2024 Best High Schools in the Des Moines Area

• Waukee Community School District, IA•

• 10-12

• •
  Rating 4.09 out of 5  446 reviews

Senior: The Waukee School District has given me many opportunities, as I have been here since kindergarten. Now that I am going to be a senior I am so glad I have grown up here and had excellent academic and athletic opportunities. For example, our APEX building allows high schoolers to explore different career paths before college! The only downside to being in a big school and having all these opportunities is the competition. There will almost always be someone better than you in the sport you want to play or the activity you want to do. Something I would like to see change is more flexible schedules for music students because sometimes having choir in my schedule makes everything feel crammed in. Overall Waukee has great opportunities as long as you take advantage and get involved.... Read 446 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,154

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• West Des Moines, IA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.22 out of 5  250 reviews

Alum: I was able to receive an education that prepared me for college academics. My time there allowed me to foster friendship and grow in my faith, which I didn't appreciate until after graduation. The school provides realistic expectations and explores a variety of career paths for every individual, whether going to college or not. Starting freshman year, you create a resume and cover letter. In sophomore year, you start to think about your vocation in life and job shadow someone. Moving into junior year, those going to college do visits, scholarships, and focused evaluations on majors. Lastly, senior year is a very where they fully prepare you in your courses to move on to the next stage of life.... Read 250 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,391

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• West Des Moines Community School District, IA•

• 10-12

• •
  Rating 3.85 out of 5  461 reviews

Senior: The best part about Valley High School is by far the different levels of education it offers. As a sophomore, junior, and senior I was offered options to take easy, average, and difficult classes, making the school accepting to everybody no matter the education goals. The school also offers a multitude of electives. I have taken many electives throughout my time at Valley High School, including Photo 1, Child Development, and Personal and Career Exploration. All of these electives helped me decide what I wanted to do with my life after high school, which I was very unsure about in my Sophmore year. The worst part about my experience at Valley High School is the people. Since it is such a large school, there are a LOT of people, and it can be very hard to figure out what "group" you fit in with, and often if you find yourself hanging around the wrong people, it can influence you in ways you didn't think would, but in addition to that, there is always a friend somewhere in the school.... Read 461 reviews

• grade A

• Students 2,058

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Ankeny Community School District, IA•

• 10-12

• •
  Rating 4.17 out of 5  184 reviews

Alum: I was a senior at Ankeny Centennial High School last year and just graduated in June 2023. My experience at this school was overall pretty good. I was able to build connections with teachers and other students around me and I was able to make lots of memories! ACHS has so many good impacts on the students lives, the education, memories, experiences, and the staff are all amazing and long lasting. I learned so many things at ACHS that I will continue to use throughout college and the rest of my life. Any student who goes to ACHS is lucky to be able to have a great school with amazing staff that care about them.... Read 184 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,419

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Ankeny Community School District, IA•

• 10-12

• •
  Rating 3.86 out of 5  304 reviews

Senior: Ankeny high school has been a great experience overall for me personally. all of the teachers and staff are very inclusive, and supportive of the students. In my classes, most of which are college level courses that can be very difficult for the average student the teachers take time to go over to each student and acknowledge they understand the material as well as allotting select times where students can come in before or after school, or during an open period. The sports are very prestigious, with many hard-working athletes and coaches. The culture and support system around the athletics is a resounding reason as to their successes. The most prominent reason as to why the Athletics and Academics at Ankeny high school are so successful is because of the unwavering culture we have here. That said it's not a perfect school, the Facilities and food could both be improved as while as the diversity of the demographic. Overall, I am proud to be graduating as an Ankeny Hawk in 2023.... Read 304 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,330

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Johnston Community School District, IA•

• 10-12

• •
  Rating 3.73 out of 5  357 reviews

Senior: Overall, a good school. Amazing faculties, very privileged to have access to resources within the building. Majority of students are rich and white, not diverse or inclusive. There is a lack of community and school spirit unless you are popular. Love having the iPads and cookie days every Tuesday and Thursday. Good variety of PE/electives, english, math and science classes available to students. Very successful music program. Most teachers are accommodating and genuine. Definitely grateful for my time at the school and all I have learned from my peers, activities and teachers.... Read 357 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,792

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Van Meter Community School District, IA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.74 out of 5  35 reviews

Junior: Van Meter, despite its rapid growth rate, retains its small-town feel, as well as the clear desire to continue to do so. In some aspects, this has been beneficial, as it promotes an environment where all students are encouraged to be highly involved. However, I have also found that there is a tendency to treat all issues on a case-by-case basis. While this individualization can be useful, it also leads to inconsistencies in how situations are dealt with, which can be rather frustrating.... Read 35 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 283

