The top reported proficiency rate is 15% in English language arts. The lowest is 9% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Richland High
Richland High serves grades seven through twelve in the small Ozarks town of Richland, Missouri, a community that spans Pulaski, Camden, and Laclede counties. The town is primarily residential with some light industrial elements, including an industrial park with a municipal airport, and the city operates its own utilities. The city website describes the area as offering affordable, open-country living, and the school district is described as the heart of the community. The town sits near I-44, and the broader regional economy is shaped by nearby Fort Leonard Wood. Population has been relatively stable but with a slight decline in recent census counts, though a more recent estimate suggests a possible rebound. Housing values are well below national averages, and the cost of living is low.
Richland High is a regular public school serving grades seven through twelve. The student body is small and overwhelmingly white, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school is part of the Richland R-IV district, which also includes an elementary school and a junior high, and the district describes itself as the heart of the community.
State testing results for the most recent school year show that proficiency rates across tested subjects and grades are low. In seventh-grade math, roughly one in five students scored at the proficient or above level. In eighth-grade math, the rate was much lower, with a very small share of students reaching that bar. Eighth-grade English language arts proficiency was also low, and eighth-grade science proficiency was similarly low. Seventh-grade English language arts results were suppressed, so no rate is available for that grade and subject. The school's overall proficiency index, which averages rates across all tested subjects and grades, places Richland High in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Pulaski County. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand the academic support and intervention strategies in place.
The school serves grades seven through twelve, so it is a combined middle and high school. This means students spend six years in the same building, which can provide continuity. Because the school includes the high school grades, a graduation rate would normally be reported, but it was not available in the data provided. A parent may want to ask the school directly about its graduation rate and postsecondary outcomes.
The student body is almost entirely white, with very small numbers of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a significant portion of families have lower incomes. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available.
The district brief found little of lasting impact in recent changes, so there is no notable recent development to report from that search.
Richland High is a small, rural school in a low-cost area where the school is a central community institution. The academic proficiency numbers are low across the board, and the school sits in the bottom quartile among Pulaski County districts on overall performance. For a family considering this school, the primary questions will be about the academic support and intervention programs in place, the graduation rate, and what postsecondary pathways students typically pursue. The school's small size and rural setting mean that class sizes are likely small, and the school may offer a close-knit environment where students are well known to staff.
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