Enrollment
809
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Liberty, MO
South Valley Middle
Federal NCES profile for South Valley Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 291854002800
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Valley Middle earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Missouri schools.
- #4 of 4
- middle schools in Liberty · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- large classes for Missouri
- 12.3%
- free-lunch eligible
South Valley Middle has class sizes larger than 77% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Valley Middle ranks #4 of 4 middle schools in Liberty, MO.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
55.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
12.3%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
-73% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Valley Middle compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Valley Middle
South Valley Middle is a lower-poverty, large middle school in Liberty, Missouri, enrolling 809 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 12.3% free-meal eligibility runs 73% below the Missouri average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Missouri, bigger than 93% of state schools at 809 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,313 scored Missouri schools.
Among 183 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Missouri schools statewide, it ranks #137, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (74%) and Hispanic or Latino (10%) (diversity index 44/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 405 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Liberty 53 also operates Liberty North High School (2,262 students) and Liberty High (1,842 students) alongside South Valley 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 Valley Middle compares
South Valley 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 | 14.7:1 | ▲ 15% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 12.3% | ▼ 73% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 809 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
809
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
12.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 73% below the Missouri average of 46.1%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 77% in Missouri - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
20.8%
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
$12,222
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 405 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
70
in-school suspensions + 90 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.8 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 73.5%
Hispanic or Latino 9.5%
African American 7.0%
Two or More 7.0%
Asian 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 73.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.0, South Valley Middle is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Liberty 53, which includes South Valley Middle.
$12,222
Per student
-5%
vs Missouri
Avg $12,931
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.5%
State 35.4%
Federal 7.2%
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 South Valley Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty North High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Liberty High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Shoal Creek Elem. | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Heritage Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Discovery Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Valley Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,262
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,842
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 795
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 757
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 678
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
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 (~809 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Valley Middle's federal record.
- Compare South Valley Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Liberty 53'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 Valley Middle
How many students attend South Valley Middle?
South Valley Middle has 809 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Liberty, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Valley Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at South Valley Middle is 14.7:1, which is 15% higher than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Valley Middle?
12.3% of students at South Valley Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Valley Middle?
The largest demographic group at South Valley Middle is White at 73.5% of enrollment, in Liberty, MO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Valley Middle?
South Valley Middle 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 South Valley Middle rank among middle schools in Liberty?
By Resource Investment Index, South Valley Middle ranks #4 of 4 middle schools in Liberty, 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 Liberty on the city page.
Is South Valley Middle a good school?
South Valley Middle earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% 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 Liberty 53?
Besides South Valley Middle, Liberty 53 also operates Liberty North High School (2,262 students), Liberty High (1,842 students), and Shoal Creek Elem. (795 students). See the Liberty 53 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.