There were 9,645 Black students enrolled in Polk County schools in the 2023-24 school year, 3.3% more than the previous year, according to the Iowa Department of Education.
Data showed that Polk County welcomed 74,753 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, Black students comprised 12.9% of the student body to be the third represented ethnicity in the county.
Among the 125 schools in the county, Roosevelt High School recorded the highest enrollment of Black students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 515 students.
Public school enrollment in Iowa remained relatively stable in the 2024-25 school year, with 480,665 students, a slight decrease of 0.63% compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, enrollment in accredited nonpublic schools grew by nearly 10%, reaching 39,356 students, up from 36,195. This increase was partially driven by the Students First Education Savings (ESA) program, with 27,866 students utilizing ESAs at nonpublic schools.
Ethnicities in Polk County in 2023-24 School Year
Enrollment Demographics in Polk County Schools During 2023-24 School Year
| School Name | School District | % of Black Students | Black Students Count | Total School Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roosevelt High School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 25.3% | 515 | 2,039 |
| North High School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 25.6% | 387 | 1,514 |
| Lincoln High School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 15.6% | 382 | 2,441 |
| East High School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 16.5% | 332 | 2,014 |
| Hoover High School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 32.9% | 304 | 923 |
| Valley High School | West Des Moines Comm | 11.6% | 244 | 2,111 |
| Callanan Middle School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 39.2% | 213 | 543 |
| Meredith Middle School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 32.3% | 211 | 653 |
| Edmunds Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 72.4% | 207 | 286 |
| Moulton Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 47% | 204 | 434 |
| Johnston Senior High School | Johnston Comm | 10.6% | 187 | 1,771 |
| Harding Middle School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 28.4% | 180 | 634 |
| Southeast Polk High School | Southeast Polk Comm | 7.8% | 180 | 2,294 |
| Monroe Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 42.2% | 159 | 377 |
| Johnston Middle School | Johnston Comm | 10.9% | 131 | 1,200 |
| Summit Middle School | Johnston Comm | 11.1% | 126 | 1,135 |
| McCombs Middle School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 19.4% | 125 | 644 |
| Brubaker Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 20.1% | 124 | 618 |
| Weeks Middle School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 18.4% | 123 | 668 |
| King Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 44% | 120 | 273 |
| Horizon Elementary School | Johnston Comm | 16.3% | 110 | 673 |
| Lovejoy Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 26.7% | 110 | 412 |
| Goodrell Middle School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 21.5% | 106 | 493 |
| Merrill Middle School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 16.1% | 105 | 651 |
| Hiatt Middle School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 21.7% | 101 | 466 |
| River Woods Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 19.6% | 99 | 505 |
| Samuelson Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 25.3% | 97 | 384 |
| Park Ave Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 23.5% | 96 | 408 |
| Beaver Creek Elementary School | Johnston Comm | 16.8% | 95 | 564 |
| Capitol View Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 18.7% | 95 | 509 |
| Carver Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 25.1% | 95 | 379 |
| Hillside Elementary School | West Des Moines Comm | 17.4% | 95 | 546 |
| Valley Southwoods | West Des Moines Comm | 12.4% | 92 | 744 |
| Southeast Polk Junior High School | Southeast Polk Comm | 8.3% | 92 | 1,106 |
| Urbandale High School | Urbandale Comm | 6.9% | 90 | 1,310 |
| Jackson Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 20.5% | 89 | 435 |
| Studebaker Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 15.9% | 88 | 553 |
| Oak Park | Des Moines Independent Comm | 28.2% | 87 | 309 |
| South Union Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 19.8% | 84 | 424 |
| Hanawalt Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 26.2% | 83 | 317 |
| Clive Learning Academy | West Des Moines Comm | 17.2% | 83 | 483 |
| Perkins Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 18.5% | 82 | 444 |
| Stilwell Junior High School | West Des Moines Comm | 12.6% | 81 | 644 |
| Urbandale Middle School | Urbandale Comm | 9.2% | 80 | 869 |
| Hoyt Middle School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 16.5% | 80 | 486 |
| Olmsted Elementary School | Urbandale Comm | 14% | 79 | 566 |
| Indian Hills Junior High School | West Des Moines Comm | 11.8% | 77 | 653 |
| Brody Middle School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 12.4% | 74 | 598 |
| Morris Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 14.7% | 73 | 498 |
| Ankeny Centennial High School | Ankeny Comm | 4.9% | 72 | 1,466 |
| Cattell Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 21.8% | 67 | 308 |
