The top reported proficiency rate is 37% in English language arts. The lowest is 31% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Kelly a Burlison Middle School
Kelly A Burlison Middle School serves grades six through eight in Fredericktown, a small county seat in the Ozarks foothills of southeastern Missouri. The school is part of the Fredericktown R-I district and is a regular public school.
The student body is large for a middle school, with enrollment in the mid-hundreds. About half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a significant share that reflects the economic fabric of the surrounding rural area. Demographically, the school is overwhelmingly white, with small numbers of students identified as Hispanic, two or more races, Black, or American Indian.
State test results from the Missouri Assessment Program show where student achievement stands. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or above ranged from about three in ten to just under four in ten across the three grades, with the eighth-grade cohort at the lower end. English language arts results varied more: sixth graders posted a rate of roughly four in ten proficient or above, seventh graders about three in ten, and eighth graders a bit above four in ten. Eighth-grade science, which is tested that year, showed about three in ten students reaching proficiency. These are moderate to low proficiency rates by conventional standards. The school did not provide multi-year trend data, so it is unclear whether performance is improving or declining from year to year.
Because the school serves only middle grades, there is no graduation rate to report. Civil rights data, such as discipline rates, were not available. Course access data, including whether the school offers advanced classes or career-exploration programs, also was not provided. A parent may want to ask the school directly about these areas.
Fredericktown itself is a community with a walkable historic downtown centered on the Madison County Courthouse. The city is surrounded on three sides by Mark Twain National Forest, giving residents easy access to outdoor recreation. The economy historically relied on lead mining and shoe manufacturing; more recently, lithium and critical minerals recovery has become a focus, with Evolution Metals planning to rebuild and expand operations after a plant fire in late 2024. Some residents commute to the greater St. Louis area. Housing values in the area are noticeably below the national median, making it a relatively affordable market for buyers. The district has seen no major recent changes that would shift the academic or operational landscape.
Overall, Kelly A Burlison Middle School sits in a small, rural county seat with a modest economic base. Its student body is economically diverse for the area, and its state test results suggest that a majority of students are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks in math, English, and science. Families moving to Fredericktown or considering this school may want to visit the campus, talk to teachers and administrators about the instructional strategies in place, and ask about any programs that extend learning beyond the tested subjects.
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