Enrollment
1,133
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Sedalia, MO
Smith Cotton Junior High Schl
Federal NCES profile for Smith Cotton Junior High Schl, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 292783003143
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Smith Cotton Junior High Schl earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Missouri schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Missouri.
- #7 of 11
- public schools in Sedalia · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.2:1
- large classes for Missouri
- 54.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Smith Cotton Junior High Schl has class sizes larger than 72% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Smith Cotton Junior High Schl ranks #7 of 11 public schools in Sedalia, MO.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
80.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
54.9%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
+19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Smith Cotton Junior High Schl compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at Smith Cotton Junior High Schl
Smith Cotton Junior High Schl is a higher-need, large middle school in Sedalia, Missouri, enrolling 1,133 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 54.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Missouri, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,133 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,313 scored Missouri schools.
Against 38 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #12.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and Hispanic or Latino (21%) (diversity index 50/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 378 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Sedalia 200 spends $10,238 per pupil, 21% below the Missouri average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 18.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 358 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,133 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Sedalia 200 also operates Smith-Cotton High School (1,551 students) and Skyline Elem. (483 students) alongside Smith Cotton Junior High Schl.
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 Smith Cotton Junior High Schl compares
Smith Cotton Junior High Schl on the metrics families compare, against Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.2:1 | ▲ 11% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 54.9% | ▲ 19% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,133 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,133
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
54.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 72% in Missouri - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
23.3%
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
$10,238
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 378 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
225
in-school suspensions + 133 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 19.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 31.6 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 66.9%
Hispanic or Latino 21.4%
Two or More 6.9%
African American 3.0%
Asian 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 66.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.1, Smith Cotton Junior High Schl is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sedalia 200, which includes Smith Cotton Junior High Schl.
$10,238
Per student
-21%
vs Missouri
Avg $12,931
-38%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 41.7%
State 39.9%
Federal 18.3%
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 Smith Cotton Junior High Schl Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith-Cotton High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Skyline Elem. | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Heber Hunt Elem. | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Parkview Elem. | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sedalia Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Smith Cotton Junior High Schl's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,551
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 483
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 448
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 447
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 396
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar middle 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 (~1,133 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Smith Cotton Junior High Schl's federal record.
- Compare Smith Cotton Junior High Schl against another school. Compare schools
- Sedalia 200'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 Smith Cotton Junior High Schl
How many students attend Smith Cotton Junior High Schl?
Smith Cotton Junior High Schl has 1,133 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Sedalia, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Smith Cotton Junior High Schl?
The student-teacher ratio at Smith Cotton Junior High Schl is 14.2:1, which is 11% higher than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 10% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Smith Cotton Junior High Schl?
54.9% of students at Smith Cotton Junior High Schl are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Smith Cotton Junior High Schl?
The largest demographic group at Smith Cotton Junior High Schl is White at 66.9% of enrollment, in Sedalia, MO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Smith Cotton Junior High Schl?
Smith Cotton Junior High Schl has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Smith Cotton Junior High Schl rank among public schools in Sedalia?
By Resource Investment Index, Smith Cotton Junior High Schl ranks #7 of 11 public schools in Sedalia, 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 Sedalia on the city page.
Is Smith Cotton Junior High Schl a good school?
Smith Cotton Junior High Schl earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% 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 Sedalia 200?
Besides Smith Cotton Junior High Schl, Sedalia 200 also operates Smith-Cotton High School (1,551 students), Skyline Elem. (483 students), and Heber Hunt Elem. (448 students). See the Sedalia 200 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.