Is Athena Elementary a good school?

Athena Elementary ranks 204 th of 906 Missouri elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Athena Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 477 students attended Athena Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Athena Elementary?

Students at Athena Elementary are 91% White, 6% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Athena Elementary attend?

Students who attend Athena Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Desoto Junior High High : Desoto Senior High

Athena Elementary

Summary:

Athena Elementary is a public elementary school located in De Soto, Missouri, serving grades K-6 with a student population of 489. The school is part of the Desoto 73 school district, which is ranked 47th out of 386 districts in Missouri and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Athena Elementary has shown steady improvement in its statewide ranking over the past few years, moving from the bottom quarter of Missouri elementary schools in 2014-2015 to the top quarter in 2023-2024. The school's performance on MAP (Missouri Assessment Program) tests is generally on par with or better than the Desoto 73 district and the state of Missouri averages, particularly in mathematics. Athena Elementary has a strong performance among its low socioeconomic status (SES) students, ranking in the top 11% of Missouri elementary schools for this subgroup in 2023-2024. However, the school has experienced relatively high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 20.3% to 25.0% over the past few years, which is higher than the state average.

In comparison to nearby schools, Vineland Elementary, another school in the Desoto 73 district, has generally outperformed Athena Elementary on MAP test scores, particularly in mathematics, but has a similar chronic absenteeism rate. Pevely Elementary, in the Dunklin R-V district, has significantly lower MAP test scores compared to Athena Elementary and the state averages, despite being a larger school. Grandview Elementary, in the Grandview R-II district, has impressive MAP test scores, particularly in mathematics, but has a much lower chronic absenteeism rate than Athena Elementary.

Detail:

Public K-6

3775 Athena School Rd
De Soto, MO 63020-4588

(636) 586-1020

District: Desoto 73

SchoolDigger Rank:
204^th of 906 Missouri Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,099

Students who attend Athena Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Desoto Junior High
High:	Desoto Senior High

Student/teacher ratio: 10.3

Number of students: 477

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.0%

Two or more races:

5.7%

Hispanic:

2.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 52.4%

See top rated Missouri elementary schools

Compare Athena Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Athena Elementary ranks better than 77.5% of elementary schools in Missouri. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 74.1. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (91%), two or more races (5.7%), Hispanic (2.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 52.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Desoto 73 School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Athena Elementary is 10.3, which is the lowest among 3 elementary schools in the Desoto 73 School District! (See more...)

Compare Athena Elementary employs 45.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Athena Elementary is $11,099, which is the highest among 3 elementary schools in the Desoto 73 School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Athena Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Athena Elementary 204^th of 906 Missouri public elementary schools. (See Athena Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

White students:

Desoto 73:

SchoolDigger ranks Desoto 73 47^th of 386 Missouri school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Athena Elementary?

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Rank History for Athena Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Athena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2006	46.19	620^th	1074	42.3%
2007	47.66	609^th	1080	43.6%
2008	50.36	559^th	1084	48.4%
2009	57.12	448^th	1053	57.5%
2010	52.59	541^st	1066	49.2%
2011	42.78	709^th	1088	34.8%
2012	42.98	698^th	1085	35.7%
2013	41.79	736^th	1108	33.6%
2014	43.11	682^nd	1089	37.4%
2015	35.26	768^th	1058	27.4%
2016	38.84	577^th	865	33.3%
2017	38.90	667^th	1032	35.4%
2018	36.25	698^th	1045	33.2%
2019	31.98	762^nd	1052	27.6%
2021	47.18	491^st	901	45.5%
2022	51.97	436^th	908	52.0%
2023	65.09	303^rd	898	66.3%
2024	74.10	204^th	906	77.5%

See the entire list of Missouri Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Athena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	46.39	489^th	887	44.9%
2019	38.59	615^th	907	32.2%
2021	45.21	289^th	574	49.7%
2022	44.99	266^th	532	50.0%
2023	59.92	186^th	611	69.6%
2024	78.82	68^th	625	89.1%

See the entire list of Best Missouri Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Athena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	50.17	133^rd	251	47.0%
2019	53.98	139^th	302	54.0%

See the entire list of Best Missouri Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for White students at Athena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	24.95	739^th	898	17.7%
2019	20.82	803^rd	917	12.4%
2021	34.74	462^nd	691	33.1%
2022	37.03	452^nd	675	33.0%
2023	48.53	333^rd	673	50.5%
2024	58.77	259^th	668	61.2%

