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Honest take: what's the hardest part about being a student at Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
486
Elementary
DISTRICT 379 · STATE 315
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·BELTON 124·NCES 290462000053
Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest
106 S HILLCREST RD, BELTON, MO 64012 · (816) 348-1130 · Cass County
GRADES KG–06ELEMENTARY21-SUBURBTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL486 STUDENTS
B-
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 47% of Missouri public elementary schools
- BTest scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- B-Beats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- DThree-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded Missouri public elementary schools
Student : Teacher
14.8:1
33 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 13.9:1 · STATE 12.4:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
48%
234 students
DISTRICT 56% · STATE 54%
Community
1
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 66 | 14% |
| Grade 1 | 67 | 14% |
| Grade 2 | 70 | 14% |
| Grade 3 | 71 | 15% |
| Grade 4 | 75 | 15% |
| Grade 5 | 71 | 15% |
| Grade 6 | 66 | 14% |
This year's kindergarten class (66) is about the same size as its 6th grade class (66).
Student demographics
52%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 59% · STATE 52% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Students here typically continue to
Based on grade levels within BELTON 124. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
MAP 2024-25 . % Proficient + AdvancedEnglish Language Arts
43.1%
MO avg 44.9% . -4.1pp since 2021
Math
42.7%
MO avg 43.8% . -7.8pp since 2021
What this means: On the MAP, Missouri's statewide test, about 43 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 43 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Missouri schools, those numbers are about 45 and 44. Reading and writing scores are down about 4 points since 2021, while math scores are down about 8 points.
Performance levels, 2024-25
| Subject | Advanced | Proficient | Basic | Below Basic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language Arts | 17.5% | 25.6% | 35.8% | 20.8% |
| Math | 20.8% | 21.9% | 32.2% | 24.9% |
Share of tested students at each MAP level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
MAP results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 43.1% | 42.7% |
| 2023-24 | 44.1% | 53.1% |
| 2022-23 | 43.3% | 55.7% |
| 2021-22 | 47.2% | 50.5% |
% Proficient + Advanced, all students and all tested grades.
Source: MAP. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
43.8%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
41.9%
based on MO schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+1.9pp
above demographic expectation
What this means: About 44% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 42% typical for Missouri schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Missouri's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest
Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest's state test result (43.8% proficient) is higher than 2 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest this school | 486 | 48.1% | 43.8% |
| THOMAS J. ULTICAN ELEM. BLUE SPRINGS | 419 | 45.8% | 43.2% |
| WRIGHT CITY WEST ELEM. WRIGHT CITY | 402 | 46.5% | 46.3% |
| MURPHY ELEM. HIGH RIDGE | 433 | 48.3% | 40.5% |
| CALIFORNIA ELEM. CALIFORNIA | 504 | 46.8% | 45.0% |
| JAMES WALKER ELEM. BLUE SPRINGS | 456 | 49.8% | 77.2% |
Matched among Missouri elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Missouri | In Cass County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 43.8% | #448 of 1,002 | #8 of 20 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 42.7% | #490 of 1,019 ▼ 209 | #7 of 20 ▼ 3 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 43.1% | #519 of 1,018 ▼ 28 | #8 of 20 ▲ 1 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest drop first | -6.0pp | #166 of 943 | #10 of 20 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 486 | #182 of 1,294 | #2 of 24 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 14.8:1 | #807 of 950 | #17 of 20 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 51.9% | #301 of 953 | #8 of 20 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 48.1% | #682 of 1,165 | #6 of 24 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -3.4% | #607 of 684 | #13 of 15 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
486
-14 (-3%) vs 2020
-20% since 1990-91, when it was 607
Student : Teacher
14.8:1
was 15.6:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 486 | 32.8 | 14.8:1 | 48% (234) |
| 2023-24 | 482 | 30.4 | 15.8:1 | 47% (226) |
| 2022-23 | 474 | 31.4 | 15.1:1 | 37% (174) |
| 2020-21 | 500 | 32 | 15.6:1 | 33% (166) |
| 2017-18 | 503 | 30.1 | 16.7:1 | 51% (255) |
| 2015-16 | 508 | 30 | 16.9:1 | 48% (242) |
| 2010-11 | 347 | 24 | 14.5:1 | 66% (228) |
| 2000-01 | 443 | 28 | 15.8:1 | 32% (142) |
| 1990-91 | 607 | 35 | 17.3:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest.
Since 2017-18: students down 3% (503 to 486); teachers up 9% (30.1 to 32.8).
About Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest
In BELTON, Missouri, part of Cass County, Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest is an elementary school. It serves 486 students in kindergarten through 6. For comparison, elementary schools in Missouri average about 315 students.
BELTON 124 enrolls 4,230 students in 8 schools, including Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest.
By race and ethnicity, Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest is 66% White. The school is also 16% Hispanic, 9% multiracial, and 8% Black. That is lower than the 85% White share among all Cass County residents. The chance that two students picked at random at Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest belong to different racial or ethnic groups, known as the diversity index, is 52%.
Dividing enrollment by its 32.8 full-time-equivalent teachers gives a ratio of about 14.8:1. The average ratio among elementary schools in Missouri is 12.4:1, lower than at this school. Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest reports 48% of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. It compares with 35% for public schools in Cass County.
Measured against Missouri public elementary schools, Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest receives a B-. The grade weighs proficiency most heavily, then how results compare with what the school's low-income share predicts, then the three-year change.
In Missouri, Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest is in the middle band of BeatsExpectations: 43.8% actual against a predicted 41.9%.
Cass County census figures show that median household income is about $87,535, 30% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and about 5% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest is among the 44 public schools in Cass County.
Nearby, GRACE EARLY CHILD. ED. CTR. is about 0.3 miles away. Other public schools within five miles number at least 8. Ranked by average proficiency, Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest places 6th out of 8 schools in its immediate area.
NCES assigns Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest the locale Suburb: Large, meaning in a suburban area outside a principal city, within an urbanized area with a population of 250,000 or more.
A comparison of 2020-21 and 2024-25 shows enrollment down 3%, from 500 to 486.
Threads on this page can be about school events, clubs, and volunteer needs. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.
Cass County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
110,773
Census ACS
Median income
$87,535
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
30%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
5%
Below federal line
Schools in county
44
17,093 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in BELTON 124
- BELTON HIGHHigh · 1,258 students
- BELTON MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 641 students
- CAMBRIDGE ELEM.Elementary · 501 students
- MILL CREEK UPPER ELEM.Middle · 435 students
- KENTUCKY TRAIL ELEM.Elementary · 355 students
- GLADDEN ELEM.Elementary · 326 students
Other schools in BELTON
- BELTON HIGHHigh · 1,258 students
- BELTON MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 641 students
- CAMBRIDGE ELEM.Elementary · 501 students
- MILL CREEK UPPER ELEM.Middle · 435 students
- KENTUCKY TRAIL ELEM.Elementary · 355 students
- GLADDEN ELEM.Elementary · 326 students
Nearby schools
- GRACE EARLY CHILD. ED. CTR.0.3 mi · 228
- MILL CREEK UPPER ELEM.0.5 mi · 435
- GLADDEN ELEM.0.5 mi · 326
- BELTON HIGH0.5 mi · 1,258
- BELTON MIDDLE SCHOOL0.6 mi · 641
- CAMBRIDGE ELEM.1.1 mi · 501
Frequently asked questions
About Wilckens STEAM Acad @HillcrestHow large is Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest?
Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest enrolls approximately 486 students in grades KG-06.
Is Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest an elementary, middle, or high school?
Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest is an elementary school covering grades KG-06.
How many teachers does Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest have?
Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest employs 33 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 14.8:1.
How diverse is Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest?
Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest reports a student body of 66% White, 16% Hispanic, 8% Black, 1% Asian, 9% Two or more.
Is Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest public or private?
Wilckens STEAM Acad @Hillcrest is a public K-12 school, overseen by BELTON 124.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.