- Enrollment
- 1,545
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Independence, MO
Buckner Elem.
Federal NCES profile for Buckner Elem., including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 291229000490
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 73
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Buckner Elem. earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Missouri median.
- #1 of 6
- elementary schools in Independence · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.1:1
- students per teacher
- 38.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Buckner Elem. has class sizes near the Missouri median. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Buckner Elem. ranks #1 of 6 elementary schools in Independence, MO.
School address
District: Fort Osage R-I · Missouri
NCES ID 291229000490 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-14 students YoY
Buckner Elem. held near 320 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-14 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 27.4 → 27.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-14 students YoY 291229000490 · Independence, MO Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
327 enr · 12.1:1 · 38.6% lunch · RII 57
Nearest enrollment peer: Fort Osage High (1,545 students)
Buckner Elem. held near 320 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-14 headcount). Teacher FTE held 27.4 → 27.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Missouri schools → · Find another →
Buckner Elem. in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Fort Osage Hig
Fort Osage High
1,545 students
- Fire Prairie M
Fire Prairie Middle
713 students
- Osage Trail Mi
Osage Trail Middle
675 students
- Indian Trails 365
Indian Trails Elem.
365 students
- Blue Hills Ele 357
Blue Hills Elem.
357 students
- This school 327
Buckner Elem.
327 students
What this shows Buckner Elem. reports 327 students on the CCD universe file.
How Buckner Elem. compares
Buckner Elem. held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.1:1 | ▼ 5% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.6% | ▼ 16% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 327 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.1:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
327
Bigger than 36% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
38.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% 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
12.1:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 42% in Missouri - lower ratio than 58% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
11.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$12,731
per pupil, district-wide
- below Missouri avg of $14,087
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 327 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 82.0%
Two or More 8.0%
Hispanic or Latino 7.6%
African American 2.4%
Largest group: White at 82.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 31.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 31.5, Buckner Elem. is about as mixed as the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Fort Osage R-I reports $12,731 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Buckner Elem. Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Osage High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fire Prairie Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Osage Trail Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Indian Trails Elem. | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Blue Hills Elem. | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Buckner Elem.'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 713
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 675
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 365
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 357
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~327 students)
Frequently asked questions about Buckner Elem.
How many students attend Buckner Elem.?
Buckner Elem. has 327 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Independence, MO. CCD year-over-year: 334 (2022-23) → 320 (2023-24), nearly flat (-14).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Buckner Elem.?
The student-teacher ratio at Buckner Elem. is 12.1:1, which is 5% lower than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 23% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Buckner Elem.?
38.6% of students at Buckner Elem. are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Buckner Elem.?
The largest demographic group at Buckner Elem. is White at 82.0% of enrollment, in Independence, MO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Buckner Elem.?
Buckner Elem. has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Buckner Elem. rank among elementary schools in Independence?
By Resource Investment Index, Buckner Elem. ranks #1 of 6 elementary 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 elementary schools in Independence on the city page.
What other schools are in Fort Osage R-I?
Besides Buckner Elem., Fort Osage R-I also operates Fort Osage High (1,545 students), Fire Prairie Middle (713 students), and Osage Trail Middle (675 students). See the Fort Osage R-I district page for the complete list.