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Des Moines, IA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.22 out of 5  36 reviews

Senior: Grand View has an amazing sense of family with its students and teachers. The teachers always go out of their way to help students with anything they need. The best programs at Grand View would be theater, basketball, and their speech teams competition groups.... Read 36 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 270

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District, IA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.94 out of 5  109 reviews

Junior: As a student attending Dallas Center-Grimes High School I believe that it is a very good environment. The teachers are extremely helpful and have always gone out of their way to help me and my fellow peers. Academics have always been an important factor in my high school career and they will continue to be important when it comes time to start my college career. These teachers are better preparing me and my fellow peers for our college experience and I can’t thank them enough! Can’t wait to finally start my lady and final year with this amazing school district! -Jenna Bain... Read 109 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 947

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• North Polk Community School District, IA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.82 out of 5  100 reviews

Senior: My experience at North Polk High School has been very fulfilling and enhancing to my life. Eve since i moved to the district, I felt right at home! The smaller, rural structure of the school makes school life less chaotic and more personal. The teachers are very motivated in their work, and coming from a student's point of view, they are continually striving to make connections with their students and build relationships that will last throughout students' entire high school career. The classrooms incite a much needed environment full of laughter and excitement which really helps students like me when it comes to over-stressing and worrying about school. North Polk has been an amazing place for me to continue my preliminary education, and has helped me as I have began to transition into my last year of high school, guiding me towards what steps I need to take and what path is the best for me!... Read 100 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 597

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Urbandale, IA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  88 reviews

Senior: Des Moines Christian School is a place that I will always be thankful for. It has helped me grow in so many ways and provided me with amazing friends, mentors, and an amazing Christian education. This school is very intentional in relationships and helping students grow not only academic wise but as people. The teachers push us to be the best people that we can be, but also push us to be the best students we can be! I am so thankful for my highschool, and wouldn't trade my experience for the world!... Read 88 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 1,096

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Ankeny, IA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  19 reviews

Senior: Ankeny Christian Academy welcomed me with a warm smile into their school. This excellent school helped me further my walk with God. It also enlightened me on how to build my own relationship with Him. I can tell from my previous public school that ACA is special and cares about their student's futures. The teachers try to make their student's days better and to help as much as they can. What I would change about in this school is the unclear grading, but they are very kind in explaining their thoughts to you. This school is, overall, a great school!... Read 19 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 412

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Norwalk Community School District, IA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.77 out of 5  217 reviews

Senior: I've enjoyed the environment that they've created and the teachers I've had throughout the years. My biggest complaint would honestly by the physical building setup, as it's 6-12 all within the same building and our community is getting a little too large for that. Plus, we're currently building a very expensive athletic complex add on to our school, while I believe the money could've been used much more proactively by just building another separate middle or high school. The people were amazing, the environment is good, but the asset allocation is questionable.... Read 217 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 1,015

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Adel DeSoto Minburn Community School District, IA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.75 out of 5  59 reviews

Senior: I have gone to ADM my entire life, it’s where I have met some of the best people I know. This year ADM High School has undergone many adversities, including the loss of a student, a fire that erupted in the intermediate building, and a few other incidents. Despite everything, ADM has bounced back and changed for the better. I have no doubt that if I was ever in a time of need I could rely on my teachers and my peers. ADM High School is just like any other school, it has its challenges but it has overcome those challenges and grown.... Read 59 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 587

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Urbandale Community School District, IA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.61 out of 5  206 reviews

Senior: The school has recently gotten more diversity with more students being of different races and backgrounds which is a good thing. Many of the students are respectful towards other students aside from a few but for the most part, everyone keeps to themselves and doesn’t look for trouble. Fights have begun to slowly arise in the school as there were none duing my first two years which has been a bit of a nuisance. Teachers from my experience have been respectful towards me and other students. Some teachers can teach better than others but for the most part, it’s pretty average in that regard.... Read 206 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 1,318

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• West Des Moines Community School District, IA•

• 9

• •
  Rating 3 out of 5  1 review

• grade B

• Students 687

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Southeast Polk Community School District, IA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.77 out of 5  294 reviews

Junior: Southeast Polk Community School District is where you learn just as much inside the classroom as outside the classroom. With one of the highest numbers of enrolled students in an Iowa high school, it's easy to be looked at as a five-digit number assigned to you in kindergarten, but with it comes many students, teachers, and opportunities. School leaders strive for a safe environment and create endless clubs and events to pique everyone's interests and value everyone's beliefs. Southeast Polk grants all their students' learning experiences that shouldn't be taken for granted and leave it up to you to decide what you want to make of yourself. Their goal is to get all their students to the next place in life and set you up with counselors and classes to help you do so. At this school, you'll meet hundreds of people and form dozens of bonds and eventually watch your peers graduate with their amazing experiences and growth.... Read 294 reviews

