Poplar Bluff R-I

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.

Poplar Bluff, Missouri - 9 schools

An equity score of 51/100 ranks Poplar Bluff R-I #207 of 433 districts in Missouri (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,411 per pupil, Poplar Bluff R-I ranks #410 of 552 Missouri districts by per-pupil spending (Missouri districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

5,204
Total Enrollment
9
Schools
$11,411
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Poplar Bluff R-I operates 9 public schools serving 5,204 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Missouri. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Butler County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,411 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 552 Missouri districts by per-pupil spending. See how Missouri compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 42.8% local, 36.8% state, and 20.4% 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 51/100, ranked #207 of 433 in Missouri against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 9 schools offering Advanced Placement (6 AP courses district-wide), a 338.6:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 24.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 73.6% White, 12.2% African American, 3.0% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Eugene Field Elem., with a diversity index of 54.3/100.

Its largest campus is Poplar Bluff High, enrolling 1,416 students (29% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Eugene Field Elem., at 227 students, a 6x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Poplar Bluff High accounts for 27.2% of all Poplar Bluff R-I student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Poplar Bluff R-I-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. 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

Poplar Bluff R-I school enrollment varies 6.2× across entities

Poplar Bluff R-I school enrollment ranges from 227 students (lowest) to 1,416 students (highest), a spread of 1,189 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

Poplar Bluff R-I reports 70.8% 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

Poplar Bluff R-I student-counselor ratio is 339:1 — 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 Poplar Bluff R-I is typically wider than the Poplar Bluff R-I-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Poplar Bluff R-I chronic absenteeism rate is 24.9% — 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 Poplar Bluff R-I is typically wider than the Poplar Bluff R-I-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

20.4%
Federal
36.8%
State
42.8%
Local

Funding Equity

51
Equity Score
207 / 433
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 9 schools in Poplar Bluff R-I.

White 73.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.0%
African American 12.2%
Asian 0.8%
Multiracial 10.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 42.6/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Poplar Bluff R-I's schools, above the Missouri average of 31.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Eugene Field Elem. 54.3
  2. 2 Lake Road Elem. 48.4
  3. 3 O'neal Elem. 43.5
  4. 4 Poplar Bluff Kindergarten Ctr. 42.7
  5. 5 Poplar Bluff Early Childhood C 42.7

Programs & Resources

1 / 9
Schools with AP
6 AP courses total
338.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
24.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Poplar Bluff R-I

School Enrollment
Poplar Bluff High
1,416
Poplar Bluff Middle School
932
Poplar Bluff Jr. High
735
O'neal Elem.
344
Poplar Bluff Kindergarten Ctr.
333
Oak Grove Elem.
317
Lake Road Elem.
300
Poplar Bluff Early Childhood C
295
Eugene Field Elem.
227

How Poplar Bluff R-I Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Missouri districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Hickman Mills C-1 Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Carthage R-Ix Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Republic R-Iii Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Riverview Gardens Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Sedalia 200 Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

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

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 Poplar Bluff 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 Poplar Bluff R-I?

Poplar Bluff R-I has 9 schools, including 1 high, 6 elementary, 1 middle, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 5,204 students.

How much does Poplar Bluff R-I spend per student?

Poplar Bluff R-I spends $11,411 per student. The district has an equity score of 51/100, ranking #207 in Missouri.

What is the demographic composition of Poplar Bluff R-I?

Poplar Bluff R-I students are 73.6% White, 12.2% African American, 3.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% Asian, averaged across 9 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Poplar Bluff R-I?

Poplar Bluff R-I has an equity score of 51/100, ranking #207 out of 433 districts in Missouri.