Is Central Elementary a good school?

Central Elementary ranks 194 th of 906 Missouri elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Central Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 461 students attended Central Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Central Elementary?

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

What schools do graduates of Central Elementary attend?

Students who attend Central Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : T. S. Hill Middle High : Dexter High

Central Elementary

Summary:

Central Elementary is a public elementary school located in Dexter, Missouri, serving grades 3-5 with a total enrollment of 451 students. It is part of the Dexter R-Xi school district, which is ranked 63 out of 386 districts in Missouri and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Central Elementary consistently performs above the state average in MAP (Missouri Assessment Program) test scores across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's 5th-grade students scored 57.8% proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to the state average of 38.4%. The school's performance in English Language Arts is also noteworthy, with 3rd-grade students scoring 55.6% proficient or better, compared to the state average of 41.6%. Additionally, Central Elementary's performance in Science for 5th-grade students is particularly strong, with 53.4% proficient or better, compared to the state average of 40.8%. The school has a strong track record in supporting various student subgroups, with its Low Socio-Economic Status (SES) students and Special Education students performing exceptionally well compared to state averages.

When compared to nearby schools, Central Elementary's performance is generally stronger than the Southwest Elementary, which is also part of the Dexter R-Xi district. Central Elementary also outperforms Lake Road Elementary in the Poplar Bluff R-I district in English Language Arts, though Lake Road Elementary has higher Mathematics and Science scores. Additionally, Risco Elementary, part of the Risco R-II district, has impressive Mathematics performance, with 4th-grade and 6th-grade students scoring significantly above the state average.

Detail:

Public 3-5

1213 Central Dr
Dexter, MO 63841-1896

(573) 614-1020

District: Dexter R-Xi

SchoolDigger Rank:
194^th of 906 Missouri Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,469

Students who attend Central Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	T. S. Hill Middle
High:	Dexter High

Student/teacher ratio: 12.2

Number of students: 461

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.1%

Hispanic:

5.6%

Two or more races:

2.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 51.6%

See top rated Missouri elementary schools

Compare Central Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Central Elementary ranks better than 78.6% of elementary schools in Missouri. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 75.35. (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 (91.1%), Hispanic (5.6%), two or more races (2.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 51.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Dexter R-Xi School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central Elementary is 12.2, which is the lowest among 3 elementary schools in the Dexter R-Xi School District! (See more...)

Compare Central Elementary employs 37.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central Elementary is $9,469. 1 elementary schools in the Dexter R-Xi School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Central Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Central Elementary 194^th of 906 Missouri public elementary schools. (See Central Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

White students:

Dexter R-Xi:

SchoolDigger ranks Dexter R-Xi 63^rd of 386 Missouri school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Central Elementary?

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Rank History for Central Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2006	50.68	544^th	1074	49.3%
2007	47.65	610^th	1080	43.5%
2008	56.69	447^th	1084	58.8%
2009	54.02	503^rd	1053	52.2%
2010	46.75	621^st	1066	41.7%
2011	46.02	663^rd	1088	39.1%
2012	47.30	647^th	1085	40.4%
2013	54.07	526^th	1108	52.5%
2014	34.44	802^nd	1089	26.4%
2015	46.55	609^th	1058	42.4%
2016	52.12	451^st	865	47.9%
2017	49.05	548^th	1032	46.9%
2018	46.82	560^th	1045	46.4%
2019	51.55	512^th	1052	51.3%
2021	63.06	334^th	901	62.9%
2022	68.50	260^th	908	71.4%
2023	66.56	291^st	898	67.6%
2024	75.35	194^th	906	78.6%

See the entire list of Missouri Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	63.22	20^th	107	81.3%
2024	50.82	41^st	101	59.4%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	37.65	619^th	887	30.2%
2019	55.02	358^th	907	60.5%
2021	73.86	84^th	574	85.4%
2022	77.58	64^th	532	88.0%
2023	73.61	90^th	611	85.3%
2024	81.69	57^th	625	90.9%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	49.42	136^th	251	45.8%
2019	51.06	152^nd	302	49.7%
2021	31.28	61^st	81	24.7%
2022	61.08	32^nd	103	68.9%

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

Rank History for White students at Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	34.93	596^th	898	33.6%
2019	39.96	561^st	917	38.8%
2021	47.65	350^th	691	49.3%
2022	51.94	315^th	675	53.3%
2023	50.17	323^rd	673	52.0%
2024	62.81	231^st	668	65.4%