| Westridge Elementary School | West Des Moines Comm | 9.3% | 66 | 710 |
| Moore Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 22.1% | 66 | 298 |
| Walnut Street School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 31.4% | 65 | 207 |
| South Prairie Elementary School | Dallas Center-Grimes Comm | 14.3% | 65 | 455 |
| Crossroads Park Elementary School | West Des Moines Comm | 11.7% | 63 | 539 |
| Clay Elementary School | Southeast Polk Comm | 10.2% | 63 | 615 |
| Timber Ridge Elementary School | Johnston Comm | 9.5% | 63 | 663 |
| Garton Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 14.5% | 62 | 429 |
| Hubbell Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 15.9% | 61 | 383 |
| Western Hills Elementary School | West Des Moines Comm | 10.9% | 59 | 542 |
| Rock Creek Elementary School | Ankeny Comm | 8% | 59 | 733 |
| Stowe Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 19% | 59 | 311 |
| Howe Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 19.1% | 58 | 303 |
| Findley Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 20.1% | 57 | 284 |
| Willowbrook Elementary School | Southeast Polk Comm | 11.4% | 56 | 490 |
| Southeast Elementary School | Ankeny Comm | 9.3% | 52 | 557 |
| Hillis Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 17.9% | 52 | 291 |
| Altoona Elementary School | Southeast Polk Comm | 12.5% | 49 | 392 |
| Lawson Elementary School | Johnston Comm | 8.2% | 49 | 595 |
| Delaware Elementary School | Southeast Polk Comm | 12.2% | 48 | 395 |
| Crestview School of Inquiry | West Des Moines Comm | 9.5% | 47 | 496 |
| Northview Middle School | Ankeny Comm | 4.5% | 46 | 1,021 |
| Spring Creek – 6th Grade | Southeast Polk Comm | 8.5% | 46 | 544 |
| Southview Middle School | Ankeny Comm | 5.2% | 46 | 881 |
| Ankeny High School | Ankeny Comm | 3.3% | 44 | 1,346 |
| Virtual Campus | Des Moines Independent Comm | 11.4% | 44 | 387 |
| Parkview Middle School | Ankeny Comm | 4.9% | 43 | 875 |
| Willard Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 15.2% | 43 | 282 |
| Fairmeadows Elementary School | West Des Moines Comm | 8.4% | 43 | 514 |
| Prairie Ridge Middle School | Ankeny Comm | 4.2% | 42 | 1,008 |
| Greenwood Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 15.7% | 39 | 249 |
| Windsor Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 13.5% | 36 | 267 |
| Jordan Creek Elementary School | West Des Moines Comm | 6.1% | 36 | 591 |
| Henry a Wallace Elementary School | Johnston Comm | 5.6% | 35 | 622 |
| Heritage Elementary School | Ankeny Comm | 5.5% | 33 | 599 |
| Jefferson Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 10.5% | 32 | 306 |
| East Elementary School | Ankeny Comm | 7.5% | 31 | 412 |
| McKinley Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 11.9% | 30 | 253 |
| Webster Elementary School | Urbandale Comm | 6.6% | 30 | 453 |
| Ashland Ridge Elementary School | Ankeny Comm | 3.8% | 29 | 768 |
| Wright Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 11.5% | 28 | 244 |
| Heritage Elementary School | Dallas Center-Grimes Comm | 7.7% | 27 | 350 |
| Bondurant-Farrar High School | Bondurant-Farrar Comm | 3.4% | 27 | 804 |
| Walnut Creek Campus | West Des Moines Comm | 15.8% | 26 | 165 |
| Downtown School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 9.4% | 22 | 235 |
| Phillips Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 8.7% | 22 | 254 |
| Westwood Elementary School | Ankeny Comm | 3.6% | 22 | 615 |
| Horizon Science Academy Des Moines | Horizon Science Academy | 26.6% | 21 | 79 |
| Morris Elementary School | Bondurant-Farrar Comm | 4.4% | 21 | 475 |
| Northeast Elementary School | Ankeny Comm | 3.3% | 21 | 631 |
| Northwest Elementary School | Ankeny Comm | 6.1% | 21 | 346 |
| Crocker Elementary School | Ankeny Comm | 3.9% | 20 | 514 |
| Ruby Van Meter | Des Moines Independent Comm | 17.9% | 20 | 112 |
| Centennial Elementary School | Southeast Polk Comm | 4.8% | 18 | 372 |
| Pleasant Hill Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 8.1% | 17 | 211 |
| Bondurant-Farrar Junior High School | Bondurant-Farrar Comm | 3.9% | 16 | 408 |
| Prairie Trail Elementary School | Ankeny Comm | 3% | 16 | 542 |
| Rolling Green Elementary School | Urbandale Comm | 5.3% | 13 | 244 |
| Bondurant – Farrar Intermediate School | Bondurant-Farrar Comm | 3% | 13 | 428 |
| Anderson Elementary School | Bondurant-Farrar Comm | 2.5% | 13 | 522 |
| Four Mile Elementary School | Southeast Polk Comm | 3% | 13 | 440 |
| Madison Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 4% | 10 | 247 |
| North Polk Central Elementary School | North Polk Comm | 2.9% | 10 | 346 |
| North Ridge Elementary School | Dallas Center-Grimes Comm | 2.4% | 10 | 423 |
| Runnells Elementary School | Southeast Polk Comm | 3.6% | 9 | 249 |
| North Polk Middle School | North Polk Comm | 1% | 5 | 493 |
| Cowles Elementary School | Des Moines Independent Comm | 1.6% | 5 | 320 |
| North Polk High School | North Polk Comm | 0.8% | 5 | 647 |
| Saydel High School | Saydel Comm | 0.9% | 4 | 440 |
| Big Creek Elementary School | North Polk Comm | 0.9% | 3 | 337 |
| Woodside Middle School | Saydel Comm | 0.8% | 3 | 376 |
| North Polk West Elementary School | North Polk Comm | 0.8% | 3 | 356 |
| Cornell Elementary School | Saydel Comm | 0.4% | 2 | 472 |
| Mitchellville Elementary School | Southeast Polk Comm | 0.5% | 1 | 215 |
