Summary:
The city of Berkeley, Missouri is home to two elementary schools, Berkeley Elementary School and Holman Elementary, both of which serve students in the Ferguson-Florissant R-II school district. Unfortunately, the data paints a concerning picture, as both schools are consistently underperforming, with low test scores, high chronic absenteeism rates, and low statewide rankings.
Neither Berkeley Elementary nor Holman Elementary appear to be standout schools, as both struggle with very low proficiency rates in core subjects like Mathematics, Science, and English Language Arts across all grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 5.6% of 3rd graders at Berkeley Elementary were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 18.1% in the district and 40.8% statewide. Additionally, both schools have alarmingly high chronic absenteeism rates of 38.7% for the 2023-2024 school year.
Further analysis reveals that the schools serve predominantly low-income student populations, with free and reduced lunch rates exceeding 98% at both Berkeley Elementary and Holman Elementary. Despite the relatively high spending per student, the schools are still struggling to achieve acceptable academic outcomes, suggesting potential issues with resource allocation and utilization. Addressing the chronic absenteeism concerns and implementing targeted interventions may be necessary to improve the educational outcomes for these students.
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