Altoona has its elementary and middle grades in town and its high school two towns over. Southeast Polk spreads its grades across towns - Southeast Polk Middle School (6-7) sits in Altoona, while the junior high (8-9) and the 10-12 high school are both in Pleasant Hill. That's worth knowing before you map out a school run. Below is every building the state directory places inside Altoona, plus where the rest of the district sits. One thing to check first: much of Altoona's north side is in the Bondurant-Farrar district instead (US Census Bureau school-district maps).
Southeast Polk covers a wide area, serving 7,501 students (2024-25, NCES Common Core of Data) across Altoona, Mitchellville, Runnells, Pleasant Hill and part of Des Moines. Altoona holds the largest share of its buildings - four elementaries and the 6-7 middle school - while the junior high and the high school are in Pleasant Hill.
Every public school building physically inside Altoona city limits, and the grades each one serves. Attendance is assigned by address, not by city line - verify the zone for the exact property before you write an offer.
| School | Grades | District |
|---|---|---|
| Middle and junior high schools | ||
| Southeast Polk Middle School | 6-7 | Southeast Polk CSD |
| Elementary and intermediate schools | ||
| Altoona Elementary | PK-5 | Southeast Polk CSD |
| Centennial Elementary | PK-5 | Southeast Polk CSD |
| Clay Elementary | PK-5 | Southeast Polk CSD |
| Willowbrook Elementary | PK-5 | Southeast Polk CSD |
Source: Iowa Department of Education, 2026-27 public school building directory.
No high-school building sits inside Altoona for Southeast Polk CSD students. Those grades are served from: Southeast Polk High School (10-12) in Pleasant Hill.
Also in Southeast Polk CSD, outside Altoona: Southeast Polk Junior High (8-9) in Pleasant Hill · Delaware Elementary (PK-5) in Des Moines · Four Mile Elementary (PK-5) in Pleasant Hill · Mitchellville Elementary (PK-5) in Mitchellville · Runnells Elementary (PK-5) in Runnells. An Altoona address can feed any of these.
Not much, at the elementary level - Altoona's four elementaries are zoned, so the address does set which one, and that follows a student to Southeast Polk Middle. But the bigger variable in Altoona is distance: the junior high and the high school are both in Pleasant Hill. If you have a driver in the house, map that trip before you fall for a floor plan.
Altoona vs Ankeny: Ankeny enrolls 12,746 students and Southeast Polk 7,501 (2024-25, NCES Common Core of Data). Southeast Polk covers a wide geographic area; compare outcomes on the Iowa DOE School Performance Profiles.
Altoona vs Bondurant: Bondurant-Farrar enrolls 2,824 students and Southeast Polk 7,501 (2024-25, NCES Common Core of Data) - and much of Altoona's north side is itself in the Bondurant-Farrar district (US Census Bureau school-district maps), so check the address first. Beyond schools, my comparison of Altoona and Bondurant as east side neighbors covers housing data, drive distances, amenities, and the property tax process.
5 of Southeast Polk CSD’s 11 buildings sit inside Altoona, and 6 sit in neighboring towns. Check any of it yourself:
Most of Altoona is served by the Southeast Polk Community School District. By US Census Bureau school-district maps, much of the north side is in the Bondurant-Farrar Community School District and a small northwest edge is in the Saydel Community School District. 5 of the Southeast Polk district's 11 school buildings are inside Altoona. Confirm the district for a specific address.
5 public school buildings sit inside Altoona: Southeast Polk Middle School (grades 6-7), Altoona Elementary (grades PK-5), Centennial Elementary (grades PK-5), Clay Elementary (grades PK-5), Willowbrook Elementary (grades PK-5). This list comes from the Iowa Department of Education 2026-27 building directory.
Altoona has 4 elementary buildings and the assignment is made by address: Altoona Elementary, Centennial Elementary, Clay Elementary, Willowbrook Elementary. Boundaries change as the district grows, so verify the zone for the exact property.
In Southeast Polk CSD the high school does not begin at grade 9. Southeast Polk High School serves grades 10-12 in Pleasant Hill. Confirm the current configuration with the district before you plan around it.
Buyers weighing Altoona usually have one or two other towns on the list. Each of these is the same guide for that city, built from the same state directory:
Wherever you land, I'm happy to help you weigh the school zones and the trade-offs that come with each - no pressure, no sales pitch. A quick 15-minute conversation is often all it takes to point you in the right direction:
Jackson Krile is a REALTOR® on the Flanders Team at RE/MAX Real Estate Center. Licensed in Iowa #S66867000. DMAAR + CIBR member.
Attendance boundaries are set by the district and can change, so confirm the current boundary for any specific address before you write an offer. If you are buying to rent rather than to occupy, my guide to investing in Altoona covers the growth drivers and how rental demand differs by area.
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