Summary:
The Clark County R-I school district in Missouri is home to two elementary schools: Black Hawk Elementary and Running Fox Elementary. While both schools serve a high percentage of students from low-income families, their academic performance and rankings show notable differences.
Running Fox Elementary has consistently outperformed Black Hawk Elementary on statewide rankings, reaching as high as 93rd out of over 1,000 Missouri elementary schools and earning a 5-star rating. In contrast, Black Hawk Elementary has ranked in the 500s and received a 2-star rating. Additionally, Running Fox Elementary has higher proficiency rates in mathematics for 5th-grade students compared to the district and state averages, while Black Hawk Elementary has lower proficiency rates in English Language Arts for 3rd and 5th-grade students.
Despite the performance gap, both schools face similar challenges, such as high rates of free or reduced-price lunch eligibility and chronic absenteeism. The higher spending per student at Black Hawk Elementary does not appear to be translating into better academic results, suggesting that factors beyond just funding may be at play. The smaller size and lower student-teacher ratio at Running Fox Elementary may be contributing to its stronger performance, but further analysis would be needed to confirm this.
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