Summary:
The city of Smithton, Missouri is home to two schools: Smithton Elementary and Smithton High, both part of the Smithton R-VI school district. While Smithton Elementary has consistently ranked in the lower half of Missouri elementary schools, Smithton High has emerged as a standout institution, ranking 41st out of 361 Missouri high schools in the 2021-2022 school year and earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.
Smithton Elementary faces several challenges, including a chronic absenteeism rate of 16.5% in 2023-2024, which is higher than the state average, and significantly below-average math and English Language Arts proficiency rates across all grade levels. Additionally, 49.5% of Smithton Elementary students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high-need student population. In contrast, Smithton High boasts an impressive 96.0% four-year graduation rate in 2023-2024 and a chronic absenteeism rate matching the elementary school at 16.5%. The high school's math and English Language Arts proficiency rates are mixed, with some grades performing above the state average and others below.
The data analysis reveals a stark contrast in the performance of Smithton Elementary and Smithton High, with the high school emerging as a standout institution in the district. However, both schools face challenges related to chronic absenteeism and serving a high-need student population, which may require targeted interventions and additional resources to address. The slightly higher spending per student at Smithton High ($10,249) compared to Smithton Elementary ($9,850) may contribute to the high school's better performance, but the overall spending levels are still relatively low compared to the state average.
Thank you for your feedback!