Noel Elem., Noel MO - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Noel Elem.

Noel Elementary is the only public school in its small Ozarks town, serving grades three through eight as part of the McDonald County R-I district. It is a regular school in a setting where the local economy is shaped by a Tyson Foods poultry plant and seasonal tourism along the Elk River. The town of Noel is compact and diverse, with a population that includes Somali, Sudanese, Hispanic, and Pacific Islander communities, many connected to the plant. The school sits within this context, drawing its student body from a community where housing values are below both state and national medians and where a large share of households qualifies for federal meal assistance.

The school’s academic record on Missouri’s state assessments is a central feature for any family evaluating it. Across every grade and subject tested, the share of students scoring proficient or above is low. In mathematics, the portion reaches its highest in eighth grade, but even then it remains well below a majority. In English language arts, the numbers are lower still: a small fraction of students meet the proficiency bar in third grade, and the pattern holds through sixth and seventh grades. Science results, available only for fifth and eighth graders, show a similar picture. The overall pattern is consistent: Noel Elementary serves a student population that, on these measures, is far from the state’s proficiency targets. A parent exploring options would want to understand what this means in practice—how the school supports students who are not yet at grade level, what interventions are in place, and whether the school’s resources match the needs of its students.

The student body itself is notably diverse. A majority of students are Hispanic, White, or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, with smaller shares of Asian, Black, and American Indian students. More than four out of five students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of the community’s economic circumstances. No data is available on the number of students with individualized education plans or English learner designations, which is a gap a parent may want to follow up on directly with the school, as those figures often accompany the kind of academic performance profile seen here.

Noel is a small town. Growth has been modest over the last decade, driven by the plant and river recreation rather than suburban expansion. The downtown strip along Main Street holds City Hall, a library, and seasonal tourism businesses. The Elk River is a core part of the town’s identity, supporting canoe rentals and camping. Housing is affordable relative to many parts of the state, with typical values that have risen in recent years but remain below the Missouri average. The school is part of a county-wide district; no recent bond issues or curriculum reforms were found in public sources that would signal a major shift for families.

Noel Elementary is the only school in its immediate area, so there is no local comparison set to draw on within McDonald County. That isolation means families considering the school are weighing it against options that would likely require a commute to another district or a private or virtual alternative. The school’s academic results are a soft spot, and the lack of program data—such as enrichment offerings or course access—means a full picture would require a visit and conversations with the principal. For a family that values small-town life, affordable housing, and a diverse student population, and that is prepared to be actively involved in supporting their child’s academic growth given the school’s current performance levels, Noel Elementary could be a fit. For those seeking stronger test outcomes or more programmatic breadth, the data suggests they would look further.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 316%

School 16% · District 28% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median

Grade 431%

School 31% · District 44% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median

Grade 522%

School 22% · District 28% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median

Grade 629%

School 29% · District 42% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median

Grade 729%

School 29% · District 41% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median

Grade 833%

School 33% · District 23% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 39%

School 9% · District 27% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 32 pts below state median

Grade 420%

School 20% · District 45% · ▼ 24 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median

Grade 528%

School 28% · District 34% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median

Grade 68%

School 8% · District 31% · ▼ 23 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median

Grade 710%

School 10% · District 28% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 26 pts below state median

Grade 826%

School 26% · District 36% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median

Science

Grade 526%

School 26% · District 34% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median

Grade 830%

School 30% · District 34% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median

This schoolMCDONALD CO. R-I, 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.