Madison Elementary School in Des Moines, Iowa, is a public school that serves about 247 students in grades K–5. The student–teacher ratio is about 11:1. Madison Elementary is in the Des Moines Independent Community School District. In addition to regular classes, it also has a program for gifted students. The school has a very diverse student body: about 51% are Hispanic, 23% are White, 13% are Asian, 8% are multiracial, and 4% are Black. 81% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, which shows that the school has a lot of economic diversity. Madison Elementary's test scores show that its students are only moderately proficient. About 35–39% of students meet state standards in math, and a similar 35–39% meet state standards in reading/ELA. This puts the school in the bottom half of Iowa's elementary schools. According to the district's financial reports, the average cost per student is about $16,817. The school is in a lively, working-class neighborhood where homes are worth an average of $174,000. This shows that the community is involved but has a mix of incomes. In short, Madison Elementary School offers a public education that is well-funded and diverse in terms of culture. Even though academic performance is a problem, the school's strong sense of community and dedicated staff could lead to real improvements.