Chesterfield Elementary and Kehrs Mill Elementary placed in the top 5% of numerically ranked Missouri elementary schools in U.S. News & World Report’s latest Best K-8 Schools rankings, according to Rockwood School District’s Oct. 23 announcement.
The district said eight of its elementary schools finished within the top 18.5% of nearly 1,000 Missouri schools assigned numerical ranks. Babler and Wild Horse were among those in the top 11%. The larger state database includes schools without a numerical rank.
Four Rockwood middle schools also placed in the top 14% of more than 500 numerically ranked Missouri middle schools. Crestview ranked No. 14, Wildwood No. 29 and Rockwood Valley No. 35, the district said.
Those elementary and middle-school results were released Oct. 20. They are separate from U.S. News’ high-school rankings, which earlier this fall placed all four Rockwood high schools in Missouri’s top 11%, according to the district.
Updated approach for 2027
U.S. News’ announcement puts the report’s coverage at about 46,000 public elementary schools and more than 24,000 middle schools. Schools are compared at state and district levels, rather than in a national elementary-school ranking.
The 2027 methodology incorporates assessment data collected directly from state education agencies by RTI International, alongside U.S. Department of Education information. It evaluates reading and mathematics achievement across reported proficiency levels and in the context of student demographics. Student-teacher ratios break ties.
These results should not be confused with Niche rankings or state school report cards, which use different measures.
Header photograph source: Chesterfield Elementary / Rockwood School District.
