The top reported proficiency rate is 58% in Math. The lowest is 39% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Iberia Elem.
Iberia Elementary is a regular public school serving preschool through sixth grade in the small Ozark town of Iberia, part of the Iberia R-V district. The school sits at the intersection of Missouri Routes 17 and 42, in a town that functions as a local hub for southern Miller County. With an enrollment that is moderate for an elementary school in a rural area, the student body is overwhelmingly white, with a very small share of Hispanic students and a small share of students who identify as two or more races. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is substantial, a pattern common in rural communities with a modest economic base.
On the Missouri Assessment Program tests for the most recent year reported, proficiency rates across grades and subjects show a mixed picture. In mathematics, the school’s results improve as students move up: third grade and fourth grade rates are lower, while fifth and sixth grade rates are notably stronger. In English language arts, the pattern is less consistent. Third grade results are modest, fourth grade rates are lower, sixth grade rates are also modest, and fifth grade results for ELA were suppressed, so no public comparison is available for that grade. Science, tested only in fifth grade, shows a rate that falls between the math and ELA extremes. When all tested subjects and grades are combined into a single proficiency index, Iberia Elementary places in the top quartile relative to other districts in Miller County, a five-district comparison set. That means the school’s overall academic performance is among the strongest in the county, though the spread within the county is wide and the county itself is small.
Because this school serves only through sixth grade, there is no graduation rate to report, and the school does not have data on chronic absenteeism or discipline outcomes in the available records. Course access data, staffing ratios, and attendance metrics were also not provided, so a parent wanting details about class sizes, teacher experience, or student engagement beyond test scores would need to ask the school directly. No information was available on special education or English learner populations, which may be small but should be confirmed.
Iberia itself is a very small rural town with a population that has been stable to slightly declining in recent years. The local economy is limited, with the largest employment sectors being transportation, hospitality, and health care, and most residents commute to larger nearby communities for work. The housing market is relatively affordable; the typical home value in the area is well below the national benchmark, though prices have risen at a rate that outpaces the national year-over-year increase. That combination of low baseline cost and faster growth means the market is becoming less inexpensive than it was, though it remains accessible for many families. The town is car-dependent, with limited walkability and no public transit. The school itself is located on Pemberton Drive, near the heart of town.
No major changes or strategic initiatives were identified for the Iberia R-V district in publicly reported sources, so the context appears stable. The school offers no specialized magnet or charter programs, and its Title I status was not reported. For a family considering this school, the key takeaway is that it serves a small, predominantly white, low-income community in a rural setting, with academic proficiency that is strong by local county standards but varies by grade and subject. Families who value a small-town school environment and want a sense of community rooted in a historic Ozark town will likely find it a natural fit. Those seeking robust data on special populations, program offerings, or discipline will need to gather that information directly from the school.
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