Polk County Public Schools
Polk County, Iowa
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataTotal Schools
132
public schools
Total Enrollment
78,991
students
School Districts
9
districts
How to use the Polk County public school directory
Start with the county-level shape, then use the school table for exact records. This directory is built from NCES public school data for Iowa; it is best for narrowing research, checking district context, and finding school records to verify with local sources.
Polk County has 9 district entries. Des Moines Independent Comm School District is the largest listed district in this county slice, with 59 schools.
School records are spread across 14 listed communities. Des Moines has the most listed schools, with 64 records.
Primary schools are the largest listed grade-level group, with 83 schools. Filter the table by level before comparing enrollment or district context.
NCES flags 1 school as charter, magnet, or virtual in this county file: 1 virtual. Confirm eligibility and enrollment rules with the relevant district.
Filter before comparing
Search by school or district name, then narrow by grade level or program flag so the table matches the student stage you are researching.
Open profiles where available
16 schools in this county currently have generated profile pages. Listed-only schools still remain in the NCES directory table.
Verify assignment locally
County directories do not determine attendance zones, transfer eligibility, magnet admission, charter lotteries, or program placement.
School Overview
Total Schools
132
in Polk County
Reported Enrollment
78,991
132 schools reporting
School Districts
9
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
9 School Districts in Polk County
Des Moines Independent Comm School District
Ankeny Comm School District
West Des Moines Comm School District
Johnston Comm School District
Southeast Polk Comm School District
Urbandale Comm School District
Bondurant-Farrar Comm School District
North Polk Comm School District
Saydel Comm School District
132 Public Schools in Polk County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 16 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 132 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School | Profile | Des Moines Independent Comm School District | Des Moines, 50315City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 2,403 |
| Southeast Polk High School | Profile | Southeast Polk Comm School District | Pleasant Hill, 50327Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 2,353 |
| Valley High School | Profile | West Des Moines Comm School District | West Des Moines, 50266City: Small | 10–12 | High | 2,152 |
| East High School | Profile | Des Moines Independent Comm School District | Des Moines, 50316City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 2,040 |
| Roosevelt High School | Profile | Des Moines Independent Comm School District | Des Moines, 50312City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,986 |
| Johnston Senior High School | Profile | Johnston Comm School District | Johnston, 50131Suburb: Large | 10–12 | High | 1,790 |
| North High School | Profile | Des Moines Independent Comm School District | Des Moines, 50313City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,458 |
| Ankeny Centennial High School | Profile | Ankeny Comm School District | Ankeny, 50023Rural: Fringe | 10–12 | High | 1,443 |
| Ankeny High School | Profile | Ankeny Comm School District | Ankeny, 50023Suburb: Large | 10–12 | High | 1,347 |
| Urbandale High School | Profile | Urbandale Comm School District | Urbandale, 50322Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,347 |
| Johnston Middle School | Profile | Johnston Comm School District | Johnston, 50131Rural: Fringe | 8–9 | Other | 1,166 |
| Summit Middle School | Profile | Johnston Comm School District | Johnston, 50131Suburb: Large | 6–7 | Middle | 1,112 |
| Southeast Polk Junior High | Profile | Southeast Polk Comm School District | Pleasant Hill, 50327Rural: Fringe | 7–8 | Middle | 1,088 |
| Northview Middle School | Profile | Ankeny Comm School District | Ankeny, 50023Suburb: Large | 8–9 | Other | 1,065 |
| Prairie Ridge Middle School | Profile | Ankeny Comm School District | Ankeny, 50023Suburb: Large | 6–7 | Middle | 1,025 |
| Hoover High School | Profile | Des Moines Independent Comm School District | Des Moines, 50310City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 991 |
| Southview Middle School | Listed only | Ankeny Comm School District | Ankeny, 50023Suburb: Large | 8–9 | Other | 896 |
| Urbandale Middle School | Listed only | Urbandale Comm School District | Urbandale, 50322Suburb: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 894 |
| Henry A Wallace Elementary School | Listed only | Johnston Comm School District | Johnston, 50131Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 876 |
| Parkview Middle School | Listed only | Ankeny Comm School District | Ankeny, 50023Suburb: Large | 6–7 | Middle | 867 |
Lincoln High School
Des Moines Independent Comm School District
Des Moines, 50315 / City: Midsize
Southeast Polk High School
Southeast Polk Comm School District
Pleasant Hill, 50327 / Rural: Fringe
Valley High School
West Des Moines Comm School District
West Des Moines, 50266 / City: Small
East High School
Des Moines Independent Comm School District
Des Moines, 50316 / City: Midsize
Roosevelt High School
Des Moines Independent Comm School District
Des Moines, 50312 / City: Midsize
Johnston Senior High School
Johnston Comm School District
Johnston, 50131 / Suburb: Large
North High School
Des Moines Independent Comm School District
Des Moines, 50313 / City: Midsize
Ankeny Centennial High School
Ankeny Comm School District
Ankeny, 50023 / Rural: Fringe
Ankeny High School
Ankeny Comm School District
Ankeny, 50023 / Suburb: Large
Urbandale High School
Urbandale Comm School District
Urbandale, 50322 / Suburb: Large
Johnston Middle School
Johnston Comm School District
Johnston, 50131 / Rural: Fringe
Summit Middle School
Johnston Comm School District
Johnston, 50131 / Suburb: Large
Southeast Polk Junior High
Southeast Polk Comm School District
Pleasant Hill, 50327 / Rural: Fringe
Northview Middle School
Ankeny Comm School District
Ankeny, 50023 / Suburb: Large
Prairie Ridge Middle School
Ankeny Comm School District
Ankeny, 50023 / Suburb: Large
Hoover High School
Des Moines Independent Comm School District
Des Moines, 50310 / City: Midsize
Southview Middle School
Ankeny Comm School District
Ankeny, 50023 / Suburb: Large
Urbandale Middle School
Urbandale Comm School District
Urbandale, 50322 / Suburb: Large
Henry A Wallace Elementary School
Johnston Comm School District
Johnston, 50131 / Rural: Fringe
Parkview Middle School
Ankeny Comm School District
Ankeny, 50023 / Suburb: Large
Polk County school directory FAQ
Does this list show which Polk County school serves my address?
No. This is a county-level NCES directory for public school records in Iowa. Attendance zones, transfer policies, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, and program placement must be verified with the local district or school.
What is included in the Polk County public school directory?
The directory lists 132 public schools from NCES records, including school name, district, grade range, type flags, and enrollment where reported.
Does this page rank the best schools in Polk County?
No. This page is a public school directory, not a ranking or recommendation. Use it to find records, compare similar school types, and identify district sources to verify locally.
Are private schools included in this Polk County list?
No. SchoolsByCounty uses NCES public school records for this directory. Private schools, homeschool programs, and some local program options are outside this public-school listing.
Why do some Polk County schools have profiles while others are listed only?
SchoolsByCounty generates profile pages for a high-enrollment subset of school records. 16 schools in this county currently have profile links, while every listed school remains available in the directory table.
How should I compare school districts in Polk County?
Start with the 9 district entries, then compare schools with similar grade ranges. County-level lists can include district slices, so use district websites to confirm boundaries and program rules.
What do charter or virtual flags mean in this Polk County directory?
Charter and virtual flags come from NCES school records. They identify school record types, not admission eligibility, transfer availability, or program quality. Confirm application rules and current program status with the district or school.
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.