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 Central 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	521	521
1992	520	0	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	525
1993	514	0	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	516
1994	508	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	508
1995	560	0	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	562
1996	560	0	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	562
1997	523	0	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	527
1998	485	1	2	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	494
1999	489	0	2	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	496
2000	501	0	3	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	510
2001	508	0	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	510
2002	464	1	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	470
2003	464	1	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	470
2004	425	4	1	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	435
2005	443	5	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	453
2006	442	7	0	7	2	n/a	n/a	0	458
2007	456	2	0	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	463
2008	460	2	0	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	468
2009	494	3	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	502
2010	503	7	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	515
2011	478	4	4	6	0	0	0	0	492
2012	454	6	2	7	0	1	1	0	471
2013	460	6	3	9	0	0	0	0	478
2014	473	9	1	7	0	0	1	0	491
2015	466	6	3	4	0	0	7	0	486
2016	472	3	3	8	1	0	6	0	493
2017	491	6	2	6	2	0	6	0	513
2018	459	10	1	13	3	0	3	0	489
2019	426	5	2	12	0	0	9	0	454
2020	428	1	4	13	0	0	9	0	455
2021	421	1	7	15	1	0	14	0	459
2022	434	2	4	18	0	0	15	0	473
2023	412	2	1	20	0	0	16	0	451
2024	420	2	0	26	0	0	13	0	461

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 Central Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	521	29.8	17.4	n/a
1992	525	29.6	17.7	94.9
1993	516	27.5	18.8	95
1994	508	31.6	16.1	94.9
1995	562	35.8	15.7	94.8
1996	562	35.8	15.7	94.8
1997	527	35.5	14.8	34.5
1998	494	35.2	14.0	37.4
1999	496	37.3	13.3	51.2
2000	510	36.4	14.0	49.8
2001	510	37.4	13.6	48.2
2002	470	32.4	14.5	54.3
2003	470	32.4	14.5	54.3
2004	435	31.4	13.9	52
2005	453	30.4	14.9	54.3
2006	458	30.4	15.1	47.2
2007	463	29.4	15.7	46.7
2008	468	33.4	14.0	48.7
2009	502	33.4	15.0	48.6
2010	515	33.4	15.3	48.2
2011	492	32.2	15.2	46.5
2012	471	30.6	15.3	53.3
2013	478	31.7	15.0	55.6
2014	491	32.4	15.1	54.8
2015	486	35.0	13.8	58.6
2016	493	37.0	13.3	54.2
2017	513	34.1	15.0	56.9
2018	489	36.3	13.4	52.1
2019	454	34.8	13.0	54.2
2020	455	35.8	12.6	56.7
2021	459	36.4	12.5	57.1
2022	473	37.5	12.6	50.1
2023	451	36.2	12.4	52.8
2024	461	37.6	12.2	51.6

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 Central Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	521	29.8	17.4	n/a
1992	525	29.6	17.7	94.9
1993	516	27.5	18.8	95
1994	508	31.6	16.1	94.9
1995	562	35.8	15.7	94.8
1996	562	35.8	15.7	94.8
1997	527	35.5	14.8	34.5
1998	494	35.2	14.0	37.4
1999	496	37.3	13.3	51.2
2000	510	36.4	14.0	49.8
2001	510	37.4	13.6	48.2
2002	470	32.4	14.5	54.3
2003	470	32.4	14.5	54.3
2004	435	31.4	13.9	52
2005	453	30.4	14.9	54.3
2006	458	30.4	15.1	47.2
2007	463	29.4	15.7	46.7
2008	468	33.4	14.0	48.7
2009	502	33.4	15.0	48.6
2010	515	33.4	15.3	48.2
2011	492	32.2	15.2	46.5
2012	471	30.6	15.3	53.3
2013	478	31.7	15.0	55.6
2014	491	32.4	15.1	54.8
2015	486	35.0	13.8	58.6
2016	493	37.0	13.3	54.2
2017	513	34.1	15.0	56.9
2018	489	36.3	13.4	52.1
2019	454	34.8	13.0	54.2
2020	455	35.8	12.6	56.7
2021	459	36.4	12.5	57.1
2022	473	37.5	12.6	50.1
2023	451	36.2	12.4	52.8
2024	461	37.6	12.2	51.6

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 Central Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$541 (6.9%)	$7,248 (93.1%)	$7,789
2020	$620 (7.7%)	$7,453 (92.3%)	$8,072
2021	$755 (8.5%)	$8,145 (91.5%)	$8,900
2022	$830 (8.8%)	$8,639 (91.2%)	$9,469

Data source: Missouri Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Central 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 512^th of 1052 Elementary schools	Ranks 291^st of 898 Elementary schools	16.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Central Elementary)	46.2	45.6	0.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Dexter R-Xi)	46.2	45.6	0.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	46	41.1	4.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary)	48.6	39.9	8.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Dexter R-Xi)	48.6	39.9	8.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	48.7	42.4	6.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Central Elementary)	47.2	48.7	1.5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Dexter R-Xi)	47.2	48.7	1.5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	46.8	43.8	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary)	54.1	46.3	7.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Dexter R-Xi)	54.1	46.3	7.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	49.3	45.9	3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Central Elementary)	41.2	55.3	14.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Dexter R-Xi)	41.2	55.3	14.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	40.3	39.1	1.2%
5th Grade Science (Central Elementary)	39.4	49.7	10.3%
5th Grade Science (Dexter R-Xi)	39.4	49.7	10.3%
5th Grade Science (Missouri)	42.5	40.9	1.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary)	46.4	53.4	7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Dexter R-Xi)	46.4	53.4	7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	47.1	44.1	3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	454	451	0.7%
African American	5	2	60%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	1	50%
Hispanic	12	20	66.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	426	412	3.3%
Two or More Races	9	16	77.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	54.2%	52.8%	1.4%