• grade B

• Students 2,278

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Bondurant-Farrar Community School District, IA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.57 out of 5  150 reviews

Alum: Great school! Loved the amazing teachers and staff who taught me many good lessons and great pieces of advice. Loved the school campus not too big and not too small. I made so many great friends through high school because of the people I met and I’m glad I got to attend Bondurant. I wish I could have made so many more memories at that school but overall I loved my time there. I can’t wait to continue to watch the school district grow and watch my under class men friends continue to get closer to their graduation.... Read 150 reviews

• grade B minus

• Students 721

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Indianola Community School District, IA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.6 out of 5  287 reviews

Senior: I like Indianola High School, there is a good variety of classes for you to explore different interest. You also have several class options to meet graduation eligibilty. There is also a good variety of sports that you can participate in. I have been able to play in several sports. There is also a strong school spirit! Our community is very supportive of our school and it's students. I would like to see better food options in the cafeteria. I would also like to see coaches be more helpful in helping students pursue sports at a college level.... Read 287 reviews

• grade B minus

• Students 1,105

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Carlisle Community School District, IA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.78 out of 5  98 reviews

Senior: I have had a great time with my four years attending Carlisle High School. The teachers that I have had have all been very welcoming and encouraging to my work and endeavors. Every year I have had at least one teacher who I could open up to on a personal level and further my learning experience. Without them, I would not have achieved nearly as much as I have. The main issue that the school faces would be the lack of diversity. Although I have seen some steady growth over the years, there is still hardly any population of people of color, such as myself. On top of that, there isn't a single teacher or staff member who isn't caucasian, save for one of the janitors. This has made it harder to relate to the people around me, but it has also taught me that people don't have to look like me in order for them to welcome me into their environment.... Read 98 reviews

• grade C+

• Students 713

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Colfax-Mingo Community School District, IA•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 3.69 out of 5  32 reviews

Alum: I loved my high school. They were very good about taking the time they needed to make sure all students were understanding their lesson plans, even if it took more days then the initial plan did. I really appreciated that most teachers were there for more reasons than just a paycheck. You could tell they actually cared about their students and there well being just as a person. I think as a school they could maybe lesson some requirements fo graduate such as the amount of community service hours. It’s 80 hours for the whole 4 years of school. For someone like me who was involved in multiple sports, multiple activities such as choir, and worked a part time job, it was extremely hard to try and find time to do the 80 hours.... Read 32 reviews

• grade C+

• Students 332

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Des Moines Independent Community School District, IA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.6 out of 5  176 reviews

Senior: Very many cultures and self awareness. They are very diverse and have many opportunities available to the kids. Each teacher is interested in their kids learning and involvement. They try and make you keep focus and study hard until you walk the stage. The food is pretty good, lunch is kind of sad but they have vending machines. If you work hard enough you can accomplish a lot with the resources you have around you. Each student is different but is always accepted with opened arms. No child is left behind and no child is forgotten.... Read 176 reviews

• grade C+

• Students 959

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• West Des Moines Community School District, IA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 2.5 out of 5  6 reviews

Junior: Walnut creek were it at. We got it bumpin here our teachers are great and actually individually help us with things we need help with unlike previous schools ive attended in this district.... Read 6 reviews

• grade C+

• Students 183

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Saydel Community School District, IA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.51 out of 5  51 reviews

Junior: I love the teachers at Saydel. The new building remodel of the lunchroom and library make the building feel more open and connected. Being connected in sports or clubs is such an important part of socializing here, but I believe that that’s a good thing. I just wish we had more science classes or maybe a different language to study besides Spanish. The community is very close and welcoming.... Read 51 reviews

• grade C

• Students 433

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Des Moines Independent Community School District, IA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.69 out of 5  261 reviews

Senior: To me East is a place where minorities come to learn, feel welcomed, and cared for by their peers, teachers, and counselors. East is an outgoing school that excepted me and provided me with the academics and help I needed to be on the path to success. I was given classes that I wanted and got to meet new students and great teachers. East is a diversified school where everyone treats each other with respect. I got to join clubs and sports that I could play with friends. There is a lot of parent involvement at east, so my parents were able to keep track of my learning. I have learned many new things at East through academics and meeting new people. Without the teachers and administrators caring about me and reminding to go to class, I would be where I am today. They have also helped me be on track for college and helped me overcome obstacles on the way.... Read 261 reviews

• grade C

• Students 2,079

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1