Northwestern R-I School District is celebrating a major achievement as the 2025 Annual Performance Report (APR) scores were released by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). For the 2024–25 school year, the district received a score of 95.2% (“A”), ranking 8th out of 445 K-12 public schools in Missouri.
This marks the second consecutive year Northwestern R-I has earned an “A” rating, following a 92.8% score in 2024. The improvement is especially notable compared to previous years, when the district scored 75.9% in 2022–23 and 76.7% in 2021–22. Missouri’s APR evaluates schools using multiple indicators—including academic achievement, attendance, graduation rates, and school readiness—under the state’s MSIP 6 accountability system.
Superintendent Tyler Clark credited the district’s staff, students, board, and community for the accomplishment:
“When we received our 2025 Score, we were very excited to receive validation that the things we are doing to improve student achievement and the other APR markers are continually working. This also shows the 2024 Score success was not an outlier. I give the utmost credit to the staff and students for doing their best to focus on improvement. I would be remiss if I did not give praise to the Northwestern R-1 Board of Education for helping us all raise the bar.”
Principal Nicole Potter emphasized the district’s focus on student opportunities and academic enrichment:
“I am very proud of the new programs and offerings we have put in place to impact students. Our staff have kept their focus on enriching academic opportunities through dual-credit classes, early childhood offerings and intervention support to name a few. Our staff supporting these initiatives and modeling continuous learning for our students, has contributed to the overall value our community sees within the school district.”
The district previously celebrated APR success with a school-wide assembly. During the 2024 celebration, Superintendent Clark’s hair and beard were dyed bright blue by staff members, and Principal Potter kissed a pig. Plans for the 2025 celebration have not yet been announced.
Congratulations to the entire Northwestern R-1 team for their continued dedication to academic excellence and community pride.
Contact:
Tyler Clark, Superintendent
Nicole Potter, Principal
Northwestern R-I School District
