KEARNEY R-I

KEARNEY, Missouri — 9 schools

3,561
Total Enrollment
9
Schools
$11,958
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Other
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

KEARNEY R-I operates 9 public schools serving 3,561 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Missouri. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 elementary, 3 other, 1 high, 1 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 3,424 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Clay County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,958 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 62.5% local, 31.0% state, and 6.4% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $68,932 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 16/100, ranked #421 of 433 in Missouri against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 9 schools offering Advanced Placement (8 AP courses district-wide), a 326.4:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 17.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 88.4% White, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% African American across the district's schools.

Kearney High accounts for 23.8% of all KEARNEY R-I student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means KEARNEY 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

KEARNEY R-I school enrollment varies 19× across entities

KEARNEY R-I school enrollment ranges from 44 students (lowest) to 814 students (highest), a spread of 770 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 NCES Common Core of Data

KEARNEY R-I student-counselor ratio is 326:1 — 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 KEARNEY R-I is typically wider than the KEARNEY R-I-aggregate figure suggests.

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

KEARNEY R-I chronic absenteeism rate is 17.2% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — 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 Variation between sub-units within KEARNEY R-I is typically wider than the KEARNEY 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?

6.4%
Federal
31.0%
State
62.5%
Local

Funding Equity

16
Equity Score
421 / 433
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Clay County county, where this district is located.

$1,095
Studio/mo
$1,197
1 BR/mo
$1,358
2 BR/mo
$1,769
3 BR/mo
$2,103
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$68,932
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 9 schools in KEARNEY R-I.

White 88.4%
Hispanic or Latino 5.4%
African American 1.0%
Multiracial 4.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 9
Schools with AP
8 AP courses total
326.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
17.2%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in KEARNEY R-I

School Enrollment
Kearney High
814
Kearney Middle
591
Kearney Jr. High
510
Dogwood Elem.
463
Southview Elem.
455
Hawthorne Elem.
264
Kearney Elem.
223
Lens
60
Kearney Early Education Center
44

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 · $17,624/pupil
Compare vs KEARNEY R-I →
ROCKWOOD R-VI
20,563 students · 31 schools · $13,397/pupil
Compare vs KEARNEY R-I →
NORTH KANSAS CITY 74
20,561 students · 34 schools · $19,814/pupil
Compare vs KEARNEY R-I →
COLUMBIA 93
18,800 students · 36 schools · $15,957/pupil
Compare vs KEARNEY R-I →
ST. LOUIS CITY
18,321 students · 68 schools · $19,285/pupil
Compare vs KEARNEY R-I →

Compare KEARNEY 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 KEARNEY R-I?

KEARNEY R-I has 9 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 3 other, 4 elementary. Total enrollment is 3,561 students.

How much does KEARNEY R-I spend per student?

KEARNEY R-I spends $11,958 per student. The district has an equity score of 16/100, ranking #421 in Missouri.

What is the average teacher salary in KEARNEY R-I?

The average teacher salary in KEARNEY R-I is $68,932 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near KEARNEY R-I?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Clay County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of KEARNEY R-I?

KEARNEY R-I students are 88.4% White, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 9 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for KEARNEY R-I?

KEARNEY R-I has an equity score of 16/100, ranking #421 out of 433 districts in Missouri. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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Full national footprint

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Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

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Federal

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Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.