The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in Math. The lowest is 42% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Bois D'arc Elem.
Bois D’Arc Elementary is a regular public school in the Ash Grove R‑IV district, serving grades four through six in a tiny unincorporated rural community about 15 miles northwest of Springfield. The old stone school building, a Works Progress Administration project from the 1930s, is one of the few civic anchors left in Bois D’Arc, alongside a post office, a Methodist church, and the nearby Bois D’Arc Conservation Area. The town has been in long‑term decline since better roads and Route 66 made it easy for residents to commute to Springfield for work and shopping, and the high school was lost in the 1950s consolidation with Ash Grove. There is no real downtown or street life; the school, churches, and conservation area function as the dispersed core. The community is not seeing new housing or growth, and current local efforts focus on preserving its historic stone structures.
The school itself is modest in size. Its student body is overwhelmingly white, with small shares of Hispanic and multiracial students and very small numbers from other racial groups. About half of the students qualify for free or reduced‑price meals, placing it in a middle ground economically for the area. The grade band is narrow, covering only the three middle elementary years, so families should know that students move on to Ash Grove’s middle and high schools after sixth grade.
State test results from the Missouri Assessment Program are available for math, English language arts, and science for recent years. In fourth grade math, a little more than half of students scored proficient or above, while in sixth grade math that share was lower. Fourth grade ELA showed a similar pattern, with roughly half proficient. Fifth grade ELA was a softer spot, where about one in three students met the bar. Fifth grade science results clustered near the midpoint of the school’s own range. When compared with other districts in Greene County on overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades, Bois D’Arc Elementary sits below the midpoint of the county’s districts. A parent may want to discuss how the school’s curriculum and interventions address the variability across grade levels, particularly the dip in fifth grade reading.
Because the school does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and civil rights data such as chronic absenteeism and discipline were not available in the data provided. The district brief turned up no notable recent changes or strategic initiatives, so families should look to the district’s own communications for any current priorities.
Housing in the area is priced above both the state and national medians, which is notable for a rural community. Typical home values have seen modest appreciation. The national unemployment rate is moderate, and median household income nationally is around $83,000, though local income figures for Bois D’Arc specifically are not available.
For a parent considering this school, the picture is one of a small, rural elementary in a fading community where commuting to Springfield is the norm. Academically, the school shows a mixed profile with some grades and subjects stronger than others, and the overall proficiency level is slightly below the midrange of county districts. The setting is quiet, built‑environment sparse, and deeply rooted in local history. This is a school that fits families who value a small‑town, tight‑knit atmosphere and are comfortable with the drive to Springfield for most services and employment. Those seeking a wide array of programs or above‑average test scores should look closely at the specific grade‑level results and ask the school about its academic support systems.
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