The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in Math. The lowest is 40% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Prairie Dell Elementary
Prairie Dell Elementary serves students from preschool through fifth grade in Union, Missouri, as part of the Union R-XI School District. The school sits on Prairie Dell Road, near the campus of East Central College, on the outskirts of the city’s traditional downtown core. Union itself is the county seat of Franklin County, a community with a mix of residential subdivisions, commercial districts, and light industrial employers such as manufacturing firms and the county government. The city has seen steady population growth in recent years, and the school district has responded to that growth with a voter-approved bond issue to construct a new elementary school and renovate the middle school, all without raising the property tax rate.
The student body at Prairie Dell is predominantly white, with a much smaller share of students identifying as two or more races and a modest Hispanic population. More than half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that places the school in a context of moderate economic need. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and it operates under the district’s standard elementary program.
Academically, state assessment results from the most recent testing year show a mixed picture. In math, proficiency rates declined as students advanced through the grades, with the third-grade cohort performing highest among the three tested grades, fourth grade somewhat lower, and fifth grade the lowest of the three. In English language arts, the pattern shifted: fifth graders posted the highest proficiency rate, third graders were close behind, and fourth graders showed a noticeably weaker result. Science results for fifth grade were suppressed in the data. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index falls below the midpoint when compared with other districts in Franklin County. A parent looking at these results may want to discuss with the school how instruction and support vary by grade level, particularly the drop in math performance between third and fifth grades and the dip in fourth-grade reading.
The district has made several recent changes relevant to Prairie Dell families. In the 2024-2025 school year, Prairie Dell launched a full-day preschool program, expanding from a previous half-day model. The district also implemented a new K-5 English language arts curriculum based on structured literacy and the science of reading, shifting away from balanced literacy. And for grades K-5, the district transitioned to standards-based grading, which replaces traditional letter grades with a proficiency scale. These changes are recent, and families may want to understand how they are being implemented and how student progress is communicated.
The school building is located on a campus separated from the downtown civic core, which is typical for the district’s elementary schools. Housing in Union, based on area home values and rents, is near the state median, and the local economy shows a moderate cost of living relative to national income levels. The community is car-dependent, with no public transit system, and most travel relies on personal vehicles via US Route 50 and Missouri Route 47.
The data does not include information on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, or staffing levels at Prairie Dell. The school serves only elementary grades, so it has no graduation rate to report. Parents seeking a fuller picture of student support and school climate would need to contact the school directly. Overall, Prairie Dell Elementary serves a growing community with a moderate level of economic diversity, and its academic results suggest areas of relative strength in early math and later elementary reading, alongside softer spots that merit a closer look from prospective families.
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