The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in English language arts. The lowest is 35% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Maplecrest Elem.
Maplecrest Elementary serves only second and third graders, a narrow grade band that shapes what can be said about it. As a regular public school in the Lebanon R-III district, it enrolls a student body that is predominantly white, with a substantial share qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Because the school ends at grade three, there is no graduation rate to report, and many other outcomes that apply to older grades simply do not exist here. What is available is state testing data for third-grade math and English language arts.
On the Missouri Assessment Program, about a third of third graders met the state’s proficiency standard in math, and about a third met it in reading. When compared against the other school districts in Laclede County, Maplecrest’s combined proficiency across tested subjects sits above the midpoint. There are only four districts in the county, so the comparison set is small, but the position signals that the school’s academic results are in the upper half of the local pool. No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say whether performance is improving or declining.
Demographically, the school serves a population where a large majority of students come from lower-income households. That economic context matters for families considering the school: a parent may want to ask what supports the school offers for students facing poverty-related challenges, such as early intervention tutoring, counseling, or nutrition programs. Data on special education enrollment and English learner numbers were not reported in the available records, and no information on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, or staffing ratios was provided either. These are gaps a prospective parent would want to fill by contacting the school directly.
Maplecrest sits within Lebanon, the county seat of Laclede County. Lebanon is a modestly growing city along I-44 and historic Route 66, known regionally as the “Aluminum Fishing Boat Capital of the World” because of the concentration of boat manufacturers that operate factories there—Tracker Marine, G3 Boats, and Lowe Boats among them. Manufacturing is the core of the local economy, supplemented by healthcare at Mercy Hospital and a retail sector that serves travelers. The city is auto-oriented, with a small downtown along Jefferson Avenue where civic offices are located. Housing values in the area are below the state median. The typical home is affordable relative to national benchmarks, and rents are moderate.
The district that runs Maplecrest, Lebanon R-III, recently secured voter approval for an operating levy increase phased in over several years. Proposition Lebanon Schools permanently raised the district’s tax rate to fund competitive staff salaries, a bus fleet renewal program, and a sustainable maintenance cycle for aging roofs, HVAC systems, and parking lots. That investment signals a community willing to back its schools financially, and it may factor into a family’s assessment of long-term district stability.
What is missing from the picture may be as important as what is present. There is no data on course access or program offerings, which matters less for a school that only covers two grades but still leaves questions about music, art, physical education, and enrichment. There is no information on how many students have disabilities or are learning English, which makes it hard to gauge how well the school supports diverse learning needs. The school does not offer any special designation like magnet status, and no Title I status was reported despite the high poverty enrollment.
For a family with a second or third grader, Maplecrest represents a grade-specific stop in the Lebanon system. The academic results are mid-range within the county, with room for improvement, and the economic profile of the school community suggests that extra support resources may be important. The district appears stable and recently invested in its infrastructure. The town itself offers a manufacturing-based economy, modest growth, and affordable housing. A parent considering this school would be wise to ask about the specific interventions and enrichment available for young students, especially given the poverty rate, and to verify the gaps left by unreported data.
See more original research from School Decision →