Houston R-I

The Houston R-I school district in Missouri operates 4 schools, including 1 elementary school, 1 middle school, 1 high school, and 1 alternative school. While the district faces some academic challenges, with overall performance below state averages, there are also pockets of strength and improvement worth noting.

Houston High School stands out as the top-performing school in the district, ranking 147 out of 367 Missouri high schools and earning a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school maintains a strong 95.2% four-year graduation rate and performs relatively well on state assessments, with 54.3% of students proficient or better in English II and 43.8% in Biology I. Houston Elementary School also shows promise, moving up from a 1-star to a 2-star rating over the past three years and exceeding the state average in 4th-grade math proficiency.

However, the district as a whole faces significant challenges, with most schools performing below state averages on state assessments. Chronic absenteeism rates are high across all schools, ranging from 16%, which likely contributes to the overall academic performance. Additionally, the district serves a relatively high proportion of economically disadvantaged students, with free and reduced-price lunch rates ranging from 31.58% to 58.54%. Addressing these equity issues and developing strategies to improve attendance and engagement could be key priorities for the Houston R-I school district moving forward.