The top reported proficiency rate is 39% in English language arts. The lowest is 36% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on East Carter Co. R-ii Middle
East Carter Co. R-II Middle serves grades six through eight in the small Ozark town of Ellsinore, Missouri, a rural community set among hills within the Mark Twain National Forest. The town itself is compact, with a small grid of local streets, a handful of churches, a public library, and one public park. Most healthcare and larger retail are roughly a half-hour drive away in Poplar Bluff. The school is part of the East Carter County R-II district, which also operates an elementary school and a high school within the same small-town footprint.
The middle school enrolls a student body that is overwhelmingly white, with a small share of students identifying as two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic context of the area. The school serves grades six through eight and is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet.
On the Missouri Assessment Program, the school’s proficiency rates vary by grade and subject. In sixth grade, roughly half of students scored proficient or above in both math and English language arts. In seventh grade, about three in ten students reached that bar in math, and a similar share did so in English language arts. Eighth-grade math proficiency was in a comparable range, while eighth-grade English language arts showed a slightly higher share. In eighth-grade science, roughly four in ten students scored proficient or above. When looking across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint among the two districts in Carter County.
The student body is small and almost entirely white, with a small number of students identifying as two or more races. No other racial or ethnic groups are represented in the reported data. Information on students with disabilities and English learners was not available. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report.
Ellsinore is a very small rural town in the Ozarks, set within the Mark Twain National Forest. It was founded as a railroad depot and sawmill town and today functions as a quiet residential community. Most daily needs can be met locally, but healthcare and larger retail require a drive to Poplar Bluff. Housing values in the area are well below the state and national benchmarks, and the local economy is modest, with the school district itself among the notable employers. The town’s population has been stable to slightly declining, and there is no evidence of significant new development.
For a family considering this school, the picture is straightforward. East Carter Co. R-II Middle is a small, rural school serving a predominantly white student body in a community with limited economic growth. Proficiency rates on state assessments are mixed, with sixth grade showing the strongest results in both math and English language arts, while seventh and eighth grade scores are lower. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand how the school supports students who are not yet meeting proficiency benchmarks, particularly in the upper grades. The school’s overall academic standing is in the middle of the range among Carter County’s two districts. There is no data on chronic absenteeism or discipline to round out the picture. For a family that values a small-town setting and a school where their child would be part of a close-knit cohort, this middle school fits that description. Families seeking a wider range of academic programs or a more diverse peer environment would need to look elsewhere.
See more original research from School Decision →