Edmunds Elementary School

Des Moines Independent Comm School District

259 Students

Elementary School K - 5th

School Overview

Edmunds Fine Arts Academy, located in the River Bend neighborhood of Des Moines, Iowa, serves as a specialized PK-8 institution within the Des Moines Public Schools district. As a dedicated magnet school, its core mission is to integrate rigorous academic instruction with a comprehensive arts-based curriculum. Students at Edmunds engage in a variety of disciplines—including music, visual arts, dance, and theater—designed not only to foster creative expression but also to enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills across all subjects.

The school is known for creating a vibrant, inclusive environment that emphasizes the "whole child" approach to education. By leveraging partnerships with local cultural organizations and utilizing arts-integration strategies, Edmunds provides students with unique opportunities for hands-on learning and performance. This focus on the arts, combined with the school’s commitment to academic excellence, aims to prepare students for success in high school and beyond, fostering a community of innovative learners who are well-rounded, expressive, and culturally aware.

259

Total Students

28.6

Full-Time Teachers

9.0

Student/Teacher Ratio

93.8%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Edmunds Elementary School
Demographic	Student Count
White	19
Hispanic	36
Black	187
Asian	6
Two or More	9
American Indian	1
Pacific Islander	1

Black
187 (72.2%)
Hispanic
36 (13.9%)
White
19 (7.3%)
Two or More
9 (3.5%)
Asian
6 (2.3%)
American Indian
1 (0.4%)
Pacific Islander
1 (0.4%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	Supplemental Virtual
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Des Moines Independent Comm School District
Phone:	(515)243-1174
Grade Range:	K - 5th
Total Students:	259
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	28.6
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	9.0
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	232
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	11

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 46

Grade 1 46

Grade 2 50

Grade 3 42

Grade 4 35

Grade 5 40