The top reported proficiency rate is 53% in Science. The lowest is 29% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on South Elem.
South Elementary is a regular public school serving grades three through five in Kennett, part of the Kennett 39 district. It sits in the Bootheel region of Missouri, an area dominated by cotton and melon agriculture, and the city itself is the county seat of Dunklin County. The school’s enrollment is in the upper elementary range, and the student body is majority white, with a substantial share of Black students and a smaller Hispanic population. The free or reduced-price lunch rate is very high, signaling that the school serves a community with significant economic need.
Academically, the state assessment results show a mixed picture. In math, proficiency rates across grades three, four, and five are below a third of students tested, with grade four showing the lowest. In English language arts, the pattern is similar: grade three and four proficiency rates are modest, while grade five rises to a higher share. Science, tested only in grade five, reaches a level where more than half of students are proficient. Taken together, the school’s overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Dunklin County. That is a noteworthy position given the high poverty context, and it suggests that the school’s academic performance is comparatively strong within its region despite the challenges many students face. A parent may want to look further into the specific areas where proficiency is lower, particularly in math, to understand what supports the school offers.
The school serves grades only through fifth, so there is no graduation rate to report. No information was available on special education or English learner populations, nor on discipline, staffing, or attendance. These gaps mean a parent would need to contact the school directly for details on student support services and school climate.
Housing in the area is affordable, with home values well below state and national benchmarks. The local economy is anchored by agriculture and the school district itself, and Kennett functions as a commercial hub for the surrounding farming communities. The city has a traditional downtown grid, a public library, and a small airport, and it recently experienced an EF2 tornado that caused damage but did not fundamentally alter the community’s character. No major new housing developments or recent district-level changes were identified in publicly available sources.
South Elementary offers a conventional elementary program for the upper primary grades. For a family considering this school, the key takeaway is that it serves a high-poverty student body and performs above the county average on state tests, especially in science. The community is small and agricultural, with modest housing costs. The school’s academic results in math and reading are areas where a parent might want to learn more about intervention and enrichment opportunities, as the proficiency rates are lower than the state average but still place the school well among its local peers.
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