The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in English language arts. The lowest is 14% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Bismarck R-v Elem.
Bismarck R-V Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the small, rural town of Bismarck, Missouri, part of the Bismarck R-V School District. It is a regular public school, neither a charter nor a magnet. The town itself originated as a railroad and farming community and is situated in western St. Francois County, a short distance from the Mark Twain National Forest and the historic Lead Belt mining region. With a compact grid of streets centered on Main and Center, the town has a traditional small downtown area, though street life is limited given the modest population. The community has experienced a slow decline in population over the past several decades, and median household income is low, reflected in the housing market where home values are well below state and national benchmarks. No major new housing or commercial developments have been publicly reported, and no significant recent changes to the district itself emerged from a search of available information.
The school enrolls a small number of students for its grade band, and the student body is almost entirely white, with very small numbers of students who are Black, Hispanic, American Indian, or multiracial. Every student who attends qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, an indicator of the high level of economic need in the community. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available for this report.
State test results, from Missouri’s MAP assessments for the most recent year, show a clear pattern in academic performance. In reading, about two out of every five third graders and fifth graders met the state’s proficiency benchmarks, while fourth grade reading results were withheld from reporting, so that figure is not available. In science, the fifth grade results show roughly one in four students reached the proficient or advanced level. Math results are notably lower: across third, fourth, and fifth grades, roughly one in seven students scored proficient or above. When compared with the school districts in St. Francois County, this school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades falls in the bottom quartile. The numbers place it among the weakest performers in the county on these measures.
Because this is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to consider, and information on discipline, attendance, and staffing was not part of the data provided. The school does not offer high school programs, so course access data does not apply.
For a family considering Bismarck R-V Elementary, what emerges is a picture of a very small, high-poverty school in a town with a quiet, declining economic base. The academic results are mixed: reading performance is not as low as math, but math proficiency is a clear soft spot that a parent may want to discuss further with the school to understand what supports are in place. The school’s size and rural setting may appeal to families who prefer a close-knit environment, but the limited economic opportunity in the surrounding area and the low housing costs are also defining features. There is no indication of any recent district-level initiatives or changes that would alter this profile in the near term.
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