The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in Science. The lowest is 34% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Bartley Elem.
Bartley Elementary is a regular public school in Fulton, Missouri, serving kindergarten through fifth grade within the Fulton 58 district. With an enrollment that places it on the smaller side for an elementary school, it draws its students from a city that balances historic character with state institutions and two universities. The school’s academic picture is mixed, and families will want to look at grade-level results closely to see how their child’s cohort is performing.
On state assessments for the most recent school year, Bartley Elementary’s overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades placed it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Callaway County, meaning its combined performance is among the stronger in the area. That headline, though, hides real variation by grade and subject. In third grade, both math and English language arts proficiency rates were near a quarter of students, a soft spot that a parent may want to discuss with the school to understand the instructional approach for early elementary. Fourth grade math was markedly stronger, with a majority of students scoring proficient or above, while fourth grade ELA results were suppressed and not reported, so no judgment can be made there. Fifth grade math results were also suppressed, but fifth grade ELA showed a proficient share above two-fifths. Fifth grade science, tested only at that grade level, had a rate approaching three-fifths, a bright spot. The pattern suggests that performance strengthens as students move through the grades, though the suppressed data for two grade-subject combinations leaves an incomplete picture.
The student body is predominantly white, with a notable share identifying as two or more races and smaller percentages of Black and Hispanic students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a degree of economic diversity. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available, so a parent seeking information on special education supports or language services would need to reach out to the school directly. The school does not appear to have charter or magnet status, and its Title I status was not reported.
Bartley Elementary sits in Fulton, the county seat of Callaway County. The city’s character is shaped by a historic downtown known as the Brick District, two private universities—Westminster College and William Woods University—and several large state facilities, including the Missouri School for the Deaf, Fulton State Hospital, and a state prison. These institutions are major employers. Fulton’s population has been on a slow decline over the past few years, and the housing market reflects a relatively modest cost: home values are lower than the state median, and rents are also below the national benchmark, making the area comparatively affordable for buyers and renters. The city is auto-oriented outside the compact downtown core, and walkability is limited to that historic district.
For the district as a whole, publicly reported data shows that Fulton 58’s high school graduation rate has declined over a five-year period, a sustained trend that families with younger children may want to track, as it could reflect broader challenges that eventually affect the elementary years. No details on district strategic priorities or recent initiatives were available in the data provided.
What a parent considering Bartley Elementary gets is a school that performs well by county standards when averaged across grades, but with uneven results in the early grades that could matter for a child starting in kindergarten or first grade. The fifth-grade science showing is a clear strength, and the school’s size allows for relatively small grade-level cohorts. The community offers stability and a range of civic and institutional anchors, and housing is affordable. The main unknowns are the missing data on special education, English learner support, and the suppressed assessment results—gaps that are worth clarifying directly with the school.
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