SOUTH ELEM.

Set in KENNETT, Missouri, SOUTH ELEM. is an average-sized primary school, run under KENNETT 39. It instructs 420 students across grades 3 through 5. Compared to the state average of about 315 students per school, that is 33% above typical.

KENNETT 39 comprises 5 schools with combined enrollment of 1,807 students; SOUTH ELEM. is among them.

On demographics, SOUTH ELEM. reports that the most-represented group is White (55%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups; the rest breaks down as 35% Black, 9% Hispanic. By comparison, Dunklin County as a whole is about 76% White, so the school skews noticeably less White than its surroundings.

Looking at school resources, SOUTH ELEM. records 32 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 13.0:1. That tracks the state average closely. About 100% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

After controlling for student poverty, SOUTH ELEM. tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 49.4% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 58.7%.

In the surrounding community, ACS estimates for Dunklin County put median household income runs about $47,849, roughly 13% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 16%. SOUTH ELEM. is one of 21 public schools in Dunklin County (combined enrollment of about 4,864 students).

Nearest neighbor: KENNETT MIDDLE, around 1.0 miles off. Within five miles, there are 4 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts SOUTH ELEM. at 3rd of 7; the average score across the group is 50.3%.

The school occupies a town-based site.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count declined 9%: 464 students in 2018 compared to 420 in 2025. Over the same period, the Black share grew from 25% to 35%. Class-load math has narrowed: from 14.8:1 in 2018 to 13.0:1 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, members of the SOUTH ELEM. community share and discuss open house dates, ride-share offers, and field-trip permission slips. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.