Enrollment
596
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Joplin, MO
South Middle
Federal NCES profile for South Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 291635002429
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Middle earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Missouri schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Missouri schools.
- #2 of 3
- middle schools in Joplin · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.2:1
- large classes for Missouri
- 37.3%
- free-lunch eligible
South Middle has class sizes larger than 72% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Middle ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Joplin, MO.
School address
District: Joplin Schools · Missouri
NCES ID 291635002429 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
37.3%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Middle compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Middle
South Middle is a large middle school in Joplin, Missouri, enrolling 596 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 37.3% lands close to the Missouri typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 596 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,313 scored Missouri schools.
Among 413 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Missouri schools statewide, it ranks #354, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and Two or More (12%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 596 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights 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: 160 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 596 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Joplin Schools also operates Joplin High (2,288 students) and East Middle (592 students) alongside South 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 South Middle compares
South 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 | 14.2:1 | ▲ 11% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.3% | ▼ 19% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 596 | top 15% | - | - |
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.
596
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
37.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
14.2:1
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
22.7%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 596 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
82
in-school suspensions + 78 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 26.8 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 67.4%
Two or More 12.4%
Hispanic or Latino 8.9%
African American 5.5%
Asian 2.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.5%
Largest group: White at 67.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.8, South Middle is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Joplin Schools, which includes South Middle.
$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 South Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joplin High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Middle | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Middle | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cecil Floyd Elem. | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Irving Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,288
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- 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 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 (~596 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Middle's federal record.
- Compare South Middle 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 South Middle
How many students attend South Middle?
South Middle has 596 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Joplin, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at South Middle 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 South Middle?
37.3% of students at South Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Middle?
The largest demographic group at South Middle is White at 67.4% of enrollment, in Joplin, MO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Middle?
South Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 South Middle rank among middle schools in Joplin?
By Resource Investment Index, South Middle ranks #2 of 3 middle 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 middle schools in Joplin on the city page.
Is South Middle a good school?
South Middle earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% 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 Joplin Schools?
Besides South Middle, Joplin Schools also operates Joplin High (2,288 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.