RICHARDS ELEM.

RICHARDS ELEM. is an average-sized elementary-level community in WEST PLAINS, Missouri, part of RICHARDS R-V. The school works with 389 students in grades pre-K through 8. That puts it 23% bigger than the typical public school in Missouri, which averages around 315 students.

RICHARDS ELEM. is a school of RICHARDS R-V, the district that handles curriculum, staffing, and budget for the campus.

On the student-mix side, RICHARDS ELEM. shows that nearly all students (95%) are White. Beyond that, the school logs 2% multiracial. Compared to Howell County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

In terms of school funding signals, The school currently runs with 26 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 15.0:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 12.4:1, putting RICHARDS ELEM. higher than the state norm the norm. An estimated 63% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

With demographic context factored in, RICHARDS ELEM. sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 50.1%; this one delivers 62.3%.

Across the wider county, Howell County reports that the typical household earns roughly $50,993 per year, 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 15%. In all, Howell County runs 15 public schools (combined enrollment of about 5,704 students), of which RICHARDS ELEM. is one.

The closest other public school is OZARK HORIZON SCHOOL, roughly 2.0 miles away. Within five miles, there are 4 other public schools. On composite proficiency, RICHARDS ELEM. comes 2nd of 8 in the immediate cluster, higher than the nearby-schools average of 51.0%.

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

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at RICHARDS ELEM. has declined 6%, going from 414 students in 2018 to 389 in 2025. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 16.9:1 in 2018 to 15.0:1 today.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.