The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in Science. The lowest is 18% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Armstrong Elem.
ARMSTRONG ELEM. serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school within the Hazelwood School District. The school sits in Hazelwood, a second-ring northern suburb of St. Louis that combines industrial parks, commercial corridors, and residential neighborhoods. Hazelwood is auto-oriented, with much of its activity centered on Interstates and major highways rather than a walkable downtown core. The city has seen a slow population decline in recent years, but industrial development remains robust, with large business parks and ongoing construction projects that reflect a continued economic base in manufacturing, distribution, and aerospace.
The student body is diverse. A majority of students are Black, and a substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a predominantly low-income community. Other racial and ethnic groups are represented in smaller proportions. No data was available on the share of students receiving special education services or classified as English learners, so a full picture of the school’s student support needs is not possible from the available information.
State test results paint a clear picture. Proficiency rates in mathematics and English language arts were low across the tested grades. In third grade, mathematics and ELA proficiency were each in the low range, and fifth-grade results in both subjects were similarly low. Fourth-grade ELA results were suppressed and not reported. Science proficiency in fifth grade was also low. When compared with other schools across the districts of St. Louis County, the school’s overall proficiency index fell below the midpoint of the distribution. This pattern is one a parent would want to investigate further with the school, asking what academic interventions and enrichment are in place and how the school supports students who are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks.
Because Armstrong is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to report, nor are there high school program offerings such as Advanced Placement, dual credit, or career pathways. The school’s focus is on foundational literacy and numeracy in the early grades. The district has recently adopted a five-year strategic plan centered on improving student achievement, expanding resources, and increasing family involvement. It also now offers pre-K programs in all of its elementary schools, so a family with a preschool-age child could enroll at this school rather than a separate center, and it runs a virtual elementary program as an alternative to in-person instruction.
The housing market in the area shows home values that are below the national median and have been generally stable, with rents rising moderately. The broader St. Louis County market has seen a slight decline in median listing prices and a moderate increase in active listings, suggesting a market that may offer more choices for buyers than in recent years. The area is served by St. Louis County Library and has multiple parks and recreation centers, but public transit is limited and the area is heavily car-dependent.
Armstrong Elementary sits in a district that is working on system-wide improvement, but the school’s own academic numbers are weak. A family considering this school should weigh the community’s affordability and the district’s recent strategic efforts against the evident challenges in student proficiency. Conversations with the school about specific supports for struggling readers and mathematicians would be a reasonable next step.
See more original research from School Decision →