Summary:
The Holden R-III school district in Missouri is home to a single high school, Holden High, which serves students in grades 9-12. While the school has a relatively high four-year graduation rate, it faces several challenges, including lower-than-average academic performance, high chronic absenteeism, and a student population with a high level of economic disadvantage.
Holden High's academic performance, as measured by End of Course (EOC) proficiency rates in subjects like Algebra I, Biology I, and English II, has consistently fallen below the state and district averages over the past two years. The school's statewide ranking has also fluctuated, ranging from 214th out of 378 Missouri high schools in 2023-2024 to 294th out of 367 in 2024-2025, with an overall rating of 2 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger. Additionally, the school's chronic absenteeism rate of 25.1% is significantly higher than the state average, which could be a contributing factor to its lower academic performance.
Despite these challenges, Holden High has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 13.9, and its per-student spending is higher than the state average. However, the school's high percentage of students (42.6%) who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch indicates a significant level of economic disadvantage among the student population, which can impact factors such as access to resources, parental involvement, and overall student well-being. To address these issues, the school and district may need to implement targeted interventions and support systems to improve student outcomes and ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed.
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