Enrollment
605
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Columbia, MO
Smithton Middle
Federal NCES profile for Smithton Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 290100001408
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Smithton Middle earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Missouri schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Missouri schools.
- #2 of 7
- middle schools in Columbia · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.4:1
- large classes for Missouri
- 20.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Smithton Middle has class sizes larger than 74% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Smithton Middle ranks #2 of 7 middle schools in Columbia, MO.
School address
District: Columbia 93 · Missouri
NCES ID 290100001408 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.4:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.2%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
-56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Smithton Middle compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at Smithton Middle
Smithton Middle is a large middle school in Columbia, Missouri, enrolling 605 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 20.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 605 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,313 scored Missouri schools.
Against 392 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #116.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and African American (13%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 303 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
15.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Columbia 93 also operates David H. Hickman High (2,007 students) and Rock Bridge Sr. High (1,997 students) alongside Smithton 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 Smithton Middle compares
Smithton Middle on the metrics families compare, against Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.4:1 | ▲ 12% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.2% | ▼ 56% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 605 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
605
Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% below the Missouri average of 46.1%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 74% in Missouri - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
15.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,719
per pupil, district-wide
- above Missouri avg of $12,931
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 303 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
60
in-school suspensions + 33 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.4 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 59.5%
African American 13.4%
Asian 9.9%
Two or More 9.4%
Hispanic or Latino 7.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 59.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.4, Smithton Middle is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Columbia 93, which includes Smithton Middle.
$13,719
Per student
+6%
vs Missouri
Avg $12,931
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 64.5%
State 25.3%
Federal 10.2%
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 Smithton Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| David H. Hickman High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rock Bridge Sr. High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Muriel W. Battle High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ann Hawkins Gentry Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Beulah Ralph Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Smithton Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,007
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,997
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,492
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 736
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 656
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
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 (~605 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Smithton Middle's federal record.
- Compare Smithton Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Columbia 93'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 Smithton Middle
How many students attend Smithton Middle?
Smithton Middle has 605 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Columbia, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Smithton Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Smithton Middle is 14.4:1, which is 12% higher than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Smithton Middle?
20.2% of students at Smithton Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Smithton Middle?
The largest demographic group at Smithton Middle is White at 59.5% of enrollment, in Columbia, MO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Smithton Middle?
Smithton Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (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 Smithton Middle rank among middle schools in Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, Smithton Middle ranks #2 of 7 middle schools in Columbia, MO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Columbia on the city page.
Is Smithton Middle a good school?
Smithton Middle earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Missouri schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Columbia 93?
Besides Smithton Middle, Columbia 93 also operates David H. Hickman High (2,007 students), Rock Bridge Sr. High (1,997 students), and Muriel W. Battle High School (1,492 students). See the Columbia 93 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.