Dallas County R-I

The Dallas County R-I school district in Missouri consists of three schools: Mallory Elementary, Buffalo High, and Buffalo Middle. These schools serve students from elementary through high school grades and are located in a predominantly white, economically disadvantaged area.

Among the three schools, Buffalo Middle School stands out as the top performer, outpacing the district and state averages in Mathematics proficiency for grades 5 and 7. It also ranks 229 out of 459 Missouri middle schools, the highest ranking among the three schools, and has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 12.8, which may contribute to its stronger academic performance. In contrast, Mallory Elementary struggles with low proficiency rates in Mathematics and English Language Arts, significantly below the state averages, and has a relatively low spending per student at $9,609, which may impact its academic performance.

The data also reveals significant racial and socioeconomic homogeneity across the Dallas County R-I district, with all three schools having a majority white student population and high rates of free and reduced lunch recipients, indicating a significant population of economically disadvantaged students. These disparities in academic performance and resource allocation raise questions about equity and access to quality education within the district, and further investigation may be needed to address these challenges and ensure that all students have equal opportunities to succeed.