Enrollment
376
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Independence, KS
Independence Middle
Federal NCES profile for Independence Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 200765001120
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 62
📋 Attendance 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Independence Middle earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of Kansas schools.
- #1 of 5
- public schools in Independence · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.4:1
- small classes for Kansas
- 64.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Independence Middle has class sizes smaller than 77% of Kansas schools. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Independence Middle ranks #1 of 5 public schools in Independence, KS.
School address
District: Independence · Kansas
NCES ID 200765001120 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.4:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.0%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Independence Middle compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Independence Middle
Independence Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Independence, Kansas, enrolling 376 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Kansas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 64.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 376 puts it in the larger third of Kansas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,346 scored Kansas schools.
Among 175 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kansas schools statewide, it ranks #4, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 188 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Independence spends $12,179 per pupil, 21% below the Kansas average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 304 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 376 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Independence also operates Independence Sr High (550 students) and Jefferson School (356 students) alongside Independence 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 Independence Middle compares
Independence Middle on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.4:1 | ▼ 17% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.0% | ▲ 50% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 376 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.4:1
Leaner classes than 80% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
376
Bigger than 44% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% above the Kansas average of 42.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.4:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 23% in Kansas - lower ratio than 77% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
21.0%
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
$12,179
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kansas avg of $15,487
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 188 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
255
in-school suspensions + 49 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 67.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 80.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 expulsions.
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 70.2%
Hispanic or Latino 14.6%
Two or More 10.6%
African American 2.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Asian 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 70.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.4, Independence Middle is more mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Independence, which includes Independence Middle.
$12,179
Per student
-21%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.8%
State 71.5%
Federal 8.7%
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 Independence Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independence Sr High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jefferson School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eisenhower Elem | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bridges Academy | Smaller | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Independence Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 550
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 356
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 323
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 24
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~376 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Independence Middle's federal record.
- Compare Independence Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Independence'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 Independence Middle
How many students attend Independence Middle?
Independence Middle has 376 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Independence, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Independence Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Independence Middle is 11.4:1, which is 17% lower than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 27% 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 Independence Middle?
64.0% of students at Independence Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Independence Middle?
The largest demographic group at Independence Middle is White at 70.2% of enrollment, in Independence, KS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Independence Middle?
Independence Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (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 Independence Middle rank among public schools in Independence?
By Resource Investment Index, Independence Middle ranks #1 of 5 public schools in Independence, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Independence on the city page.
Is Independence Middle a good school?
Independence Middle earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of Kansas 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?
Besides Independence Middle, Independence also operates Independence Sr High (550 students), Jefferson School (356 students), and Eisenhower Elem (323 students). See the Independence 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.