The top reported proficiency rate is 52% in Science. The lowest is 44% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Hillsboro Middle Elem.
Hillsboro Middle Elem. is a regular public school in the Hillsboro R-III district that serves only fifth and sixth graders. This is a single-grade-band school, so there is no graduation rate, no high school programs, and no college readiness data to report. The campus sits in Hillsboro, the Jefferson County seat, a small town that has seen substantial recent population growth and describes itself as a progressive community looking toward future development while preserving its historic character. The surrounding area includes a mix of rural land, government functions centered on the historic courthouse, and residential developments including several lake communities. A major two-year college has its main campus in Hillsboro, and Highway 21 is the primary route through town.
State testing data from the 2024-25 school year is available for math, English language arts, and science, though only grade five is tested in science. Outcomes vary noticeably by grade level and subject. In math, fourth graders showed a proficiency rate that was below the midpoint for the schoolwide pattern, while fifth graders were somewhere in the middle and sixth graders hit a higher mark that stands as a clear strength for this school. In English language arts, all three tested grades returned proficiency rates in a relatively narrow band, clustering at a level that suggests consistent performance rather than a single standout year. The fifth-grade science result was one of the stronger numbers on the sheet, above the school’s own math and ELA averages for that grade. When placed against other districts in Jefferson County, the school’s overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint of the twelve districts in that set. That is a solid position for a middle-elementary school that feeds into the rest of the district’s secondary schools.
The student body is predominantly white, which aligns with the broader community demographics. Roughly a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that points to a moderate share of families with lower household incomes but nothing extreme for a rural area. Information on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the profile data. The school does not report magnet or Title I designations, and no data on discipline, attendance, or staffing was found. The district brief turned up no recent changes or initiatives with lasting impact that were publicly reported in the period searched, so there is no record of recent bond votes, curriculum shifts, or construction projects for a parent to factor in.
Housing in the 63050 zip code, which covers Hillsboro and its surrounding developments, carries a home value that sits above the state benchmark but below the national one. That is consistent with a growing exurban area where demand is pushing prices up modestly relative to the rest of Missouri. The local economy, judged by unemployment and median income trends, appears stable and typical for the region.
This school is best understood as a straightforward two-year bridge in a district that is neither highly affluent nor struggling. The academic picture is mixed in the early middle grades, with math proficiency rising noticeably by sixth grade and science showing a solid result. A parent should ask the school about special education and English learner services, since no counts are on the record, and should look ahead to the district’s high school to understand what pathways become available after sixth grade. For a family moving into this growing part of Jefferson County, Hillsboro Middle Elem. provides a middle-of-the-pack academic start with a peak in sixth-grade math and general consistency in reading.
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