The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in Science. The lowest is 27% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Nell Holcomb Elem.
Nell Holcomb Elementary is a regular public school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in a rural area of Cape Girardeau County, Missouri. It sits on State Highway 177, outside the core of the city of Cape Girardeau, and is part of the Nell Holcomb R-IV school district. The school is small by most measures, with a student body that is predominantly white and includes a notable share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Because it serves only through grade eight, there is no graduation rate to report here.
State testing data on the Missouri Assessment Program is fragmentary for the most recent year. For several grade levels and subjects, results were suppressed, likely because the number of students tested was too small to report publicly. That pattern itself tells a parent something: the classes are small enough that the state withholds individual proficiency numbers to protect student privacy. Where results are available, they show a mixed picture. In math, proficiency in grade five was about a fifth of students, and in grade six roughly a third. In English language arts, the only reported result came from grade eight, where about three in ten students met the proficiency bar. In science, grade eight students performed somewhat better, with more than two in five proficient. When all reported scores across tested subjects and grades are combined into a single index, the school lands below the midpoint relative to other districts in Cape Girardeau County. A parent considering Nell Holcomb may want to look into these results further with the school to understand the instructional approach and how the school supports students who are not yet at the proficient level.
The school environment leans rural and self-contained. There is no information on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, or staff qualifications in the available data, so those remain open questions. The school is not a charter or magnet, and its Title I status is not listed. Programs such as art, music, or extracurricular activities are not documented in the provided records.
Cape Girardeau itself is a regional hub for healthcare, education, and commerce in southeastern Missouri, with Southeast Missouri State University, two major hospitals, and a shopping and employment base that draws people from across the area daily. Despite that regional role, the city retains a small-town feel with a reasonable cost of living and short commute times. Housing values in the ZIP code covering the school are moderate, in line with the broader state average. Rental costs are also modest relative to national benchmarks. The area has seen gradual population growth in recent years.
For the Nell Holcomb R-IV district, no recent policy changes, curriculum shifts, or tax referendums were found in publicly available materials, so the district appears to have been operating without major disruption. That stability may appeal to some families.
Nell Holcomb Elementary fits a parent who wants a small, rural school setting where their child will likely know most classmates and teachers. The academic results suggest room for growth, and a family that values close community ties may find the school a good match, especially if they are proactive about understanding how the school addresses academic gaps. The school's location on the outskirts of Cape Girardeau means families have access to the region's amenities while living in a less dense area. For those who prioritize strong test scores or a wide array of program offerings, this may not be the first choice, but for a family seeking a grounded, intimate school environment in a stable district, it is worth a closer look.
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