Schools Near Central 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 Science 8th 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	MAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Central Elementary	Public	3-5	1213 Central Dr	Dexter	63841	Stoddard County	Dexter R-Xi	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 614-1020	461	38	12.2	51.6%	420 (91.1%)	2 (0.4%)	26 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.8%)	75.4	194^th of 906 public elementary schools	78.6%		66.6	291^st of 898 public elementary schools	67.6%	97	48.0	48.4	57.8			53.4		55.6	54.3	54.0			$9,469	$831	$8,639
Southwest Elementary	Public	K-2	915 W Grant St	Dexter	63841	Stoddard County	Dexter R-Xi	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 614-1015	474	38	12.4	57.6%	430 (90.7%)	5 (1.1%)	16 (3.4%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (3.8%)								(n/a)													$9,519	$672	$8,847
Southwest Elementary Preschool	Public	PK	915 W.Grant	Dexter	63841	Stoddard County	Dexter R-Xi	No	No	No	No	(573) 614-1015	97	7	13.8	52.6%	88 (90.7%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.1%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.1%)								(n/a)
Bloomfield Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	505 Court St	Bloomfield	63825	Stoddard County	Bloomfield R-XIV	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 568-4562	259	19	13.3	56.0%	247 (95.4%)	1 (0.4%)	5 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.9%)	35.2	606^th of 906 public elementary schools	33.1%		48.6	471^st of 898 public elementary schools	47.6%	135	27.0	36.0						37.9					$10,626	$1,271	$9,355
Bernie Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	121 S Spiker	Bernie	63822	Stoddard County	Bernie R-Xiii	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 293-5335	277	24	11.7	62.8%	239 (86.3%)	3 (1.1%)	14 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (7.2%)	84.7	110^th of 906 public elementary schools	87.9%		74.2	197^th of 898 public elementary schools	78.1%	87	57.5	53.2		88.8		81.0		54.4					$9,508	$1,775	$7,733
Richland Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	24456 State Hwy 114	Essex	63846	Stoddard County	Richland R-I	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 283-5310	146	9	16.8	61.6%	135 (92.5%)	3 (2.1%)	3 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.4%)								(n/a)									90.8				$12,565	$1,332	$11,233
Fisk Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	301 McKinley St	Fisk	63940	Butler County	Twin Rivers R-X	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 967-3607	329	28	11.8	69.9%	293 (89.1%)	4 (1.2%)	6 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (7.3%)	29.1	663^rd of 906 public elementary schools	26.8%		23.4	715^th of 898 public elementary schools	20.4%	52	62.4	38.0	11.2	18.3	64.4	22.4	55.5		28.7		15.2	16.3	$9,642	$1,514	$8,127
Malden Lower Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	601 Burkhart St	Malden	63863	Dunklin County	Malden R-I	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 276-5791	449	37	12.2	100.4%	257 (57.2%)	137 (30.5%)	21 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (7.1%)	26	687^th of 906 public elementary schools	24.2%		25.4	705^th of 898 public elementary schools	21.5%	18	36.3	19.4	16.0			28.1		28.3	41.9	20.0			$11,602	$3,657	$7,944
Puxico Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	481 N Bedford St	Puxico	63960	Stoddard County	Puxico R-VIII	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 222-3542	359	30	11.8	55.7%	347 (96.7%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.1%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.4%)	46.1	497^th of 906 public elementary schools	45.1%		60.1	355^th of 898 public elementary schools	60.5%	142	47.7	58.6	34.8			23.7		30.3		36.4			$9,188	$1,327	$7,861
Risco Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	Hwy 62	Risco	63874	New Madrid County	Risco R-II	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 396-5501	84	11	7.3	64.3%	78 (92.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.6%)	72.6	227^th of 906 public elementary schools	74.9%					(n/a)		73.6		78.8				25.0					$14,274	$1,018	$13,256

Central Elementary

Central Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Dexter R-Xi:

What do you think?

Rank History for Central Elementary

Rank History for all students at Central Elementary

Rank History for Special Education students at Central Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Central Elementary

Rank History for Disabled students at Central Elementary

Rank History for White students at Central Elementary

Enrollment information for Central Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Central Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Central Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Central Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Central Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Central Elementary