Enrollment
2,288
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Joplin, MO
Joplin High
Federal NCES profile for Joplin High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 291635000787
👥 S:T ratio 24
📚 AP courses 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Joplin High earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Missouri schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Missouri.
- #17 of 17
- public schools in Joplin · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.1:1
- large classes for Missouri
- 40.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Joplin High has class sizes larger than 97% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Joplin High ranks #17 of 17 public schools in Joplin, MO.
School address
District: Joplin Schools · Missouri
NCES ID 291635000787 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
120.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.1:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
+49% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.9%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
-11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Joplin High compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at Joplin High
Joplin High is a large high school in Joplin, Missouri, enrolling 2,288 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.1:1 is larger than about 97% of Missouri schools and 49% above the 12.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 40.9% lands close to the Missouri typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Missouri, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,288 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,313 scored Missouri schools.
Against 21 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #11.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 52/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 9 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 381 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Joplin Schools spends $9,800 per pupil, 24% below the Missouri average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 648 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 2,288 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Joplin Schools also operates South Middle (596 students) and East Middle (592 students) alongside Joplin 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 Joplin High compares
Joplin 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 | 19.1:1 | ▲ 49% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.9% | ▼ 11% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,288 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.1:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,288
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% below the Missouri average of 46.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.1:1
students per teacher
- 49% above state mean
Top 97% in Missouri - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
29.6%
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
$9,800
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
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 381 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
445
in-school suspensions + 203 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 19.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 28.3 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 67.2%
Hispanic or Latino 12.5%
Two or More 9.4%
African American 4.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.0%
Asian 1.7%
Largest group: White at 67.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.0, Joplin High is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 9
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Joplin Schools, which includes Joplin High.
$9,800
Per student
-24%
vs Missouri
Avg $12,931
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.9%
State 26.1%
Federal 19.0%
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 Joplin High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Middle | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Middle | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cecil Floyd Elem. | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Irving Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Joplin High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 596
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 592
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 549
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 532
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 434
- Students per teacher
- 10.1:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
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 (~2,288 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Joplin High's federal record.
- Compare Joplin High against another school. Compare schools
- Joplin 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 Joplin High
How many students attend Joplin High?
Joplin High has 2,288 students enrolled. It is a high school in Joplin, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Joplin High?
The student-teacher ratio at Joplin High is 19.1:1, which is 49% higher than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Joplin High?
40.9% of students at Joplin High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Joplin High?
The largest demographic group at Joplin High is White at 67.2% of enrollment, in Joplin, MO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Joplin High?
Joplin High has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Joplin High rank among public schools in Joplin?
By Resource Investment Index, Joplin High ranks #17 of 17 public schools in Joplin, MO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Joplin on the city page.
Is Joplin High a good school?
Joplin High earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% 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 Joplin Schools?
Besides Joplin High, Joplin Schools also operates South Middle (596 students), East Middle (592 students), and North Middle (549 students). See the Joplin 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.