Enrollment
641
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Belton, MO
Belton Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Belton Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 290462003025
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 32
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Belton Middle School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Missouri median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Missouri schools.
- #1 of 8
- public schools in Belton · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.6:1
- students per teacher
- 35.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Belton Middle School has class sizes near the Missouri median. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Belton Middle School ranks #1 of 8 public schools in Belton, MO.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.5%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Belton Middle School compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at Belton Middle School
Belton Middle School is a large middle school in Belton, Missouri, enrolling 641 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 35.5% lands close to the Missouri typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 641 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,313 scored Missouri schools.
Against 382 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #217.
Its student body is led by White (56%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 321 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Belton 124 also operates Belton High (1,258 students) and Cambridge Elem. (501 students) alongside Belton Middle School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Belton Middle School compares
Belton Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.6:1 | ▲ 6% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.5% | ▼ 23% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 641 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
641
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% below the Missouri average of 46.1%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 64% in Missouri - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
27.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$12,550
per pupil, district-wide
- below Missouri avg of $12,931
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 321 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
36
in-school suspensions + 47 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 55.7%
Hispanic or Latino 19.7%
African American 14.0%
Two or More 10.0%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 55.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.1, Belton Middle School is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Belton 124, which includes Belton Middle School.
$12,550
Per student
-3%
vs Missouri
Avg $12,931
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.1%
State 34.8%
Federal 14.0%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Belton Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belton High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cambridge Elem. | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wilckens Steam Acad @Hillcrest | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mill Creek Upper Elem. | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Kentucky Trail Elem. | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Belton Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,258
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 501
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 486
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 435
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 355
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Missouri, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~641 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Belton Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Belton Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Belton 124's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Belton Middle School
How many students attend Belton Middle School?
Belton Middle School has 641 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Belton, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Belton Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Belton Middle School is 13.6:1, which is 6% higher than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 13% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Belton Middle School?
35.5% of students at Belton Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Belton Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Belton Middle School is White at 55.7% of enrollment, in Belton, MO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Belton Middle School?
Belton Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Belton Middle School rank among public schools in Belton?
By Resource Investment Index, Belton Middle School ranks #1 of 8 public schools in Belton, MO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Belton on the city page.
Is Belton Middle School a good school?
Belton Middle School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Missouri median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Missouri schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Belton 124?
Besides Belton Middle School, Belton 124 also operates Belton High (1,258 students), Cambridge Elem. (501 students), and Wilckens Steam Acad @Hillcrest (486 students). See the Belton 124 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.