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West Des Moines Community School District

Valley High School

#4 in Best Public High Schools in Des Moines Area
  • A
    Overall Grade
  • Public
  • 10-12
  • West Des Moines, IA
  • 407 reviews
    A
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?
    1. Academics
      A-
    2. Diversity
      B+
    3. Teachers
      B
    4. College Prep
      A-
    5. Clubs & Activities
      A
    6. Health & Safety
      A-
    7. Administration
      A-
    8. Sports
      A+
    9. Food
      A-
    10. Resources & Facilities
      B+
    View Full Report Card
    Valley High School is a highly rated, public school located in West Des Moines, IA. It has 1,984 students in grades 10-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 18 to 1. According to state test scores, 84% of students are at least proficient in math and 80% in reading.
    wdmcs.org/schools/valley
    (515) 633-4000
    3650 Woodland Ave
    West Des Moines, IA 50266
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    Valley High School Rankings

    Niche ranks nearly 100,000 schools and districts based on statistics and millions of opinions from students and parents.

    Academics

    Percent Proficient - Reading
    80%
    Percent Proficient - Math
    84%
    Average Graduation Rate
    97%
    Average SAT
    1360
    54 responses
    Average ACT
    27
    450 responses
    AP Enrollment
    18%
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    Living in the Area
    A+
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?
    1. Cost of Living
      B+
    2. Good for Families
      A+
    3. Housing
      A
    Median Household Income
    $73,764
    National
    $55,322
    Median Rent
    $964
    National
    $949
    Median Home Value
    $203,300
    National
    $184,700

    Culture & Safety

    Health & Safety
    A-
    Based on chronic student absenteeism, suspensions/expulsions, and survey responses on the school environment from students and parents.
    Poll
    85%
    of students agree that they feel safe at their school.34 responses
    Poll
    59%
    of students agree that they like their school and feel happy there.34 responses
    Poll
    What are your favorite school events or traditions?
    Based on 102 responses
    Report
    • Football games
      22%
    • Anything in the drama or art deoartments
      16%
    • Homecoming
      11%
    • Dances
      11%
    • Music Concerts
      10%
    • After Prom
      10%
    • The club fair at the start of the year
      9%

    Students

    Diversity
    B+
    Based on racial and economic diversity and survey responses on school culture and diversity from students and parents.
    Students
    1,984
    Free or Reduced Lunch
    25%
    82%
    of students and parents agree that students at this school are competitive.39 responses
    82%
    of students and parents agree that students at this school are creative and artsy.39 responses
    85%
    of students and parents agree that students at this school are athletic.39 responses

    Teachers

    Student-Teacher Ratio
    18:1
    National
    17:1
    Average Teacher Salary
    $64,175
    Teachers in First/Second Year
    4.2%
    62%
    of students and parents agree that the teachers give engaging lessons.55 responses
    71%
    of students and parents agree that the teachers genuinely care about the students.56 responses
    80%
    of students and parents agree that the teachers adequately lead and control the classroom.56 responses

    Clubs & Activities

    Clubs & Activities
    A
    Based on student and parent reviews of clubs and activities.
    Girls Athletic Participation
    Average
    Boys Athletic Participation
    Average
    Expenses Per Student
    $12,220/ year
    National
    $12,239
    81%
    of students and parents agree that there are plenty of clubs and organizations for students to get involved in.64 responses
    56%
    of students and parents agree that clubs and organizations get the funding they need.64 responses
    75%
    of students and parents agree that lots of students participate in clubs and organizations.64 responses
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    Valley High School Reviews

    407 reviews
    All Categories
    Valley High School is an excellent school that I am proud to attend. It has lots of sports and clubs to participate in. The teachers are friendly and the school is overall welcoming. It is very diverse and the school puts forth a great effort to make sure that all students feel accepted and excited to learn. In terms of classes, there are hundreds to choose from that are also worth college credit! I enjoyed taking Drawing and Painting applications and recommend it to all students at Valley. If I could change something about my school, it would be to make the lunches have more variety and healthier. Most, if not all the lunches are pre-packaged or frozen meals. I would change the lunches so more foods were made from scratch, and there were more vegan/ vegetarian options.
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    From my first day walking through the doors of Valley High School, I felt valued and safe. Valley has an environment of supportive teachers and staff who are trained to help us succeed. Whether it's social, emotional, academic support, they work to prepare us for post secondary success!
    Valley High School is an exceptional school with fantastic teachers and people in leadership positions. Valley prepared my very well for college because of the expectations from each teacher. I felt like the teachers wanted to see me succeed and would do just about anything to make sure that could happen for me. The students, and my peers, were easy to connect with and create friendships. I leaned a lot by the diversity among the student and staff population which also helped to prepare me for the 'real world'. While Valley has many activities, clubs, and sports for students to join, I think they could always work harder to grow their list of clubs and ways to involve students.