See the entire list of Best Missouri Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Enrollment information for Athena Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	808	808
1992	832	3	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	836
1993	776	2	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	779
1994	759	2	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	762
1995	702	3	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	706
1996	702	3	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	706
1997	753	4	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	760
1998	731	4	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	739
1999	742	2	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	747
2000	713	0	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	716
2001	707	0	2	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	712
2002	663	2	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	670
2003	663	2	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	670
2004	647	6	3	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	661
2005	625	4	4	8	2	n/a	n/a	0	643
2006	642	2	4	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	656
2007	621	5	2	6	4	n/a	n/a	0	638
2008	638	3	5	6	3	n/a	n/a	0	655
2009	647	3	8	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	665
2010	682	5	4	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	699
2011	691	3	6	1	0	0	0	0	701
2012	704	8	3	6	0	0	1	0	722
2013	651	8	1	13	1	0	5	0	679
2014	641	5	1	12	1	0	4	0	664
2015	637	5	0	14	1	0	6	0	663
2016	570	13	0	16	2	0	5	0	606
2017	576	8	0	12	2	1	3	0	602
2018	519	6	0	12	2	1	4	0	544
2019	500	5	0	12	2	0	12	0	531
2020	488	4	0	8	2	0	11	0	513
2021	461	5	0	8	0	0	15	0	489
2022	472	4	0	9	0	0	26	0	511
2023	444	5	0	11	0	0	29	0	489
2024	434	4	0	12	0	0	27	0	477

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Athena Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	808	37.6	21.4	n/a
1992	836	38.1	21.9	30.3
1993	779	39.6	19.7	27.1
1994	762	43.1	17.7	31.5
1995	706	45.5	15.5	37.1
1996	706	45.5	15.5	37.1
1997	760	46.0	16.5	27.8
1998	739	46.0	16.1	30.2
1999	747	48.0	15.6	37.2
2000	716	81.1	8.8	38.7
2001	712	79.7	8.9	29.5
2002	670	44.7	15.0	33.6
2003	670	44.7	15.0	33.6
2004	661	47.8	13.8	42.7
2005	643	46.8	13.7	43.7
2006	656	46.5	14.1	43.6
2007	638	45.0	14.2	46.1
2008	655	45.9	14.3	44.3
2009	665	47.0	14.1	47.1
2010	699	47.2	14.7	51.1
2011	701	47.4	14.7	51.6
2012	722	48.1	15.0	57.1
2013	679	49.2	13.8	63.6
2014	664	48.4	13.7	63.1
2015	663	49.0	13.5	63.5
2016	606	46.0	13.1	55.3
2017	602	44.5	13.5	61
2018	544	43.5	12.5	60.5
2019	531	40.9	12.9	54
2020	513	38.7	13.2	54.4
2021	489	36.6	13.3	52.1
2022	511	39.8	12.8	45.6
2023	489	44.1	11.0	45.4
2024	477	45.8	10.3	52.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Athena Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	808	37.6	21.4	n/a
1992	836	38.1	21.9	30.3
1993	779	39.6	19.7	27.1
1994	762	43.1	17.7	31.5
1995	706	45.5	15.5	37.1
1996	706	45.5	15.5	37.1
1997	760	46.0	16.5	27.8
1998	739	46.0	16.1	30.2
1999	747	48.0	15.6	37.2
2000	716	81.1	8.8	38.7
2001	712	79.7	8.9	29.5
2002	670	44.7	15.0	33.6
2003	670	44.7	15.0	33.6
2004	661	47.8	13.8	42.7
2005	643	46.8	13.7	43.7
2006	656	46.5	14.1	43.6
2007	638	45.0	14.2	46.1
2008	655	45.9	14.3	44.3
2009	665	47.0	14.1	47.1
2010	699	47.2	14.7	51.1
2011	701	47.4	14.7	51.6
2012	722	48.1	15.0	57.1
2013	679	49.2	13.8	63.6
2014	664	48.4	13.7	63.1
2015	663	49.0	13.5	63.5
2016	606	46.0	13.1	55.3
2017	602	44.5	13.5	61
2018	544	43.5	12.5	60.5
2019	531	40.9	12.9	54
2020	513	38.7	13.2	54.4
2021	489	36.6	13.3	52.1
2022	511	39.8	12.8	45.6
2023	489	44.1	11.0	45.4
2024	477	45.8	10.3	52.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Athena Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$696 (6.6%)	$9,864 (93.4%)	$10,559
2020	$874 (8.7%)	$9,185 (91.3%)	$10,058
2021	$2,031 (20.0%)	$8,136 (80.0%)	$10,167
2022	$2,244 (20.2%)	$8,855 (79.8%)	$11,099

Data source: Missouri Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Athena Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 762^nd of 1052 Elementary schools	Ranks 303^rd of 898 Elementary schools	38.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Athena Elementary)	48.8	81	32.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Desoto 73)	44.3	76.8	32.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	46	41.1	4.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Athena Elementary)	47.6	61.9	14.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Desoto 73)	40.2	60.6	20.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	48.7	42.4	6.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Athena Elementary)	35.3	49.2	13.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Desoto 73)	41.1	61.2	20.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	46.8	43.8	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Athena Elementary)	36.2	49.3	13.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Desoto 73)	39.3	44.7	5.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	49.3	44.3	5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Athena Elementary)	18	47.8	29.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Desoto 73)	34.4	37.2	2.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	40.3	39.1	1.2%
5th Grade Science (Athena Elementary)	29.5	55	25.5%
5th Grade Science (Desoto 73)	45	50	5%
5th Grade Science (Missouri)	42.5	40.9	1.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Athena Elementary)	32.1	44.9	12.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Desoto 73)	37.3	43.6	6.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	47.1	44.1	3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Athena Elementary)	42.9	35.5	7.4%
6th Grade Mathematics (Desoto 73)	40.4	50.9	10.5%
6th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	42.5	43.7	1.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Athena Elementary)	30.6	27.8	2.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Desoto 73)	34.7	33.6	1.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	45.9	37.5	8.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	531	489	7.9%
African American	5	5
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	12	11	8.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	500	444	11.2%
Two or More Races	12	29	141.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	54%	45.4%	8.7%

