Richland School District earns top spot in Missouri ranking; Richland Elementary earns third spot

The Richland School District has again received high honors. Richland has been ranked as the No. 1 school district in Missouri by the Show-Me Institute, and Richland Elementary has been ranked as the No. 3 elementary school in Missouri by U.S. News and World Reports.

“We are honored to be recognized as one of the top elementary schools,” said elementary principal Cara Merritt. “Each day our staff strives to provide an exceptional learning environment, and we are fortunate that we have a very supportive community. Our students work hard and we are excited and proud to watch their accomplishments.”

The U.S. News and World Reports have listed high schools for several years and Richland Superintendent Frank Killian said Richland has earned a spot on that list six or seven years in a row. This year was the first year the elementary and middle schools were ranked.

Killian said there are more than 2,000 elementary and middle schools in Missouri and Richland Elementary was ranked in the third spot. The top two spots are occupied by magnet schools in St. Louis. Killian explained that a magnet school receives public money but parents must fill out an application and that is followed by a selection process for the students.

“I was absolutely amazed because I know how many elementary schools there are. There are so many and for Richland School to be that high,” said Killian. “In my opinion we have some if not the best staff around. It is an absolute honor. It just shows how hard these kids work and the staff works.”

The student proficiency in reading and math are weighted heavily in the rankings. Killian said the scores on the MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) test are used as well as the TerraNova test. Killian explained that most districts that administer the TerraNova test on the elementary schools are not required to give it. Some administer different tests.

All public schools in Missouri must administer the MAP test. Therefore it is weighted more in the rankings. According to the showmeinstitute.org website, data was used from the 2018-19 school year. The testing could not be completed in the 2019-20 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Show-Me Institute Educational Analysis gave each school district a grade on a four-point scale to every school district. Killian said the Show-Me Institute compared test scores, ACT scores and all analysis that goes into a school. The Richland School District earned the No. 1 spot in Missouri.

Killian said a big key to Richland’s approach to the testing is vocabulary. He said a good example of this is on the math portion of the exams. He explained in the classroom the students are taught the different elements needed to complete the work, such as addition, division and multiplication. However, these are not the terms used on the MAP test and other assessment tests. This is where the vocabulary comes in.

On the test, the student is asked for the sum of the figures. It will not ask the student to add them. Additionally, the student will not be asked to multiply the figure. They will be asked for the product. Instead of division, the student will be asked for the quotient.

Killian explained that the student can be well prepared for the test and know the work, but if they see a word they don’t know used in place of the term they do know, the student will guess at the answer. Killian said the student thinks they do not know how to do the work because the student does not understand what is being asked.

Killian said the entire staff gets together each year, assists each other and introduces the correct terms so the students will not be thrown off by a word.

“That is one of the bigger reasons our kids perform so well,” said Killian, “because we do not allow vocabulary to throw them off.”

Killian said everything they do at Richland begins with vocabulary and hiring forward-thinking teachers.

“The U.S. Navy Seals would say that, “individuals play the game but teams beat the odds.” This statement is true for our school,” said sixth-grade teacher Rebecca Arnold. “We are part of a team, from community members, the school board, teachers and support staff, administrators to parents and students. We work together every day to defy the odds, and we do this by always putting students first.”

“We have just made a true effort to hire forward-thinking outside-the-box staff members,” said Killian. “When we do our interview process, our questions are not so much about curriculum or X’s and O’s as you may say in athletics.”

Killian explained that the school wants to know how outside the box the candidates are.

“We are so technology-heavy here that (if all a teacher wants) to do is teach out of a textbook, they won’t be working here for us,” said Killian. “We need somebody that is more forward-thinking outside-the-box to push our kids.”

Killian explained that kids are so smart with technology that if a teacher is scared of it they won’t be able to push the kids to the highest level.

All students prekindergarten through grade 12 at Richland have their own computer issued by the district, which has done this for the past eight on nine years. Killian said robotics is offered at the elementary level and a lot of classrooms have 3D printers.

Killian said the district is able acquire a lot of items through a program called DonorsChoose. Killian said many schools do not use it because many schools believe it is similar to GoFundMe. Killian said Google, Bill Gates and others donate through the program. Killian said items the district wants to buy, whether technology, athletic equipment or other items, can be purchased for half-price through DonorsChoose.

“The reason we have so much is because we only pay for half of what we get,” said Killian. “DonorsChoose and these organizations wanting to donate to education pay for the other half.”

Killian said Richland has been using this process for about seven years.

“There are so many pieces of our puzzle that make this district successful. The school board puts their trust in the administration and allows us the freedom to do what is best for kids and are supportive when we bring new and different things to the table. Our staff work so well as a team and are not content to just teach from a book or from behind their desk,” said high school principal Cindy Rhodes. “They are not afraid to try new and innovative things to develop and foster critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. As administration, we put our trust in them to make it happen. Together, we try to create a culture that enables the students to learn through project-based learning, trial and error, that extends past the brick walls, and to not be afraid of failure. They jump out there, compete at local, state and national levels in numerous clubs and activities. Our parents and community love our school, support us, and rally around us, and are always willing to do what they can to help our students succeed.”

Killian said Richland uses a business world moniker in relation to the kids. “If you take care of your people they take care of you.” Killian said each student gets two free snacks everyday. They take the students on trips and everything is paid for.

“We do the extra things for our kids to make school a place they want to be rather than a place they have to be,” said Killian. “If you make a school a place they want to be and then take care of them while they are there, they will work harder for you. They will go the extra mile for you because you took care of them.”

“It goes to show how our staff works together as a team to make things happen,” said Killian. “I can’t put enough great words together to explain how great from our elementary principal, the teachers, the kids and the community support we have because our community supports our kids. They support our school. All of that comes together to make Richland what it is.”