Wilckens Steam Acad @hillcrest, Belton MO

Original Research by School Decision on Wilckens Steam Acad @hillcrest

Wilckens STEAM Acad at Hillcrest is a regular public elementary school serving kindergarten through sixth grade in Belton, Missouri. It is one of several elementary campuses within the Belton 124 district. The school’s name includes “STEAM Academy,” but the available data does not include any program offerings to confirm or describe a science, technology, engineering, arts, or mathematics focus, so families should look into what that designation means in practice at the school itself.

Belton is a suburban city within the Kansas City metropolitan area, characterized by residential subdivisions, commercial strips along its highway corridor, and a car-dependent layout. The city has seen steady population growth in recent years, and its housing market is relatively affordable compared to closer-in Kansas City suburbs. A significant portion of Belton households own their homes, and the median home value and rent fall below national averages, contributing to a cost of living that is manageable for many families. The district’s largest employer after QuikTrip Distribution is the Belton School District itself, underscoring the school system’s role in the local economy.

The student body at Wilckens STEAM Acad is largely white, with a notable Hispanic population and a smaller but present share of students who identify as two or more races. Roughly half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which indicates moderate economic diversity. Enrollment is steady across the grade levels, with each grade from kindergarten through sixth having a similar number of students.

State assessment results from the Missouri Assessment Program are available for math, English language arts, and science. Performance varies noticeably by grade and subject. Fourth graders posted the strongest results, with a clear majority meeting proficiency standards in both math and reading. In contrast, third graders had the lowest proficiency rates, particularly in math where about one in five students scored proficient or above. Fifth and sixth graders fell in between, with roughly two out of five students reaching proficiency in math and reading, and fifth graders scoring about the same on the science assessment. This pattern suggests academic growth that may not be consistent, and a parent may want to ask the school how it supports students who enter below grade-level benchmarks, especially in the early grades.

Looking across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index places it in the top quarter among the ten school districts within Cass County. That is a real strength: among nearby districts, Wilckens STEAM Acad sits on the higher end academically, even though its internal grade-level results are uneven.

Because the school serves only kindergarten through sixth grade, there is no graduation rate to report, and there is no data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing ratios, or course access. A parent who wants details on class sizes, support services for special populations, or enrichment offerings would need to ask the school directly.

In April 2024, the Belton 124 district passed a major bond issue to fund facility improvements, safety upgrades, HVAC replacements, and classroom additions across its schools, without raising the property tax rate. That investment may affect conditions at Wilckens STEAM Acad, but specific plans for this building were not part of the available data.

Overall, Wilckens STEAM Acad offers a reasonably sized elementary setting in a growing, affordable suburb. Its academic profile is mixed within the building but stands out favorably when compared with other Cass County districts. The school’s name suggests a thematic focus that is not documented in the data here, so prospective families will want to confirm what that looks like day to day.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 321%

School 21% · District 34% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 466%

School 66% · District 48% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

Grade 540%

School 40% · District 40% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 643%

School 43% · District 47% · ▼ 4 pts below district

even with state median

English language arts

Grade 331%

School 31% · District 36% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 10 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 462%

School 62% · District 38% · ▲ 24 pts above district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Grade 542%

School 42% · District 41% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 2 pts above state median · even with county median

Grade 637%

School 37% · District 32% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 2 pts above state median

Science

Grade 548%

School 48% · District 39% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

This schoolBELTON 124, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income30%Higher-income46%17 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income20%Higher-income23%3 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income38%Higher-income50%12 pp gap