Demographic & Cultural Information
Demographic Information
Since 1990, the ELL population in Des Moines Public Schools has grown by more than 500% from less than 1,000 students in 1990-91 to more than 5,000 students in 2011-12. This in spite of the fact that the overall student enrollment has been stable at between 31,000 to 32,000 students each year.
In Iowa, the ELL population in DMPS constitutes about 23% of the state-wide ELL population. Des Moines continues to receive a large number of refugees through the local resettlement agencies and a secondary migration from other states.
Below is the enrollment in the ELL program in the last 10 years.
ELL enrollment compares to the total population in the last 10 years.
Major language groups in the ELL program student population.
Cultural Information
The following documents provide general information about some of the various cultures in Des Moines Public Schools: