Summary:
The University City school district in Missouri contains 4 elementary schools serving students from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade. Based on the available data, Flynn Park Elementary stands out as the highest performing school in the district, with the strongest academic proficiency rates and the highest statewide ranking. In contrast, Pershing Elementary appears to be the weakest performer, with very low proficiency levels and the lowest statewide ranking among the 4 schools.
The data reveals significant challenges facing the University City school district as a whole. All 4 elementary schools have extremely high rates of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating high levels of economic disadvantage. Additionally, the chronic absenteeism rates across the district are more than double the state average, which is likely a major contributor to the low academic performance seen in these schools.
While the University City elementary schools spend more per student than the state average and have relatively small class sizes, the data shows a concerning trend of declining performance over the past 3 years. This suggests the district is struggling to provide equitable educational opportunities and keep pace with improvements seen in other Missouri elementary schools. Addressing the attendance issues and targeting interventions to support the high-poverty student populations will be critical for the district to improve academic outcomes.
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