Schools Near Athena Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MAP Mathematics (2024)					MAP Science (2024)	MAP English Language Arts (2024)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MAP Science 5th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Athena Elementary	Public	K-6	3775 Athena School Rd	De Soto	63020	Jefferson County	Desoto 73	No	No	No	Yes	(636) 586-1020	477	46	10.3	52.4%	434 (91.0%)	4 (0.8%)	12 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.7%)	74.1	204^th of 906 public elementary schools	77.5%		65.1	303^rd of 898 public elementary schools	66.3%	99	60.2	55.3	48.3	50.0		50.8	53.5	52.3	48.2	42.5	$11,099	$2,244	$8,855
Vineland Elementary	Public	K-6	650 Vineland School Rd	De Soto	63020	Jefferson County	Desoto 73	No	No	No	Yes	(636) 586-1010	639	56	11.3	55.1%	582 (91.1%)	6 (0.9%)	18 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	31 (4.9%)	67.7	275^th of 906 public elementary schools	69.6%		72.6	211^th of 898 public elementary schools	76.5%	64	66.9	78.4	33.9	49.3		44.6	51.1	61.9	41.4	28.3	$11,038	$2,364	$8,674
Early Childhood Center	Public	PK	1812 Rock Rd	De Soto	63020	Jefferson County	Desoto 73	No	No	No	No	(636) 586-1040	150	10	15.0	52.7%	144 (96.0%)	2 (1.3%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Plattin Primary	Public	K-2	2400 R7 School Rd	Festus	63028	Jefferson County	Jefferson County R-Vii	No	No	No	Yes	(636) 937-7170	219	19	11.7	29.2%	207 (94.5%)	1 (0.5%)	5 (2.3%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.3%)								(n/a)											$10,701	$1,090	$9,611
Sunrise Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	4485 Sunrise School Rd	De Soto	63020	Jefferson County	Sunrise R-Ix	No	No	No	Yes	(636) 586-6660	316	30	10.7	47.2%	296 (93.7%)	10 (3.2%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.2%)	49.8	454^th of 906 public elementary schools	49.9%		53.6	412^th of 898 public elementary schools	54.1%	42		29.3	25.7	48.7	34.9					43.8	$10,912	$871	$10,040
Festus Early Childhood Center	Public	PK	821 American Legion Dr	Festus	63028	Jefferson County	Festus R-VI	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(636) 465-0395	100	6	16.6	30.0%	84 (84.0%)	3 (3.0%)	6 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (7.0%)								(n/a)
Telegraph Intermediate	Public	3-5	1265 Dooling Hollow Rd	Festus	63028	Jefferson County	Jefferson County R-Vii	No	No	No	No	(636) 937-6530	231	17	13.7	26.8%	217 (93.9%)	2 (0.9%)	4 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.5%)	76.8	178^th of 906 public elementary schools	80.4%		53.7	410^th of 898 public elementary schools	54.3%	232	46.0	60.7	53.0			61.7	47.3		54.3		$12,061	$762	$11,299
Jefferson R-Vii Preschool	Public	PK	1265 Dooling Hollow Rd.	Festus	63028	Jefferson County	Jefferson County R-Vii	No	No	No	No	(636) 937-6530	68	3	22.6	16.2%	63 (92.6%)	1 (1.5%)	1 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (4.4%)								(n/a)
Festus Elementary	Public	K-3	1500 Mid-Meadow Ln	Festus	63028	Jefferson County	Festus R-VI	No	No	No	Yes	(636) 937-4063	1,042	70	14.9	35.8%	947 (90.9%)	23 (2.2%)	15 (1.4%)	11 (1.1%)	5 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (3.9%)								(n/a)	68.0						61.8				$9,459	$313	$9,147
Crystal City Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	600 Mississippi	Crystal City	63019	Jefferson County	Crystal City 47	No	No	No	Yes	(636) 937-4411	323	28	11.4	45.8%	273 (84.5%)	33 (10.2%)	13 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	67	282^nd of 906 public elementary schools	68.9%		60.6	349^th of 898 public elementary schools	61.1%	67	47.1	53.1					47.2				$12,579	$3,867	$8,712

Athena Elementary

Athena Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Desoto 73:

What do you think?

Rank History for Athena Elementary

Rank History for all students at Athena Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Athena Elementary

Rank History for Disabled students at Athena Elementary

Rank History for White students at Athena Elementary

Enrollment information for Athena Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Athena Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Athena Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Athena Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Athena Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Athena Elementary