Marion C. Early High, Morrisville MO

Original Research by School Decision on Marion C. Early High

Marion C. Early High School serves grades nine through twelve in Morrisville, a very small rural town in southern Polk County, part of the Springfield metropolitan area. The school is the sole high school of the Marion C. Early R-V district, which also operates an elementary and a junior high school within the town. The community is car-dependent, with most residents commuting alone to work, and the school campus functions as a civic anchor in a town where institutions are integrated into the fabric rather than set apart on sprawling grounds.

The student body is small. Enrollment leans heavily white, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students receiving special education services or English learner support was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.

State testing results are limited and dated. The only assessment data in the record comes from the 2010-11 school year, and it covers grades six, seven, and eight rather than high school grades. This likely reflects an earlier grade configuration or a data assignment issue, but the result is that the most recent high school–level testing information is absent. In those older results for middle grades, math proficiency rates were modest, with a larger share of students scoring below the proficient threshold in eighth-grade math than in sixth. English language arts proficiency was also moderate, with roughly two out of every five students reaching proficiency in grades seven and eight. Science proficiency in eighth grade was somewhat stronger, with a majority scoring proficient or above. Across all tested subjects and grades from that year, the school’s overall proficiency index placed it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Polk County. Still, the age and grade mismatch of the data means a parent should seek current high school performance measures from the school or district directly.

No graduation rate was reported, nor is there information about chronic absenteeism, discipline, or course access such as Advanced Placement or dual-credit offerings. The district brief turned up little on recent changes, and the school’s program offerings were not documented in the available data. This is a common gap for a small rural high school, but a family interested in the range of academic pathways would want to confirm what is available—whether that is college-prep courses, career and technical education, or opportunities for concurrent enrollment.

The housing market in the area shows a median home value roughly in line with the state average, and homeownership rates in Morrisville are lower than the national average. The town is growing very slowly, and no major new development projects are documented. For a family considering a move, the local economy is dominated by retail, health care, and other services, and the school district is itself likely a notable employer.

Overall, Marion C. Early High School is a small, rural high school with a largely white student body and a noticeable share of students from lower-income households. The academic record is thin—old, nontest-level results—so the strongest signal of performance is the comparative index from that era, which was among the stronger in Polk County. A parent today will need to gather current information directly from the school: more recent test scores, graduation rates, college-going outcomes, and the breadth of the curriculum. The school’s modest size may appeal to families seeking a close-knit setting, but it also means a parent should confirm that the specific programs and supports their student needs are in place.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

80-89%Cohort of 35 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

533 schools plotted. 66 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 655%

School 55% · District 50% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median

Grade 750%

School 50% · District 43% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median

Grade 841%

School 41% · District 62% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▲ 14 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 637%

School 37% · District 47% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▲ 2 pts above state median

Grade 743%

School 43% · District 29% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median

Grade 844%

School 44% · District 40% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median

Science

Grade 862%

School 62% · District 45% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 27 pts above state median

This schoolMARION C. EARLY R-V, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.