Middle Schools in St. Joseph

The middle schools in St. Joseph, Missouri serve students in grades 6-8 and include 4 schools: Bode Middle, Truman Middle, Spring Garden Middle, and Robidoux Middle. The data reveals significant disparities in academic performance, with Bode Middle consistently outperforming the other schools and the district and state averages.

Bode Middle stands out with the highest statewide school ranking, the best test scores, and the highest proficiency rates in English Language Arts compared to the other schools and the St. Joseph and Missouri averages. In contrast, the majority of the schools have extremely high percentages of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch, indicating they serve predominantly low-income communities, which likely presents unique challenges and resource needs.

Across all 4 schools, there are concerns about high chronic absenteeism rates, which are significantly higher than the state average. This may be a contributing factor to the overall academic performance of the schools. Addressing attendance issues could be a key focus area for improvement. The data provides an opportunity to identify the specific strengths and weaknesses of each school and develop targeted interventions to address their unique needs.