Frontier Schools

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Kansas City, Missouri - 5 schools

An equity score of 94/100 ranks Frontier Schools #6 of 433 districts in Missouri (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $16,421 per pupil, Frontier Schools ranks #102 of 552 Missouri districts by per-pupil spending (Missouri districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,560
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$16,421
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Frontier Schools operates 5 public schools serving 1,560 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Missouri. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 high, 2 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 Jackson County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,421 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 552 Missouri districts by per-pupil spending. See how Missouri compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 16.0% local, 66.6% state, and 17.4% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 94/100, ranked #6 of 433 in Missouri against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (8 AP courses district-wide), a 328.4:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 39.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 62.1% Hispanic or Latino, 29.7% African American, 5.1% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Frontier Schl of Excellence-U, with a diversity index of 54.6/100.

Its largest campus is Frontier School of Innovation, enrolling 645 students (41% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Frontier Schl of Excellence-M, at 74 students, a 9x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Frontier School of Innovation accounts for 40.6% of all Frontier Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Frontier Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Frontier Schools school enrollment varies 8.7× across entities

Frontier Schools school enrollment ranges from 74 students (lowest) to 645 students (highest), a spread of 571 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. 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

Frontier Schools reports 72.1% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share sits between 62.5% and 75%, above a simple majority but below the highest descriptive band used here. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Frontier Schools student-counselor ratio is 328:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — 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 Variation between sub-units within Frontier Schools is typically wider than the Frontier Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Frontier Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 39.9% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

17.4%
Federal
66.6%
State
16.0%
Local

Funding Equity

94
Equity Score
6 / 433
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 5 schools in Frontier Schools.

White 5.1%
Hispanic or Latino 62.1%
African American 29.7%
Asian 0.7%
Multiracial 2.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 48.0/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Frontier Schools's schools, above the Missouri average of 31.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Frontier Schl of Excellence-U 54.6
  2. 2 Frontier Schl of Excellence-M 53.9
  3. 3 Frontier School of Innovation 48.0
  4. 4 Frontier Stem High School 44.0
  5. 5 Frontier Schl of Innovation-M 39.3

Programs & Resources

2 / 5
Schools with AP
8 AP courses total
328.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
39.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Frontier Schools

School Enrollment
Frontier School of Innovation
Charter
645
Frontier Stem High School
Charter
401
Frontier Schl of Innovation-M
Charter
307
Frontier Schl of Excellence-U
Charter
160
Frontier Schl of Excellence-M
Charter
74

How Frontier Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Missouri districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Richmond R-Xvi Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Doniphan R-I Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Guadalupe Centers Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Boonville R-I Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Dunklin R-V Similar size Lower spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Frontier Schools'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 · $14,461/pupil
Compare vs Frontier Schools →
Rockwood R-Vi
20,563 students · 31 schools · $12,527/pupil
Compare vs Frontier Schools →
North Kansas City 74
20,561 students · 34 schools · $14,136/pupil
Compare vs Frontier Schools →
Columbia 93
18,800 students · 36 schools · $13,936/pupil
Compare vs Frontier Schools →
St. Louis City
18,321 students · 68 schools · $22,979/pupil
Compare vs Frontier Schools →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Frontier Schools

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 Frontier Schools?

Frontier Schools has 5 schools, including 1 combined, 2 high, 2 middle. Total enrollment is 1,560 students.

How much does Frontier Schools spend per student?

Frontier Schools spends $16,421 per student. The district has an equity score of 94/100, ranking #6 in Missouri.

What is the demographic composition of Frontier Schools?

Frontier Schools students are 62.1% Hispanic or Latino, 29.7% African American, 5.1% White, 0.7% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Frontier Schools?

Frontier Schools has an equity score of 94/100, ranking #6 out of 433 districts in Missouri.