Danby-Rush Tower Middle

Q: Is Danby-Rush Tower Middle a good school?

Danby-Rush Tower Middle ranks 97 th of 459 Missouri middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Danby-Rush Tower Middle is a public middle school located in Festus, Missouri, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 241 students. The school is part of the Festus R-VI district, which is ranked 73 out of 376 districts in Missouri and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Danby-Rush Tower Middle stands out for its strong academic performance, consistently ranking in the top 25% of Missouri middle schools over the past six years. The school's students excel in Algebra I, with 95.2% proficient or better in 2022-2023, far exceeding the state and district averages. In English Language Arts, 52.2% of 7th-grade students were proficient or better, compared to the state average of 37.3%. Danby-Rush Tower Middle also benefits from a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 12.7, lower than the surrounding schools, and the highest spending per student among the analyzed schools at $12,294 per student in 2021-2022.

While Danby-Rush Tower Middle's academic performance is impressive, the school's racial makeup is less diverse compared to the surrounding area. The school has a significantly higher percentage of white students (94.19%) than the nearby Festus Middle (85.69%) and Antonia Middle School (94.94%), which demonstrate more racial diversity. Additionally, Danby-Rush Tower Middle serves a more affluent student population, with a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (25.31%) compared to the surrounding schools.

Detail:

Public 6-8

1250 Dooling Hollow Rd
Festus, MO 63028-4276

(636) 937-9188

District: Jefferson County R-Vii

SchoolDigger Rank:
97^th of 459 Missouri Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,294

Students who attend Danby-Rush Tower Middle usually attend:

High:

Jefferson High School

Feeder schools for Danby-Rush Tower Middle:

Elementary:	Plattin Primary
	Telegraph Intermediate

Student/teacher ratio: 12.7

Number of students: 241

Racial breakdown:

White:

94.2%

Hispanic:

2.5%

Two or more races:

2.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 25.3%

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Compare Danby-Rush Tower Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Danby-Rush Tower Middle ranks better than 78.9% of middle schools in Missouri. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 71.54. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a high 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 (94.2%), Hispanic (2.5%), two or more races (2.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 25.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Danby-Rush Tower Middle is 12.7. (See more...)

Compare Danby-Rush Tower Middle employs 18.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Danby-Rush Tower Middle is $12,294.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Danby-Rush Tower Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Danby-Rush Tower Middle 97^th of 459 Missouri public middle schools. (See Danby-Rush Tower Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

Jefferson County R-Vii:

SchoolDigger ranks Jefferson County R-Vii 73^rd of 376 Missouri school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Danby-Rush Tower Middle.

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Rank History for Danby-Rush Tower Middle

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Rank History for all students at Danby-Rush Tower Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2006	68.99	119^th	619	80.8%
2007	57.51	242^nd	624	61.2%
2008	71.29	109^th	624	82.5%
2009	70.72	133^rd	601	77.9%
2010	72.88	118^th	614	80.8%
2011	70.76	139^th	625	77.8%
2012	69.44	148^th	623	76.2%
2013	70.42	133^rd	649	79.5%
2014	61.97	231^st	633	63.5%
2015	51.08	274^th	585	53.2%
2016	59.91	156^th	435	64.1%
2017	59.54	207^th	568	63.6%
2018	51.85	255^th	552	53.8%
2019	68.01	131^st	587	77.7%
2021	77.57	74^th	454	83.7%
2022	70.06	108^th	459	76.5%
2023	71.54	97^th	459	78.9%

See the entire list of Missouri Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Danby-Rush Tower Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	53.67	164^th	422	61.1%
2019	71.29	72^nd	482	85.1%
2021	43.09	217^th	371	41.5%

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

Rank History for White students at Danby-Rush Tower Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	40.20	288^th	479	39.9%
2019	58.43	168^th	527	68.1%
2021	67.76	92^nd	376	75.5%
2022	59.13	127^th	381	66.7%
2023	61.96	120^th	385	68.8%

