The top reported proficiency rate is 45% in Science. The lowest is 24% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Highland Elem.
Highland Elementary is a regular public school in Lewistown, Missouri, serving students from prekindergarten through sixth grade. It is part of the Lewis County C-1 district, a rural system in northeastern Missouri. The school sits in a very small town that has seen steady population decline over the past two decades, with the trajectory described as gradual contraction rather than growth. The town is primarily residential with a modest economic profile, and the school itself reflects that context: about half of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that is substantial but not uncommon for a rural district in this part of the state.
The student body is overwhelmingly white, with small numbers of students identifying as Black, Hispanic, two or more races, American Indian or Alaska Native, or Asian. The enrollment is moderate for a PK-6 building, with roughly balanced class sizes across kindergarten through sixth grade. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report, and no data on chronic absenteeism or discipline was available. The district brief turned up no recent parent-relevant changes such as boundary adjustments, building closures, or major program shifts, so the school appears to have been operating without significant disruption.
On state assessments, the picture is mixed. In math, proficiency rates for the grades that were reported range from roughly a fifth of students to just under a third meeting the state’s proficient or above threshold. In English language arts, the rates vary more widely, with one grade level showing a particularly low share of students reaching proficiency while others come in closer to the quarter to third mark. Science results for the only tested grade show a notably higher share of students scoring proficient or above, reaching into the mid-forties percent range. One grade level’s math results were suppressed, so no conclusion can be drawn for that cohort. Overall, the school’s combined proficiency index across tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint among the two districts in Lewis County, though the index itself is well below the half mark. That places it in the middle of a very small field, where the range between the lowest and highest district is narrow.
Because the school’s grade band stops at sixth grade, families with children entering middle school will need to look ahead to the district’s secondary school. The town’s small size and rural setting mean that the school is likely the center of much of the community’s activity for young families, but no specific information on programs, extracurriculars, or facilities was available in the data. Parents interested in special education services or English learner support will find that those counts were not reported, so a conversation with the school directly would be necessary to understand the level of staffing and service available.
The housing market in Lewistown reflects the rural and declining population. Home values are modest, and the cost of living is below the national average. For a family considering a move to the area, the school offers a predictable, small-town elementary experience with a student body that is largely homogeneous and a sizable share of students from lower-income households. The academic performance on state tests is below what many suburban or growing districts would show, but it is consistent with the economic conditions of the town. A parent who values a close-knit, rural school environment and is willing to engage with the school about academic support may find it a workable fit. Those looking for a range of enrichment options or a more diverse peer environment may want to look into what the district offers beyond elementary.
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