Thirty-five Iowa schools are in need of assistance, and 12 of them are in the Des Moines Public Schools district, a new report shows.

Schools West Des Moines Community Schools Consistently ranked as one of the top school districts in Iowa Offers a wide range of advanced placement and international baccalaureate programs Johnston Community School District Known for its strong STEM programs and technology integration High graduation rates and college readiness scores Waukee Community School District One of the fastest-growing districts in Iowa Offers innovative programs like the Waukee APEX program for real-world experience Colleges and Universities Drake University Private university known for its law school and business programs Offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs Grand View University

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.