schools in Des Moines carry a SchoolGrade. Grade distribution:
A: 1B: 1C: 1D: 2F: 4
All 9 public schools we grade in Des Moines. The ranked lists above show the top ten per level; every school has its own page.
High schools (2)
Middle and junior high schools (1)
Elementary and primary schools (4)
Other schools and academies (2)
Private schools (3)
Private schools have a SchoolGrade only where their state publishes their test results.