The top reported proficiency rate is 51% in Math. The lowest is 46% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Lucy Wortham James Elem.
Lucy Wortham James Elementary serves students in preschool through fifth grade in St. James, a small city in Phelps County that blends quiet residential neighborhoods with an active industrial base. The community, known for its tree cover and sometimes called the Forest City of the Ozarks, has a historic small-town character and a steady but modest pace of growth. Key employers include manufacturing and distribution operations, and the city actively recruits industry through two industrial parks along the Interstate 44 corridor. Housing values in the area sit below the national benchmark, making it a relatively affordable market for families.
The school is part of the St. James R-I district, which also operates a middle school and high school within the city. No recent district-level changes of lasting impact were found in publicly reported sources, so the narrative here focuses on what the elementary school itself offers.
Enrollment at Lucy Wortham James Elementary is fairly distributed across the elementary grades, with a slightly larger cohort in fifth grade. The student body is predominantly white, which reflects the broader demographics of the community. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a notable portion of families experience economic stress. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the reporting.
State assessment results from the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) provide a mixed picture. In mathematics, fourth graders posted the strongest results, with a clear majority of students scoring at the proficient or advanced level. Third and fifth graders had lower math proficiency rates, with roughly two out of five students meeting the bar. In English language arts, fourth graders again led the way with a majority proficient, while third and fifth graders saw about two out of five students reaching proficiency. Fifth graders also took the science assessment, and roughly half scored proficient or above. The school’s overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Phelps County, a notably strong showing compared to its local peers. That said, the results are uneven by grade and subject, with fourth grade standing out as a clear high point while other grades trail behind. A parent may want to ask the school how it supports third and fifth graders to bring their performance closer to the fourth-grade level.
Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism and discipline was not available.
For a family considering St. James, Lucy Wortham James Elementary offers a public school setting in a community with visible industrial employment, outdoor amenities like Maramec Spring Park and a local bike trail, and housing that is more affordable than much of the country. The school’s academic results are strongest for fourth graders and comparatively weaker for third and fifth graders. The student population is largely homogenous, the school is a regular public school with no charter or magnet designation, and the district has no major recent changes publicly noted. This combination suggests a stable, traditional elementary experience in a small-town Ozarks setting where academic performance varies by grade level, and where the fourth grade year stands as a relative strength.
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