PHELPS CO. ELEM.

PHELPS CO. ELEM., a small primary school in EDGAR SPRINGS, Missouri, part of PHELPS CO. R-III, instructs 160 students, covering grades pre-K through 8. Compared to the state average of about 315 students per school, that is 49% leaner than typical.

Operationally, PHELPS CO. ELEM. answers to PHELPS CO. R-III, which sets policy, hires staff, and reports enrollment to the state.

On demographics, PHELPS CO. ELEM. lists that the student body is overwhelmingly White (93%). Beyond that, the school reports 3% Hispanic, 3% multiracial.

In terms of school funding signals, Staff filings list 15 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 10.8:1 students per teacher. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 12.4:1 average. Around 48% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, often used as a Title I proxy.

Around the school, community-level numbers for Phelps County indicate the typical household earns roughly $58,396 per year, 32% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 9%. In all, Phelps County runs 15 public schools (combined enrollment of about 6,217 students), of which PHELPS CO. ELEM. is one.

THAYER ELEM. is the nearest neighboring public school, about 11.4 miles from this campus.

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

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at PHELPS CO. ELEM. has contracted 12%, going from 181 students in 2018 to 160 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share contracted from 97% to 93%. Class-load math has narrowed: from 12.7:1 in 2018 to 10.8:1 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. The community welcomes input from current and former families.