The top reported proficiency rate is 64% in Math. The lowest is 58% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Fairway Elem.
Fairway Elementary sits in Wildwood, a large, low-density city in far western St. Louis County that blends residential subdivisions with extensive preserved natural areas. The city describes itself as one of the more rural communities in the St. Louis metropolitan area, and its character is residential with rural and natural-amenity qualities rather than commercial. There is no traditional downtown; civic life is organized around dispersed facilities, and the Rockwood School District’s schools, including those serving Fairway’s students after elementary, are on separated campuses. Wildwood was incorporated by residents seeking control over growth, and the population has been essentially flat in recent years, with current development focusing on civic infrastructure like a central gathering space and shared-use paths rather than large-scale housing.
Fairway itself is a regular public elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade within the Rockwood R-VI district. The school is squarely in the top quartile of schools in St. Louis County for overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. A substantial majority of students meet state standards in math and reading at grades three and four, and at grade five a similar majority reaches the proficient level in science. In grade five reading, the proficiency result is not reported due to data suppression, which means the state has withheld that figure for privacy or reliability reasons, and a parent may want to follow up directly with the school for that specific result. Math proficiency shows a downward trend across the tested grades, from a high in third grade to a lower share in fifth grade, which is a common pattern nationally but worth noting for families tracking academic progression. The school’s student body is predominantly white, with small shares of Asian, Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students. A very small share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the high-income context of the surrounding community.
The broader district context matters for families considering Fairway. Rockwood voters recently approved two large bond issues with no tax rate increase. One, passed in 2022, funds safety entrances, HVAC improvements, technology upgrades, and facility renovations across all district schools. The other, passed in 2024, adds a new elementary school to address enrollment growth along with capital improvements. These investments will shape school capacity, class sizes, and facility conditions for years. Additionally, starting in the 2023-2024 school year, Rockwood replaced its elementary literacy model with a science-of-reading aligned curriculum, a shift in how phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension are taught across all elementary schools, including Fairway.
Fairway is a high-performing elementary school in a financially strong district where the community has demonstrated support for school funding and facilities. The student population is relatively homogeneous and economically advantaged. The school serves a residential, low-density suburb with limited walkability and no downtown core; families who live here do so for the large-lot subdivisions, extensive parks and trail systems including Babler State Park and Rockwoods Reservation, and the sense of separation from the denser parts of St. Louis County. For a parent considering Fairway, the academic results are strong, the district is actively updating its buildings and curriculum, and the community context is one of stable, affluent suburban life with a strong emphasis on natural open space.
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