See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle 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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Entire district run by the "good ole boy" system. Do not buy a home in this district if you want your children to succeed, especially if you have a special needs child. Chrome books always always broken and children have to share. Not all children are held to the same standards. Not diverse AT ALL. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Danby-Rush Tower Middle

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1997	243	1	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	249
1998	271	1	4	1	0	n/a	n/a	277
1999	267	1	4	1	1	n/a	n/a	274
2000	232	1	3	2	1	n/a	n/a	239
2001	224	2	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	230
2002	249	2	2	3	1	n/a	n/a	257
2003	249	2	2	3	1	n/a	n/a	257
2004	247	3	2	1	1	n/a	n/a	254
2005	238	1	3	0	1	n/a	n/a	243
2006	231	2	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	236
2007	228	1	6	0	0	n/a	n/a	235
2008	242	1	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	247
2009	243	0	2	0	1	n/a	n/a	246
2010	258	1	2	0	1	n/a	n/a	262
2011	242	1	3	0	1	0	0	247
2012	230	5	3	0	0	0	1	239
2013	221	5	2	1	0	0	2	231
2014	218	8	3	3	0	0	3	235
2015	222	7	1	3	0	0	2	235
2016	224	6	4	3	0	0	6	243
2017	216	5	2	6	1	0	5	235
2018	216	4	2	7	1	0	5	235
2019	220	5	1	10	1	0	4	241
2020	234	4	3	11	0	0	4	256
2021	226	4	2	6	0	0	9	247
2022	234	4	0	7	0	0	4	249
2023	227	2	0	6	0	1	5	241

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 Danby-Rush Tower Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1997	249	17.9	13.9	15.7
1998	277	19.0	14.6	10.5
1999	274	15.7	17.5	20.8
2000	239	20.0	12.0	20.9
2001	230	20.2	11.4	15.2
2002	257	20.1	12.8	21.4
2003	257	20.1	12.8	21.4
2004	254	19.9	12.8	20.5
2005	243	15.0	16.2	18.5
2006	236	16.0	14.8	19.5
2007	235	14.9	15.8	23.4
2008	247	17.7	14.0	24.7
2009	246	20.1	12.2	24
2010	262	19.8	13.1	28.6
2011	247	17.9	13.7	34.8
2012	239	18.2	13.1	35.6
2013	231	17.8	12.9	33.8
2014	235	17.4	13.4	31.9
2015	235	17.0	13.8	28.1
2016	243	19.0	12.7	30.5
2017	235	18.9	12.3	28.9
2018	235	17.4	13.4	26.8
2019	241	17.9	13.4	29
2020	256	21.0	12.1	31.6
2021	247	20.0	12.3	19
2022	249	18.9	13.1	17.7
2023	241	18.9	12.7	25.3

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 Danby-Rush Tower Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1997	249	17.9	13.9	15.7
1998	277	19.0	14.6	10.5
1999	274	15.7	17.5	20.8
2000	239	20.0	12.0	20.9
2001	230	20.2	11.4	15.2
2002	257	20.1	12.8	21.4
2003	257	20.1	12.8	21.4
2004	254	19.9	12.8	20.5
2005	243	15.0	16.2	18.5
2006	236	16.0	14.8	19.5
2007	235	14.9	15.8	23.4
2008	247	17.7	14.0	24.7
2009	246	20.1	12.2	24
2010	262	19.8	13.1	28.6
2011	247	17.9	13.7	34.8
2012	239	18.2	13.1	35.6
2013	231	17.8	12.9	33.8
2014	235	17.4	13.4	31.9
2015	235	17.0	13.8	28.1
2016	243	19.0	12.7	30.5
2017	235	18.9	12.3	28.9
2018	235	17.4	13.4	26.8
2019	241	17.9	13.4	29
2020	256	21.0	12.1	31.6
2021	247	20.0	12.3	19
2022	249	18.9	13.1	17.7
2023	241	18.9	12.7	25.3

