Enrollment
1,545
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Independence, MO
Fort Osage High
Federal NCES profile for Fort Osage High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 291229000496
👥 S:T ratio 26
📚 AP courses 70
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 11
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Fort Osage High earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Missouri schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Missouri.
- #3 of 3
- high schools in Independence · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.4:1
- large classes for Missouri
- 30.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Fort Osage High has class sizes larger than 95% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Fort Osage High ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Independence, MO.
School address
District: Fort Osage R-I · Missouri
NCES ID 291229000496 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
84.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.4:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
+44% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.8%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
-33% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Fort Osage High compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at Fort Osage High
Fort Osage High is a large high school in Independence, Missouri, enrolling 1,545 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.4:1 is larger than about 95% of Missouri schools and 44% above the 12.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 30.8% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Missouri, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,545 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 99% of the 2,313 Missouri schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 65 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Missouri schools statewide, it ranks #65, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (69%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 50/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 14 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 386 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 435 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,545 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Fort Osage R-I also operates Fire Prairie Middle (713 students) and Osage Trail Middle (675 students) alongside Fort Osage High.
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 Fort Osage High compares
Fort Osage High on the metrics families compare, against Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.4:1 | ▲ 44% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.8% | ▼ 33% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,545 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.4:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,545
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 33% 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
18.4:1
students per teacher
- 44% above state mean
Top 95% in Missouri - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
35.7%
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
$11,979
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 386 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
228
in-school suspensions + 207 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 28.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 69.0%
Hispanic or Latino 12.3%
African American 8.8%
Two or More 6.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 69.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.6, Fort Osage High is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 14
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fort Osage R-I, which includes Fort Osage High.
$11,979
Per student
-7%
vs Missouri
Avg $12,931
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.4%
State 37.1%
Federal 15.6%
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 Fort Osage High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Prairie Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Osage Trail Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Indian Trails Elem. | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Blue Hills Elem. | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Buckner Elem. | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Fort Osage High'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
- Enrollment
- 327
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
Similar high 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 (~1,545 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Fort Osage High's federal record.
- Compare Fort Osage High against another school. Compare schools
- Fort Osage R-I'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 Fort Osage High
How many students attend Fort Osage High?
Fort Osage High has 1,545 students enrolled. It is a high school in Independence, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Fort Osage High?
The student-teacher ratio at Fort Osage High is 18.4:1, which is 44% higher than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Fort Osage High?
30.8% of students at Fort Osage High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Fort Osage High?
The largest demographic group at Fort Osage High is White at 69.0% of enrollment, in Independence, MO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Fort Osage High?
Fort Osage High has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Fort Osage High rank among high schools in Independence?
By Resource Investment Index, Fort Osage High ranks #3 of 3 high 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 high schools in Independence on the city page.
Is Fort Osage High a good school?
Fort Osage High earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Missouri schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Missouri. 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 Fort Osage R-I?
Besides Fort Osage High, Fort Osage R-I also operates Fire Prairie Middle (713 students), Osage Trail Middle (675 students), and Indian Trails Elem. (365 students). See the Fort Osage R-I 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.