Enrollment
493
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Nixa, MO
John Thomas School of Discover
Federal NCES profile for John Thomas School of Discover, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 292253003202
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 1
📋 Attendance 86
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John Thomas School of Discover earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Missouri schools.
- #5 of 7
- elementary schools in Nixa · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.9:1
- large classes for Missouri
- 11.9%
- free-lunch eligible
John Thomas School of Discover has class sizes larger than 79% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John Thomas School of Discover ranks #5 of 7 elementary schools in Nixa, MO.
School address
District: Nixa Public Schools · Missouri
NCES ID 292253003202 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
11.9%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
-74% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John Thomas School of Discover compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at John Thomas School of Discover
John Thomas School of Discover is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Nixa, Missouri, enrolling 493 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 11.9% free-meal eligibility runs 74% below the Missouri average.
Enrollment of 493 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,313 scored Missouri schools.
Against 299 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #170.
Its student body is predominantly White (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 493 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 5.7% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Nixa Public Schools spends $10,204 per pupil, 21% below the Missouri average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Nixa Public Schools also operates Nixa High (2,041 students) and Nixa Junior High (1,033 students) alongside John Thomas School of Discover.
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 John Thomas School of Discover compares
John Thomas School of Discover on the metrics families compare, against Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.9:1 | ▲ 16% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 11.9% | ▼ 74% | 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
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
493
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
11.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 74% below the Missouri average of 46.1%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 79% in Missouri - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
5.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$10,204
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 493 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
19
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.7 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 86.8%
Two or More 6.5%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%
Asian 0.6%
African American 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 86.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.9, John Thomas School of Discover is less mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Nixa Public Schools, which includes John Thomas School of Discover.
$10,204
Per student
-21%
vs Missouri
Avg $12,931
-39%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 49.9%
State 40.0%
Federal 10.0%
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 John Thomas School of Discover Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nixa High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Nixa Junior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| High Pointe Elem. | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Century Elem. | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Summit Intermediate School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John Thomas School of Discover's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,041
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,033
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 619
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 592
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 507
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar elementary 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 (~14.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John Thomas School of Discover's federal record.
- Compare John Thomas School of Discover against another school. Compare schools
- Nixa Public Schools'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 John Thomas School of Discover
How many students attend John Thomas School of Discover?
John Thomas School of Discover has 493 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Nixa, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John Thomas School of Discover?
The student-teacher ratio at John Thomas School of Discover is 14.9:1, which is 16% higher than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 5% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at John Thomas School of Discover?
11.9% of students at John Thomas School of Discover are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John Thomas School of Discover?
The largest demographic group at John Thomas School of Discover is White at 86.8% of enrollment, in Nixa, MO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John Thomas School of Discover?
John Thomas School of Discover has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (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 John Thomas School of Discover rank among elementary schools in Nixa?
By Resource Investment Index, John Thomas School of Discover ranks #5 of 7 elementary schools in Nixa, 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 Nixa on the city page.
Is John Thomas School of Discover a good school?
John Thomas School of Discover earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of 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 Nixa Public Schools?
Besides John Thomas School of Discover, Nixa Public Schools also operates Nixa High (2,041 students), Nixa Junior High (1,033 students), and High Pointe Elem. (619 students). See the Nixa Public Schools 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.