Enrollment
493
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Kansas City, MO
Center Middle
Federal NCES profile for Center Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 290825000230
👥 S:T ratio 59
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 51
📋 Attendance 45
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Center Middle earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% of Missouri schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Missouri schools.
- #1 of 23
- middle schools in Kansas City · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10.3:1
- small classes for Missouri
- 60.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Center Middle has class sizes smaller than 79% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Center Middle ranks #1 of 23 middle schools in Kansas City, MO.
School address
NCES ID 290825000230 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.3:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
-20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.9%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
+32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Center Middle compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at Center Middle
Center Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Kansas City, Missouri, enrolling 493 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 10.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of Missouri schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 60.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 493 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,313 scored Missouri schools.
Among 185 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Missouri schools statewide, it ranks #18, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (62%) and White (15%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 247 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Center 58 spends $16,648 per pupil, 29% above the Missouri average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 20.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 414 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 493 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Kansas City's middle schools, it stands alongside Gateway 6th Grade Center (882 students): Center Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.3:1 vs 14.7:1).
Center 58 also operates Center Sr. High (679 students) and Center Elem. (314 students) alongside Center 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 Center Middle compares
Center 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 | 10.3:1 | ▼ 20% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.9% | ▲ 32% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 493 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.3:1
Leaner classes than 87% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
493
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% 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
10.3:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 21% in Missouri - lower ratio than 79% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
21.9%
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
$16,648
per pupil, district-wide
- above Missouri avg of $12,931
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 247 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
237
in-school suspensions + 177 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 48.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 84.0 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
African American 61.5%
White 15.2%
Hispanic or Latino 13.2%
Two or More 9.5%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 61.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.2, Center Middle is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Center 58, which includes Center Middle.
$16,648
Per student
+29%
vs Missouri
Avg $12,931
+0%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 68.3%
State 11.0%
Federal 20.7%
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 Center Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Center Sr. High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Center Elem. | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Indian Creek Elem. | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Boone Elem. | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Red Bridge Elem. | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Center Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 679
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 314
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 285
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 247
- Students per teacher
- 9.9:1
- Resource Index
- 67/100
- Enrollment
- 201
- Students per teacher
- 10.1:1
- Resource Index
- 69/100
Similar middle schools in Kansas City
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
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 (~493 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Center Middle's federal record.
- Compare Center Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Center 58'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 Center Middle
How many students attend Center Middle?
Center Middle has 493 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Kansas City, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Center Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Center Middle is 10.3:1, which is 20% lower than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 34% 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 Center Middle?
60.9% of students at Center Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Center Middle?
The largest demographic group at Center Middle is African American at 61.5% of enrollment, in Kansas City, MO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Center Middle?
Center Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (higher 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 Center Middle rank among middle schools in Kansas City?
By Resource Investment Index, Center Middle ranks #1 of 23 middle schools in Kansas City, 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 Kansas City on the city page.
Is Center Middle a good school?
Center Middle earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% 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 Center 58?
Besides Center Middle, Center 58 also operates Center Sr. High (679 students), Center Elem. (314 students), and Indian Creek Elem. (285 students). See the Center 58 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.