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 Danby-Rush Tower Middle

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$222 (2.2%)	$9,768 (97.8%)	$9,990
2020	$157 (1.4%)	$11,243 (98.6%)	$11,400
2021	$472 (4.1%)	$11,123 (95.9%)	$11,595
2022	$285 (2.3%)	$12,009 (97.7%)	$12,294

Data source: Missouri Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Danby-Rush Tower Middle

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 131^st of 587 Middle schools	Ranks 97^th of 459 Middle schools	1.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Danby-Rush Tower Middle)	46.9	34.6	12.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Jefferson County R-Vii)	46.9	34.6	12.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	42.5	43.7	1.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Danby-Rush Tower Middle)	58	39.5	18.5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Jefferson County R-Vii)	58	39.5	18.5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	45.9	37.5	8.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Danby-Rush Tower Middle)	38.5	50.7	12.2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Jefferson County R-Vii)	38.5	50.7	12.2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	38	39.5	1.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Danby-Rush Tower Middle)	46.6	52.2	5.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Jefferson County R-Vii)	46.6	52.2	5.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	43.6	37.3	6.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Danby-Rush Tower Middle)	41.7	40	1.7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Jefferson County R-Vii)	41.7	40	1.7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	29	31.8	2.8%
8th Grade Science (Danby-Rush Tower Middle)	55.6	51.8	3.8%
8th Grade Science (Jefferson County R-Vii)	55.6	51.8	3.8%
8th Grade Science (Missouri)	43.7	37.8	5.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Danby-Rush Tower Middle)	54.2	47.1	7.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Jefferson County R-Vii)	54.2	47.1	7.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	47.3	42.5	4.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	241	241
African American	5	2	60%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	10	6	40%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	220	227	3.2%
Two or More Races	4	5	25%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	29%	25.3%	3.7%

