LIBERTY 53

LIBERTY, Missouri — 18 schools

12,367
Total Enrollment
18
Schools
$13,266
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

LIBERTY 53 operates 18 public schools serving 12,367 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Missouri. The school portfolio breaks down into 11 elementary, 4 middle, 2 high, 1 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 11,826 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 $13,266 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 57.5% local, 35.4% state, and 7.2% 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 $67,620 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 31/100, ranked #359 of 433 in Missouri against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 18 schools offering Advanced Placement (74 AP courses district-wide), a 401.1:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 17.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 71.4% White, 10.4% Hispanic or Latino, 6.8% African American across the district's schools.

Liberty North High School accounts for 19.1% of all LIBERTY 53 student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means LIBERTY 53-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

LIBERTY 53 school enrollment varies 50× across entities

LIBERTY 53 school enrollment ranges from 45 students (lowest) to 2,262 students (highest), a spread of 2,217 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. 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

LIBERTY 53 student-counselor ratio is 401:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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

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

LIBERTY 53 chronic absenteeism rate is 17.5% — 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 LIBERTY 53 is typically wider than the LIBERTY 53-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

7.2%
Federal
35.4%
State
57.5%
Local

Funding Equity

31
Equity Score
359 / 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

$67,620
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 18 schools in LIBERTY 53.

White 71.4%
Hispanic or Latino 10.4%
African American 6.8%
Asian 2.4%
Multiracial 8.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

2 / 18
Schools with AP
74 AP courses total
401.1:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
17.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in LIBERTY 53

School Enrollment
Liberty North High School
2,262
Liberty High
1,842
South Valley Middle
809
Shoal Creek Elem.
795
Heritage Middle School
757
Discovery Middle School
678
Liberty Middle School
609
Warren Hills Elem.
597
Kellybrook Elem School
528
Lewis and Clark Elem.
517
Liberty Oaks Elem.
496
Lillian Schumacher Elem.
443
Alexander Doniphan Elem.
336
Ridgeview Elem.
331
Epic Elementary
293
Manor Hill Elem.
265
Franklin Elem.
223
Early Child. Education Ctr.
45

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 LIBERTY 53 →
ROCKWOOD R-VI
20,563 students · 31 schools · $13,397/pupil
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NORTH KANSAS CITY 74
20,561 students · 34 schools · $19,814/pupil
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COLUMBIA 93
18,800 students · 36 schools · $15,957/pupil
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ST. LOUIS CITY
18,321 students · 68 schools · $19,285/pupil
Compare vs LIBERTY 53 →

Compare LIBERTY 53

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 LIBERTY 53?

LIBERTY 53 has 18 schools, including 2 high, 4 middle, 11 elementary, 1 other. Total enrollment is 12,367 students.

How much does LIBERTY 53 spend per student?

LIBERTY 53 spends $13,266 per student. The district has an equity score of 31/100, ranking #359 in Missouri.

What is the average teacher salary in LIBERTY 53?

The average teacher salary in LIBERTY 53 is $67,620 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near LIBERTY 53?

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 LIBERTY 53?

LIBERTY 53 students are 71.4% White, 10.4% Hispanic or Latino, 6.8% African American, 2.4% Asian, averaged across 18 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for LIBERTY 53?

LIBERTY 53 has an equity score of 31/100, ranking #359 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

Update cadence

Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

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Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
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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.