The Biome

The Biome is the sole elementary public charter school serving grades K-5 in the The Biome District, which is ranked 366 out of 386 districts in Missouri and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. With a total enrollment of 176 students, The Biome has consistently ranked in the bottom 20% of Missouri elementary schools over the past three school years, with rankings between 752 and 802 out of around 900 schools. The school has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating below-average performance compared to other Missouri elementary schools.

Academically, The Biome struggles, with proficiency rates on the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) tests significantly lower than the state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 32% of 3rd-grade students were proficient or better in mathematics, compared to the state average of 40.8%. The school's lowest proficiency rate was in 4th-grade mathematics, where only 3.8% of students were proficient or better, compared to the state average of 44.4%. Additionally, The Biome had a chronic absenteeism rate of 47.5% in the 2023-2024 school year, which is extremely high and likely a contributing factor to the school's low academic performance.

Despite having a relatively low student-to-teacher ratio of 8.3 to 1 and a per-student spending of $17,859 for the 2021-2022 school year, which is higher than the state average, The Biome continues to struggle. The school serves a high-needs student population, with 59.66% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year. Addressing the root causes of the school's challenges, such as chronic absenteeism and the unique needs of its high-poverty student population, will be crucial for improving student outcomes and the school's overall performance.