The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in English language arts. The lowest is 36% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Gotsch Intermediate Sch.
Gotsch Intermediate School is a regular public school in the Affton 101 district, serving third through fifth grade. Because it covers only those middle elementary years, there is no graduation rate to report and no high school outcomes to consider. The school sits within St. Louis County, not the independent city itself, though the mailing address carries a St. Louis postal name. The area is a settled suburban part of the county, with a mix of single-family homes and apartment buildings. Typical home values in the surrounding zip code are close to the national median, and rents are moderate; the housing market has seen a slight uptick in listings and a small dip in median prices in recent months, making it a relatively accessible market for families.
Enrollment is about what you would expect for an intermediate school serving three grade levels. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Asian, Black, Hispanic, and multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a degree of economic diversity that a parent may want to explore further with the school, especially regarding any supplemental supports available.
On the state’s MAP assessments, Gotsch’s proficiency rates vary by grade and subject. In English language arts, performance in third and fourth grade is solid, with roughly half of students scoring at or above the proficient level. Fifth grade ELA drops to a lower level. In mathematics, fourth grade posts the highest rate of the three tested grades, while third and fifth grades are lower. Fifth grade science proficiency sits in a similar range as the weaker math results. Across all tested subjects and grades combined, the school’s overall proficiency index lands above the midpoint when compared to other districts within St. Louis County. That relative position is a clear strength for a school serving this grade band: it suggests that the typical student here performs somewhat better than the median across county districts, even if the absolute numbers show room for growth. A parent might want to compare these patterns with what they see in the upper elementary grades at nearby schools.
Because this is an intermediate school, the program picture is naturally different from what a high school would offer. The data does not include any specific information about course access, enrichment, or special programs such as gifted offerings or targeted interventions. Families should ask the school directly about what academic supports or extensions are available for students who are either behind or ahead of grade level. Staffing ratios and chronic absenteeism data were also not available, so those are gaps a visiting parent would need to fill by talking to the principal or touring the building.
The district, Affton 101, did not have any recent publicly reported changes that would affect a parent’s decision, such as a new boundary map, a shift in curriculum, or a facility bond. That stability can be either reassuring or leave a parent wondering whether the district is actively investing in improvement; it depends on what you are looking for.
The broader community context is shaped by St. Louis as a region. The city proper is an independent city with a diverse economy anchored by major employers like the Federal Reserve Bank, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and Washington University Medical Center. Cultural institutions such as Forest Park, the Saint Louis Zoo, and the Missouri Botanical Garden are regional draws. But the school’s immediate setting is in the suburban ring of St. Louis County, where the pace of life is quieter and housing is more moderately priced than in the city’s core. The area has the strengths of a mid-century suburban infrastructure with some newer commercial development.
In sum, Gotsch Intermediate offers a straightforward academic pathway for grades three through five, with state test results that are a bit above the county median overall. A family moving into the Affton area can expect a largely White student body with some economic diversity, a stable district without major upheavals, and a housing market that is not prohibitively expensive. The biggest open questions for a parent involve the specifics of academic support and enrichment, since the available data does not describe those, and the dip in fifth grade scores, which may warrant a conversation with the school about how it prepares students for the transition to middle school.
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