The top reported proficiency rate is 38% in English language arts. The lowest is 33% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Boswell Elem.
Boswell Elementary serves fourth and fifth graders in Lebanon, Missouri, as part of the Lebanon R-III district. This is a regular public school, not a charter, and it is a straightforward intermediate school that feeds students from the district’s primary buildings into its middle school. For families looking at this school, the relevant facts are the academic results from state testing and the community setting in which the school operates.
On state assessments, the picture is mixed. In fourth grade math, just under half of students scored at a proficient or advanced level. In fourth grade English language arts, the rate was a bit lower, with roughly two out of every five students meeting that bar. Fifth grade results were softer across the board. In fifth grade math, about a quarter of students reached proficiency. In fifth grade English language arts, the share was just over a third. Fifth grade science came in right around the same mark. These numbers place the school’s overall proficiency index above the midpoint among the districts in Laclede County, though the spread within that county is narrow. A parent may want to look into how the district addresses the drop in performance between fourth and fifth grade, particularly in math.
The school serves an enrollment of a size typical for a two-grade intermediate building in a community of Lebanon’s scale. The student body is predominantly white, with a small share of students who are Hispanic or identify as two or more races. There is essentially no representation of Black, Asian, or Native American students. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which aligns with the community’s income profile. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the reporting. Because this is a school that only serves grades four and five, there is no graduation rate to report.
Lebanon itself is a county seat situated along I-44 and historic Route 66, with a modest population that has seen some growth since the 2020 census. It functions as both a manufacturing center, notably for boat building, and a commercial hub for the surrounding rural area. The housing market reflects an affordable small-city setting, with home values and rents below national averages. The community is auto-dependent, with a built environment oriented around highway corridors. The district recently passed a property tax levy increase to fund competitive staff salaries, bus fleet renewal, and facility maintenance. That is a practical detail for a resident or parent: the district has made a public commitment to keeping its physical plant and transportation reliable, and the cost of that commitment is in the local tax rate.
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