Des Moines suburbs and schools

[little ol' me]

Just wanted to cover all. By questioning about researching suburbs AND schools "in the Des Moines area" sounds like it can include Des Moines proper as well if you interpret it as I did. No harm, no foul.

[little ol' me]

If a suburb and only a suburb is what this family wants, any would probably be fine. I still recommend an eastern/southeastern suburb due to the traffic in the west.

Eastern Ankeny and Southern Altoona have nice neighborhoods of houses built in the 60's and 70's that are ranches, split levels, split foyers, and two story homes scattered about. They are nicely landscaped and have nice big trees. Those areas are also close to the freeway. Both have rapidly growing school districts - depending on one's view that can be good OR bad.

Bondurant, which a little north and east of Altoona still has a small school district for the time being. Some people are attracted to the small towns that are still close, like Bondurant. Colfax, Elkhart, and Alleman are not far either, but might not have the style of housing desired. They probably have some great old houses, though.

It is so hard to ask someone's opinion of a school district, you get so many answers. Personally, I have heard good and bad about every district in the area. I would have to agree with an earlier comment that most of the schools in Iowa are fine, but if you are interested in a smaller district, you will have to go a little farther away from the metro area or consider private school.

The nice thing about the internet is that this family can access dozens of websites to see which location they might be interested in first. Welcome to central Iowa!