The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in Science. The lowest is 33% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Clinton Co. R-iii Middle
Clinton County R-III Middle serves grades six through eight and sits in Plattsburg, a small residential town that functions as the county seat of Clinton County. The town’s civic life centers on a historic courthouse square, with local government and a handful of medical facilities as primary employers. Plattsburg has seen a modest population decline in recent decades, though a housing development around a man-made lake suggests some new construction. The middle school itself enrolls a student body that is mostly white, with a small share of students who identify as two or more races and very small numbers of Asian, Black, and Hispanic students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
State testing data from the most recent year provides a mixed picture. In English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above ranged from just over a quarter of sixth graders to roughly two-fifths of seventh graders. Fifth-grade results were also reported, with about a third of students reaching proficiency, but eighth-grade results were suppressed and not available for public reporting. In math, sixth graders were the only grade with a reported proficiency rate, and that rate was on the lower side. Fifth, seventh, and eighth grade math results were all suppressed. In science, fifth graders posted a proficiency rate that was higher than the school’s English and math results, while eighth-grade science was also suppressed. In aggregate, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits below the midpoint when compared against other districts in Clinton County.
A parent should note that state testing data is partially suppressed, most likely due to small group sizes. The school’s total enrollment is moderate for a middle school serving three grades, and individual grade cohorts are small enough that the state withholds results for some groups to protect student privacy. This means the full picture of academic performance in eighth grade, and in several specific subjects, is not available from published data. A parent may want to ask the school directly about how students in those grades are performing.
The district operates on a four-day school week, Tuesday through Friday, which is a permanent scheduling structure that will affect daily routines, childcare arrangements, and the school calendar for all families. The district also recently completed a significant facilities upgrade across its buildings, a capital investment that has improved school facilities for current students.
Housing in the Plattsburg area is priced near the statewide average, with home values having risen over the past year at a pace slightly above the national increase. The town is quiet and low-density, with limited street life outside the central square. For a family considering the school, the four-day week is a major operational detail to account for, and the academic data suggests a school where overall achievement is below the midpoint of its small county peer group, with gaps in available testing information that make it difficult to assess every grade and subject fully.
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