“Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now” -Alan Lakein

The Ozark School District is a district where planning and preparation are used to guide decision making by the board, the administration and the staff.  We have 3-year plans for technology and finances, 5 year plans for building maintenance, and 10+ year plans for enrollment growth and facilities.  As we see a trend occurring in our district, we take time to study the trend, review the data, and interpret that information in a forward-looking direction to chart the best course for the students of Ozark into the future.  The latest trend we have seen in our schools is the slowing economy and the result it is having on children in our district.  The national and local media has focused on the increasing poverty levels in recent reports, and we wanted to track our data sources in the hopes that we can plan for the future needs of the students of Ozark.  Students who are at or below the poverty level may need extra help and support with their physical needs, as well as their academic needs.  We need to prepare our staff to meet the needs of all students who enter our doors each day.  As you will see in this report, the data shows a trend towards increasing numbers of students who qualify for free and reduced lunch, and the increased services needed by Care To Learn and Least Of These to address these needs.  Whether that trend is the result of the economy, trends in housing, or trends in enrollment, it is clear that the Ozark School District must plan and prepare for the increasing student needs.

Dr. Gordon Pace

Ozark R-VI Schools

Superintendent

Ozark School District contracted with Business Information Services to continue their demographic study conducted in October of 2008.   The purpose of reviewing the changing demographics is to have an accurate image of who is attending Ozark Schools.   By identifying who the Ozark student is, the District can ensure there are adequate facilities and services for students. The district will also be able to provide training for teachers to meet the specific needs and learning styles of all students.   Below are some of the findings of Business Information Services.

The bottom three sets of data break out the multi-family construction by number of units. This data illustrates that the majority of growth for Ozark came in the form of multi-family units with five or more units.

Pin It

“Since 2005, there has been a marked increase in the number of students receiving free-or-reduced price lunches in the Nixa and Ozark School Districts, mostly during 2009 and 2010 school years. The increase was substantially larger than occurred across the State of Missouri during the same period. Since 2009, there has been a large increase in 5-plus unit multi-family structures in Ozark compared with Nixa, but prior to 2008, there were 527 permits issued in Nixa and Ozark for 5-plus unit multi-family buildings. However, the number of students receiving free-or-reduced price lunches did not change appreciably at either Nixa or Ozark between 2006 and 2008.” (Smith, Preston: Business Information Services Report)

 ”There are 999 vacant housing units in the Ozark School District as of April 1, 2010. With the deterioration of the economy during the last year, we suspect that number is even higher than the 8.5 percent that it was in 2010. This is significant and higher than we have seen in many other school districts.” (Smith, Preston: Business Information Services Report)

“Nearly one out of three housing units in the school district is a rental, which is also high for the area. Between the rentals and the vacant housing, this creates a level of instability in the school district among its residents, who are likely more transient than we would see in other parts of the country. ” (Smith, Preston: Business Information Services Report)

Care to Learn is one of the programs in place to help address the rising number of Ozark students at or near the poverty level.  Below are the numbers for both Ozark and Nixa for the past two school years.  The data shows the number of impressions, times a student received assistance,  at Ozark nearly doubled over the past two years.

Pin It

Christian County’s Least of These does an amazing job working on the front lines of the poverty issue.   The table below demonstrates the sharp and continued increase of families and students who need assistance in Ozark and Nixa.

Pin It

Your Ozark school Board and Administration uses demographic and other forms of data to help us plan effectively.  This data gives us a look at changing needs in the Ozark schools and helps us prepare for the challenges our teachers and staff will face in future years.  This report contains a number of significant findings to which your Board must pay attention; including the number of students at or near the poverty level.  The instructional needs foreshadowed by this increase are a financial and educational challenge which we must prepare to meet.  It is also noteworthy to compare Ozark to Nixa and notice subtle shifts in demographics when two similar communities are directly compared.  Your Board and School Leaders are committed to provide the best  possible education for ALL students that attend the Ozark Schools.  We thank you for your continued support and encouragement and for trusting us with our community’s most important resource – your children.

Chuck Fugate

Ozark School Board

President