Jessie Franklin Taylor

Des Moines Independent Comm School District

205 Students

Pre Kindergarten Pre-K - Pre-K

School Overview

Jessie Franklin Taylor Elementary is a public school located in the historic neighborhood of River Bend in Des Moines, Iowa. Serving students in the Des Moines Public Schools district, the school is situated in a central, urban setting. It is named in honor of Jessie Franklin Taylor, a prominent educator and community leader who dedicated her life to the students of Des Moines, reflecting the school’s deep roots and commitment to the local community.

The school is known for its focus on providing a foundational education within a supportive and diverse environment. As part of the state’s largest school district, it utilizes standardized curricula designed to meet the academic needs of its student body while offering various programs intended to foster social-emotional growth and community engagement. By emphasizing both academic achievement and character development, the school strives to prepare its young learners for success in their transition to middle school and beyond.

205

Total Students

10.5

Full-Time Teachers

19.5

Student/Teacher Ratio

83.9%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Jessie Franklin Taylor
Demographic	Student Count
White	38
Hispanic	43
Black	84
Asian	23
Two or More	16
American Indian	1

Black
84 (41.0 %)
Hispanic
43 (21.0 %)
White
38 (18.5 %)
Asian
23 (11.2 %)
Two or More
16 (7.8 %)
American Indian
1 (0.5 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Pre Kindergarten
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Des Moines Independent Comm School District
Phone:	(515)242-8424
Grade Range:	Pre-K - Pre-K
Total Students:	205
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	10.5
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	19.5
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	140
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	32

* 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

Pre-Kindergarten 205