A dozen Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) were among the state's lowest performing in a list released this week by the Iowa Department of Education. Why it matters: This is the first year the online report cards have used a new state system that includes indicators like proficiency in core academics and chronic absenteeism.

A new report from the Iowa Department of Education grades each school's performance in subjects like math and science, while taking chronic absenteeism into account.

It's five more schools than the district previously had among the lowest performers. The data is part of the newly released Iowa School Performance Profiles that identify schools that need "additional support and improvement based on their performance" during the 2023-24 school year.