Bolivar R-I

Bolivar, Missouri - 5 schools

An equity score of 38/100 ranks Bolivar R-I #302 of 432 districts in Missouri (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $10,345 per pupil, Bolivar R-I ranks #442 of 549 Missouri districts by per-pupil spending (Missouri districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,777
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$10,345
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Bolivar R-I operates 5 public schools serving 2,777 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Missouri. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Polk County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,345 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 549 Missouri districts by per-pupil spending. See how Missouri compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 41.3% local, 42.4% state, and 16.3% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 38/100, ranked #302 of 432 in Missouri against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 334.2:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 19.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 93.4% White, 1.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Bolivar High, with a diversity index of 15.0/100.

Its largest campus is Bolivar High, enrolling 831 students (30% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Early Childhood Learning Cntr, at 157 students, a 5x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Bolivar High accounts for 29.9% of all Bolivar R-I student enrollment

That concentration means Bolivar R-I-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Bolivar R-I school enrollment varies 5.3× across entities

Bolivar R-I school enrollment ranges from 157 students (lowest) to 831 students (highest), a spread of 674 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Bolivar R-I student-counselor ratio is 334:1: slightly below the ~408 national average, within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Sitting just under the national figure still leaves meaningful room for sub-unit variation that the aggregate number hides. Variation between sub-units within Bolivar R-I is typically wider than the Bolivar R-I-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Bolivar R-I chronic absenteeism rate is 19.4%: slightly below the ~28 national average, aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Sitting just under the national figure still leaves meaningful room for sub-unit variation that the aggregate number hides. Variation between sub-units within Bolivar R-I is typically wider than the Bolivar R-I-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

16.3%
Federal
42.4%
State
41.3%
Local

Funding Equity

38
Equity Score
302 / 432
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 5 schools in Bolivar R-I.

White 93.4%
Hispanic or Latino 1.6%
African American 1.0%
Multiracial 3.1%
Other 0.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 12.5/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Bolivar R-I's schools, below the Missouri average of 31.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Bolivar High 15.0
  2. 2 Bolivar Middle 12.5
  3. 3 Bolivar Primary 12.3
  4. 4 Early Childhood Learning Cntr 12.2
  5. 5 Bolivar Intermediate Sch. 10.8

Programs & Resources

334.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
19.4%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Bolivar R-I

School Enrollment
Bolivar High
831
Bolivar Middle
587
Bolivar Primary
578
Bolivar Intermediate Sch.
572
Early Childhood Learning Cntr
157

How Bolivar R-I Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Missouri districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
North St. Francois Co. R-I Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
West Plains R-Vii Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Excelsior Springs 40 Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Normandy Schools Collaborative Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Affton 101 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Bolivar R-I's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Missouri

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Springfield R-Xii
22,937 students · 57 schools · $13,404/pupil
Compare vs Bolivar R-I →
Rockwood R-Vi
20,563 students · 31 schools · $11,739/pupil
Compare vs Bolivar R-I →
North Kansas City 74
20,561 students · 34 schools · $13,738/pupil
Compare vs Bolivar R-I →
Columbia 93
18,800 students · 36 schools · $13,719/pupil
Compare vs Bolivar R-I →
St. Louis City
18,321 students · 68 schools · $17,843/pupil
Compare vs Bolivar R-I →

Compare Bolivar R-I

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Springfield R-Xii →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Bolivar R-I?

Bolivar R-I has 5 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 2 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 2,777 students.

How much does Bolivar R-I spend per student?

Bolivar R-I spends $10,345 per student. The district has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #302 in Missouri.

What is the demographic composition of Bolivar R-I?

Bolivar R-I students are 93.4% White, 1.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Bolivar R-I?

Bolivar R-I has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #302 out of 432 districts in Missouri.