The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in English language arts. The lowest is 42% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Eminence Elem.
Eminence Elementary sits in a small town that is also the Shannon County seat, tucked into the Missouri Ozarks. The town functions as a quiet residential community that swells in the summer with visitors drawn to the nearby Ozark National Scenic Riverways, the Jack’s Fork and Current Rivers, and the extensive trail-riding operations. The school building houses preschool through sixth grade and is part of the Eminence R-I district, which keeps its elementary and high school campuses within the town’s compact footprint. The district employs a substantial number of local residents, alongside Shannon County government and tourism businesses.
The student body is about the size one would expect for a rural elementary school serving a small town. Enrollment is entirely white. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is very high, which places this school in a different economic context from many others in the state. A parent moving to the area should be aware that the elementary draws from a community where the poverty rate is elevated and where housing values are well below the state median. The town itself is growing very slowly, and the housing stock is relatively affordable compared to statewide benchmarks.
State testing data for the most recent year is available for grades three through six in math and English language arts, with science tested in grade five. Some results were suppressed due to small group sizes, which is common in a school this size. In math, the picture varies by grade. Third-grade results were suppressed. Fourth-grade proficiency was low, with about a fifth of students meeting the state’s proficient or advanced bar. Fifth-grade math was somewhat higher, with about three in ten students proficient. Sixth-grade math was a clear bright spot, where roughly three-quarters of students scored proficient or above. English language arts results show a similar pattern. Third-grade results were low, with about a sixth of students proficient. Fourth and fifth grade ELA results were suppressed. Sixth-grade ELA was strong, with over two-thirds of students proficient. Science results for grade five were suppressed. The overall proficiency index for the school, which averages results across all tested subjects and grades, sits above the midpoint relative to the other districts in Shannon County. There are only two districts in the county, which means that comparison carries less information than it would in a larger county. A parent will want to pay closest attention to the early-grade reading and math results, which are the school’s soft spots, and to follow up with the school about how those students are supported before they reach the stronger sixth-grade results.
Program and course access data was not available, so it is not possible to speak to what electives, enrichment, or specialist instruction the school offers beyond the core tested subjects. Data on special education and English learner populations was also missing. The school does not serve high school grades, so no graduation rate applies here. Civil rights data, chronic absenteeism, and staffing information were not reported. A parent interested in any of those areas would need to ask the school directly.
The district has not had any publicly reported major changes in recent years that would alter a family’s decision about enrolling. The elementary offers a straightforward, small-town public school experience for children from preschool through sixth grade. The peer group is homogeneous by race, economically stressed, and small. The academic performance is uneven by grade, with sixth grade standing out as a strong year. Families considering Eminence should weigh the lower cost of housing and the outdoor recreation lifestyle against the early-grade academic challenges and the limited economic diversity of the student body.
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