The reported proficiency rate for English language arts is 43%.
Original Research by School Decision on Fatima High
Fatima High is a regular public school serving seventh through twelfth grade in Westphalia, a very small rural town in Osage County with a strong German Catholic heritage that shapes its identity. The school is part of the Osage County R-III district. Enrollment is modest for a secondary school spanning six grade levels, with the upper grades each drawing larger numbers than the two middle-school grades. The student body is overwhelmingly White, reflecting the demographics of the surrounding area, with only a handful of students identifying as another race or ethnicity. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is below what is typical in many rural Missouri districts.
State testing data for Fatima High is limited. In the most recent assessment year, proficiency results across nearly all tested subjects and grades were suppressed, meaning the state did not release them for public reporting. The one result that was reported came from seventh-grade English language arts, where a little over two in five students scored at the proficient or advanced level. No other tested subject or grade had a reported figure. For math, eighth-grade ELA, and eighth-grade science, the state did not publish results. Because suppression can happen for a variety of reasons, including small group sizes, a parent should ask the school directly what the full picture of student performance looks like.
Among the districts in Osage County that had reported data, Fatima High’s overall proficiency index, which averages the available scores across subjects and grades, sits above the midpoint of the county. That position is based on slim information, only one reported rate, so it should be interpreted cautiously. No graduation rate data was available, nor were figures on chronic absenteeism, so it is not possible to assess how many students finish high school on time or how regularly students attend. Those are common measures a family would want to look into further with the school.
The school operates in a town that has grown modestly over the past decade and has invested in infrastructure such as a public sewer system and a planning and zoning code. Westphalia’s median household income is notably high for rural Missouri, which aligns with the school’s relatively low proportion of students qualifying for meal assistance. The town is compact, with civic and religious life concentrated along Main Street, and Fatima High sits within that same small footprint. US Route 63 connects Westphalia to Jefferson City, about a short drive to the northwest, which is the metropolitan anchor for employment and services.
No information was available on course offerings such as Advanced Placement, dual credit, career and technical education pathways, or extracurricular programs. Discipline data, staffing ratios, and attendance rates were also absent from the data provided. For a school serving a full secondary grade range, those details matter for assessing academic depth and student support. A parent considering Fatima High would want to ask the district or school office for specifics on what courses are available, how the school supports students who need extra help, and what the school’s track record is for graduating its seniors.
What is clear is that Fatima High serves a small, close-knit community with low poverty by rural standards and a strong local identity. The academic picture is incomplete, with only one state test result available and no graduation or attendance metrics. Those gaps make it difficult to draw firm conclusions about the quality of instruction or student outcomes, and a family would be wise to visit, talk to current students and parents, and request the school’s own reporting.
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