Duchesne Elementary, Florissant MO

Original Research by School Decision on Duchesne Elementary

Duchesne Elementary is a regular public school in Florissant, part of the Ferguson-Florissant R-II district. It serves only the earliest grades, from pre-kindergarten through second grade, so the academic profile looks different from a school that runs through fifth or eighth grade. State testing data from several years ago does appear for grades three through six, which would reflect a time when the school likely served a wider grade span. A parent may want to confirm the current grade configuration with the district, as the testing record from that earlier period is the only available snapshot of student performance.

What that snapshot shows is a school where proficiency rates across math, English language arts, and science fell below the midpoint among districts in St. Louis County. The composite proficiency index sits below the county median. The numbers were strongest for third-grade reading, where roughly half of students met the state standard, while other tested areas, particularly fourth- and fifth-grade math and fifth-grade science, showed lower attainment. These results are now several years old, and the school’s current early-grade curriculum is not directly measured by the state assessments that begin in third grade. Families looking for a clear picture of academic outcomes at Duchesne may find limited up-to-date evidence given the grade band.

The student body is small and notably homogenous in economic background. Nearly every child qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that places the school at the very high end of economic need. Racially, the enrollment is predominantly Black, with a smaller share of white students and very small numbers of Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students. The school does not serve a high school population, so there is no graduation rate to report.

Duchesne sits within the Ferguson-Florissant R-II district, and the district’s recent history gives a parent important context. The district has experienced a significant enrollment decline over the past decade and has announced a restructuring plan for the 2027-28 school year, a change prominently featured on the district homepage. Previous restructuring has already closed two elementary schools and converted a former high school into a selective STEAM academy at both the middle and high school levels. That shift toward choice-based magnet programs may alter which schools feed into what, though Duchesne itself is a neighborhood elementary and the details of the upcoming restructuring are still limited in public information. A family moving into the area should expect that school boundaries and building assignments could change in the near term.

Florissant itself is a mid-sized St. Louis suburb with a stable housing market. Home values are moderate and have dipped slightly, while rents have risen a bit. The county market shows a good number of active listings, and homes tend to sell moderately quickly. For a family considering a move, the affordability picture is reasonable relative to national benchmarks, and the school’s early-grade focus means a child would transition to another elementary school within the district by third grade unless reconfiguration changes that pathway.

For a parent, Duchesne Elementary offers a small, early-primary environment with a high level of economic support through free meals. The current academic track record is older and reflected a time when the school served older students, so judging today’s instruction requires a visit and a conversation with staff. The district’s restructuring adds an element of uncertainty about future school assignments, but for a family seeking a neighborhood start for a young child in a moderately priced part of St. Louis County, Duchesne is a straightforward option to investigate firsthand.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 337%

School 37% · District 12% · ▲ 25 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 421%

School 21% · District 12% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

Grade 520%

School 20% · District 9% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 632%

School 32% · District 16% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 347%

School 47% · District 13% · ▲ 34 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · even with county median

Grade 421%

School 21% · District 12% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Grade 523%

School 23% · District 16% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 636%

School 36% · District 9% · ▲ 27 pts above district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Science

Grade 514%

School 14% · District 13% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 29 pts below county median

This schoolFERGUSON-FLORISSANT R-II, 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.