Valley Park Middle, Valley Park MO

Original Research by School Decision on Valley Park Middle

Valley Park Middle serves grades six through eight as a regular public school in the small St. Louis County city of the same name. The school’s enrollment is small for a middle school, and the student body is majority white, with a substantial share of students who identify as Black or Hispanic. A notable portion of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Data on special education and English learner populations was not reported, so a parent with specific support needs may want to ask the school directly.

On the state’s MAP assessments, Valley Park Middle’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint among the county’s districts, a solid position. The school’s pattern across subjects and grades is mixed. In English language arts, proficiency rates rise from sixth to eighth grade, with eighth graders reaching the highest mark. In math, seventh graders perform the strongest, while sixth graders fall in the middle and eighth graders show the lowest proficiency of any tested group. This drop in math performance at the end of middle school is a soft spot a parent may want to look into further with the school. Science, tested only in eighth grade, lands at a moderate level.

The school does not offer programs that would generate a graduation rate, and no data on course access, staffing, discipline, or attendance was available. These are meaningful gaps, especially for a family evaluating academic supports or school climate. The district brief identified no recent changes, referendums, or curriculum shifts, so the basic educational landscape appears stable.

Valley Park itself is a compact city along the Meramec River, shaped by its railroad and industrial history. It has a mix of residential neighborhoods, freight rail lines, highway access via I-44, and several parks and trails. The housing market in St. Louis County shows a modest decline in median listing prices over the past year, with homes remaining affordable relative to national averages. The school draws primarily from within the city, though some portions of Valley Park fall into nearby districts. The library and local parks serve as community anchors.

For a family, this school offers a small setting where overall state test results are a bit above the county middle, with more consistency in English than in math. The variation in eighth-grade math is worth watching. The community is compact and mature, not experiencing rapid growth, and the district appears stable with no major recent changes. A parent considering this school may want to visit, ask about math support for eighth graders, and learn about special education and English learner services if those apply to their child.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 642%

School 42% · District 42%

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 752%

School 52% · District 52%

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 830%

School 30% · District 30%

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 644%

School 44% · District 44%

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 746%

School 46% · District 46%

▲ 11 pts above state median · even with county median

Grade 854%

School 54% · District 54%

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Science

Grade 849%

School 49% · District 49%

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

This schoolVALLEY PARK, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income27%Higher-income52%24 pp gap