LA PLATA ELEM.

LA PLATA ELEM. is one of the modestly sized K-5 schools in LA PLATA, Missouri, one of the schools within LA PLATA R-II, with 145 students on its rolls from grades K through 6. Compared to the state average of about 315 students per school, that is 54% below typical.

LA PLATA R-II runs 2 schools in total, collectively educating 295 students. LA PLATA ELEM. is one of those campuses.

On demographics, LA PLATA ELEM. reports that nearly all students (97%) are White. Other groups include 2% Hispanic.

On the resource side, On paper, LA PLATA ELEM. has 16 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 8.9:1. The state averages around 12.4:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. About 39% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. Set against Macon County (around 47%), the school's rate is meaningfully below typical.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), LA PLATA ELEM. sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 50.5%; this one delivers 59.3%.

In the area at large, the surrounding county (Macon County) shows that the typical household earns roughly $62,357 per year, about 19% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 8%. LA PLATA ELEM. is one of 15 public schools in Macon County (combined enrollment of about 2,015 students).

LA PLATA HIGH is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.1 miles from this campus. 3 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a ten-mile radius, suggesting a relatively low-density school footprint. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), LA PLATA ELEM. ranks 1st on composite proficiency, ahead of the local average of 47.9%.

Geographically, the school is in a small-town area.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at LA PLATA ELEM. has declined 18%, going from 176 students in 2018 to 145 in 2025. Class-load math has narrowed: from 12.1:1 in 2018 to 8.9:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, posts here usually surface around science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.