The top reported proficiency rate is 25% in English language arts. The lowest is 22% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Bush Elem.
Bush Elementary is a regular public school in Fulton, Missouri, serving kindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Fulton 58 school district. The school sits in a small city that functions as the Callaway County seat, a place with a historic downtown known as the Brick District, two universities, and several state institutions including the Missouri School for the Deaf and a state hospital. Fulton provides its own utilities and has a modest housing market; homes in the area are priced below national medians, and rents are relatively affordable. The city's population has experienced a slight decline over recent years, suggesting a slow-growth or stable trajectory rather than one of rapid expansion.
The school enrolls several hundred students across the elementary grades. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common indicator of economic need. The student body is predominantly white, with a notable share of students identifying as two or more races, a smaller but visible Black population, and smaller Hispanic and Asian groups. Information on students with disabilities or English learners was not available.
Bush Elementary participates in Missouri's statewide assessment program, the MAP. Results from the most recent testing year show that in mathematics, the share of students scoring at or above the proficient level was low across tested grades, ranging from around one in five in third grade to about one in six in fifth grade, with fourth-grade math performing somewhat better near three in ten. In English language arts, fourth- and fifth-grade proficiency rates were around one in four, while the third-grade result was suppressed for reporting purposes. Science results for fifth grade were similarly near one in four. These numbers place the school's overall proficiency index—a composite of all tested subjects and grades—in the bottom quartile when compared with the average performance of districts across Callaway County. In fact, the school's composite rate fell below the lowest district-level rate in the county, a gap that parents may want to discuss directly with school or district leadership.
Because Bush Elementary serves only primary grades, there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing, and course access were also absent from the available records, so no picture of school climate or resource availability can be drawn here.
At the district level, Fulton 58 has seen its graduation rate decline over a five-year period according to publicly reported figures, a trend that families with older children may want to track as they look ahead to middle and high school options.
In sum, Bush Elementary is a standard public elementary school in a small, stable city with a historic core and modest housing costs. The student population reflects a community with meaningful economic diversity, but academic proficiency on state tests is low relative to other districts in the county, a soft spot that warrants attention from families weighing elementary options in the area. No information was available on enrichment programs, special education supports, or other school-specific offerings, leaving those questions open for direct inquiry with the school.
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