Enrollment
730
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Independence, MO
Bingham Middle
Federal NCES profile for Bingham Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 291548002339
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 27
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bingham Middle earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Missouri schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Missouri schools.
- #3 of 5
- middle schools in Independence · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.2:1
- large classes for Missouri
- 57.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Bingham Middle has class sizes larger than 81% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bingham Middle ranks #3 of 5 middle schools in Independence, MO.
School address
District: Independence 30 · Missouri
NCES ID 291548002339 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.4%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
+25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bingham Middle compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bingham Middle
Bingham Middle is a higher-need, large middle school in Independence, Missouri, enrolling 730 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 57.4% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Missouri, bigger than 90% of state schools at 730 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 2,313 Missouri schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 110 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Missouri schools statewide, it ranks #103, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (50%) and Hispanic or Latino (21%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 365 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 45.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 222 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 730 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Independence 30 also operates Truman High (1,720 students) and William Chrisman High (1,417 students) alongside Bingham Middle.
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 Bingham Middle compares
Bingham Middle on the metrics families compare, against Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.2:1 | ▲ 19% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.4% | ▲ 25% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 730 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
730
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% above the Missouri average of 46.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 81% in Missouri - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
45.5%
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
$11,956
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 365 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
143
in-school suspensions + 79 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 19.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 30.4 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 50.3%
Hispanic or Latino 20.8%
African American 15.6%
Two or More 9.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 50.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.9, Bingham Middle is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Independence 30, which includes Bingham Middle.
$11,956
Per student
-8%
vs Missouri
Avg $12,931
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.9%
State 35.3%
Federal 21.8%
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 Bingham Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Truman High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| William Chrisman High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Van Horn High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Clifford H. Nowlin Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bridger Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bingham Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,720
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,417
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,067
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 902
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 744
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
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 (~730 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bingham Middle's federal record.
- Compare Bingham Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Independence 30'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 Bingham Middle
How many students attend Bingham Middle?
Bingham Middle has 730 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Independence, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bingham Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Bingham Middle is 15.2:1, which is 19% higher than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bingham Middle?
57.4% of students at Bingham Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bingham Middle?
The largest demographic group at Bingham Middle is White at 50.3% of enrollment, in Independence, MO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bingham Middle?
Bingham Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Bingham Middle rank among middle schools in Independence?
By Resource Investment Index, Bingham Middle ranks #3 of 5 middle schools in Independence, MO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Independence on the city page.
Is Bingham Middle a good school?
Bingham Middle earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Missouri schools. 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 Independence 30?
Besides Bingham Middle, Independence 30 also operates Truman High (1,720 students), William Chrisman High (1,417 students), and Van Horn High (1,067 students). See the Independence 30 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.