See the Absolutely 50 Best Elementary Schools in Missouri

It's been said the most important educational years of your life are spent in elementary school as that's the foundation of everything. That's why it's quite an honor for the Missouri elementary schools that were just named the 50 best in the state.

There aren't many rankings more respected than those from US News and World Report. There are several things I like about their methodology. First of all, it's not based on national standards or any other states. It's just Missouri elementary schools. Schools were rated based on the percentage of students who are above average in math, science and language arts plus they included what they call the "context of socioeconomic demographics".

NOTE: This ranking from US News and World Report only includes public schools and not private.

Here are the new top 50 best elementary schools in Missouri from their ranking:

50. Mckelvey Intermediate - Maryland Heights, MO
49. High Pointe Elementary - Nixa, MO
48. Bell Prairie Elementary - Kansas City, MO
47. Independence Elementary - St Charles, MO
46. Dewey Elementary - Chillicothe, MO
45. Clark Elementary - St Louis, MO
44. Warren Elementary - St Peters, MO
43. Becky-David Elementary - St Charles, MO
42. Advance Elementary - Advance, MO
41. Mark Twain Elementary - Webb City, MO
40. Barretts Elementary - Manchester, MO
39. Espy Elementary - Nixa, MO
38. Mcgrath Elementary - Brentwood, MO
37. Mark Twain Elementary - Brentwood, MO
36. Westchester Elementary - Kirkwood, MO
35. Ralph M. Captain Elementary - Clayton, MO
34. Eugene Field Elementary - Poplar Bluff, MO
33. Lucy Franklin Elementary - Blue Springs, MO
32. Wilson's Creek 5-6 Inter. Center - Battlefield, MO
31. Wild Horse Elementary - Chesterfield, MO
30. Schofield Elementary - Republic, MO
29. North Elementary - Ozark, MO
28. Jefferson Elementary - Conception Junction, MO
27. John Thomas School of Discover - Nixa, MO
26. Shenandoah Valley Elementary - Chesterfield, MO
25. East Elementary - Ozark, MO
24. Oakwood Elementary - Hannibal, MO
23. Franklin Elementary - Liberty, MO
22. Meramec Elementary - Clayton, MO
21. Lincoln Elementary - St Charles, MO
20. Mathews Elementary - Nixa, MO
19. Rising Hill Elementary - Kansas City, MO
18. Eugene Field Elementary - Webb City, MO
17. Thayer Elementary - Ft Leonard Wood, MO
16. St. Elizabeth Elementary - St Elizabeth, MO
15. Chapel Lakes Elementary - Lee's Summit, MO
14. Pierremont Elementary - Manchester, MO
13. Festus Elementary - Festus, MO
12. Kehrs Mill Elementary - Chesterfield, MO
11. Chesterfield Elementary - Chesterfield, MO
10. Voy Spears Jr. Elementary - Lee's Summit, MO
9. Pleasant Valley Elementary - Carthage, MO
8. Lens - Kearney, MO
7. Blair Oaks Elementary - Jefferson City, MO
6. Harry S. Truman Elementary - Webb City, MO
5. Epic Elementary - Liberty, MO
4. Skyline Elementary - Urbana, MO
3. Richland Elementary - Essex, MO
2. Mallinckrodt A.B.I. Elementary - St Louis, MO
1. Mound City Elementary - Mound City, MO

What's interesting to me is there are at least two Missouri elementary schools in the top 50 named Mark Twain. I attended Mark Twain Elementary in Hannibal back in the 1970's. My elementary school sadly did not make the list. Hoping the judges did not hold my attendance there against them.