Schools Near Danby-Rush Tower Middle

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				MAP Mathematics (2023)					MAP Science (2023)		MAP English Language Arts (2023)					MAP Algebra I (2023)	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 (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MAP Science 5th Grade	MAP Science 8th 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	MAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	MAP Algebra I End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Danby-Rush Tower Middle	Public	6-8	1250 Dooling Hollow Rd	Festus	63028	Jefferson County	Jefferson County R-Vii	No	No	No	No	(636) 937-9188	241	19	12.7	25.3%	227 (94.2%)	2 (0.8%)	6 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	5 (2.1%)	71.5	97^th of 459 public middle schools	78.9%		70.1	108^th of 459 public middle schools	76.5%	11			34.6	50.7			51.8			39.5	52.2		95.2	$12,294	$285	$12,009
Festus Middle	Public	7-8	1717 W Main	Festus	63028	Jefferson County	Festus R-VI	No	No	No	No	(636) 937-5417	552	30	18.2	40.9%	473 (85.7%)	19 (3.4%)	12 (2.2%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (8.0%)	84	50^th of 459 public middle schools	89.1%		89.9	24^th of 459 public middle schools	94.8%	26				65.8	25.7		57.9				53.1	58.9	92.1	$9,646	$807	$8,839
Festus Intermediate	Public	4-6	1501 Mid-Meadow Ln	Festus	63028	Jefferson County	Festus R-VI	No	No	No	Yes	(636) 937-4750	745	40	18.7	40.0%	647 (86.8%)	19 (2.6%)	20 (2.7%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (7.4%)								(n/a)	68.4	62.9	59.3			60.9		75.7	73.8	51.7				$8,496	$756	$7,740
Senn-Thomas Middle	Public	6-8	200 Senn Thomas Dr	Herculaneum	63048	Jefferson County	Dunklin R-V	No	No	No	No	(636) 479-5200	362	22	16.1	47.8%	319 (88.1%)	11 (3.0%)	10 (2.8%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.2%)	49.6	228^th of 459 public middle schools	50.3%		48.6	241^st of 459 public middle schools	47.5%	13			33.6	32.7	26.2		34.7			39.2	33.6	41.3	86.4	$10,653	$418	$10,235
Desoto Junior High	Public	7-8	731 Amvets Dr	De Soto	63020	Jefferson County	Desoto 73	No	No	No	No	(636) 586-1030	381	27	13.9	46.2%	359 (94.2%)	3 (0.8%)	6 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.4%)	63.6	146^th of 459 public middle schools	68.2%		51.5	222^nd of 459 public middle schools	51.6%	76				43.1	41.9		35.9				40.9	41.9	88.9	$10,291	$2,411	$7,880
Hillsboro Junior High	Public	7-8	12 Hawk Dr	Hillsboro	63050	Jefferson County	Hillsboro R-III	No	No	No	No	(636) 789-0020	544	34	15.9	31.4%	517 (95.0%)	3 (0.6%)	13 (2.4%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	8 (1.5%)	55.7	196^th of 459 public middle schools	57.3%		59.2	167^th of 459 public middle schools	63.6%	29				51.8	11.4		40.0				34.6	42.2	80.9	$9,513	$260	$9,253
Hillsboro Middle Elementary	Public	5-6	10478 Business 21	Hillsboro	63050	Jefferson County	Hillsboro R-III	No	No	No	No	(636) 789-0030	483	34	14.2	33.1%	451 (93.4%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.1%)	3 (0.6%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (3.1%)								(n/a)		34.2	50.4			47.7			49.8	45.9				$10,022	$569	$9,454
Windsor Middle	Public	6-8	6208 Us Hwy 61-67	Imperial	63052	Jefferson County	Windsor C-1	No	No	No	No	(636) 464-4417	659	46	14.2	35.4%	588 (89.2%)	13 (2.0%)	34 (5.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.3%)	40.5	283^rd of 459 public middle schools	38.3%		32.6	325^th of 459 public middle schools	29.2%	42			36.6	29.3	23.5		38.7			23.5	28.8	35.2	69.2	$9,435	$561	$8,874
Antonia Middle School	Public	6-8	6798 St. Luke's Church Road	Barnhart	63012	Jefferson County	Fox C-6	No	No	No	No	(636) 282-6970	551	44	12.5	24.9%	503 (91.3%)	5 (0.9%)	15 (2.7%)	3 (0.5%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	21 (3.8%)	84.3	47^th of 459 public middle schools	89.8%		80.9	57^th of 459 public middle schools	87.6%	10			56.9	69.5	44.0		55.9			40.8	48.8	57.9	75.0	$10,234	$852	$9,381
Seckman Middle	Public	6-8	2810 Seckman Rd	Imperial	63052	Jefferson County	Fox C-6	No	No	No	No	(636) 296-5707	725	54	13.3	17.1%	633 (87.3%)	5 (0.7%)	30 (4.1%)	6 (0.8%)	4 (0.6%)	7 (1.0%)	40 (5.5%)	71	100^th of 459 public middle schools	78.2%		62.7	154^th of 459 public middle schools	66.4%	54			57.0	45.1	31.6		39.4			38.5	47.4	52.3	86.6	$9,345	$742	$8,602

Frequently Asked Questions about Danby-Rush Tower Middle

What high school do graduates of Danby-Rush Tower Middle attend?

Students who attend Danby-Rush Tower Middle usually go on to attend Jefferson High School

How many students attend Danby-Rush Tower Middle?

In the 2022-23 school year, 241 students attended Danby-Rush Tower Middle.

Is Danby-Rush Tower Middle a good school?

Danby-Rush Tower Middle ranks 97^th of 459 Missouri middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Danby-Rush Tower Middle in?

Jefferson County R-Vii

What is the racial makeup of Danby-Rush Tower Middle?

Students at Danby-Rush Tower Middle are 94% White, 2% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.