Enrollment
932
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Poplar Bluff, MO
Poplar Bluff Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Poplar Bluff Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 292545001947
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 7
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Poplar Bluff Middle School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Missouri schools.
- #5 of 6
- elementary schools in Poplar Bluff · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.5:1
- large classes for Missouri
- 65.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Poplar Bluff Middle School has class sizes larger than 84% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Poplar Bluff Middle School ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Poplar Bluff, MO.
School address
District: Poplar Bluff R-I · Missouri
NCES ID 292545001947 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
60.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.6%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
+42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Poplar Bluff Middle School compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at Poplar Bluff Middle School
Poplar Bluff Middle School is a higher-need, large elementary school in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, enrolling 932 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 65.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Missouri, bigger than 94% of state schools at 932 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,313 scored Missouri schools.
Against 31 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #20.
Its student body is led by White (77%) and African American (10%) (diversity index 38/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 466 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 20.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 242 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 932 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 178 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Poplar Bluff R-I also operates Poplar Bluff High (1,416 students) and Poplar Bluff Jr. High (735 students) alongside Poplar Bluff Middle School.
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 Poplar Bluff Middle School compares
Poplar Bluff Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.5:1 | ▲ 21% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.6% | ▲ 42% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 932 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
932
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% 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
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 84% in Missouri - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
25.8%
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
$10,549
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 466 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
153
in-school suspensions + 89 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 26.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 178 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 77.4%
African American 10.2%
Two or More 8.9%
Hispanic or Latino 2.6%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 77.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 38.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 38.2, Poplar Bluff Middle School is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Poplar Bluff R-I, which includes Poplar Bluff Middle School.
$10,549
Per student
-18%
vs Missouri
Avg $12,931
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.8%
State 36.8%
Federal 20.4%
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 Poplar Bluff Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poplar Bluff High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Poplar Bluff Jr. High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| O'neal Elem. | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Poplar Bluff Kindergarten Ctr. | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Oak Grove Elem. | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Poplar Bluff Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,416
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 735
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 344
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 333
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 317
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
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 (~932 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Poplar Bluff Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Poplar Bluff Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Poplar Bluff 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 Poplar Bluff Middle School
How many students attend Poplar Bluff Middle School?
Poplar Bluff Middle School has 932 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Poplar Bluff, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Poplar Bluff Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Poplar Bluff Middle School is 15.5:1, which is 21% higher than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Poplar Bluff Middle School?
65.6% of students at Poplar Bluff Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Poplar Bluff Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Poplar Bluff Middle School is White at 77.4% of enrollment, in Poplar Bluff, MO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Poplar Bluff Middle School?
Poplar Bluff Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical 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 Poplar Bluff Middle School rank among elementary schools in Poplar Bluff?
By Resource Investment Index, Poplar Bluff Middle School ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Poplar Bluff, 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 Poplar Bluff on the city page.
Is Poplar Bluff Middle School a good school?
Poplar Bluff Middle School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% 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 Poplar Bluff R-I?
Besides Poplar Bluff Middle School, Poplar Bluff R-I also operates Poplar Bluff High (1,416 students), Poplar Bluff Jr. High (735 students), and O'neal Elem. (344 students). See the Poplar Bluff 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.