Enrollment
328
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Independence, MO
Three Trails Elem.
Federal NCES profile for Three Trails Elem., including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 291548003091
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 32
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Three Trails Elem. earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Missouri schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Missouri schools.
- #9 of 22
- schools in Independence · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.6:1
- large classes for Missouri
- 60.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Three Trails Elem. has class sizes larger than 85% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Three Trails Elem. ranks #9 of 22 schools in Independence, MO.
School address
District: Independence 30 · Missouri
NCES ID 291548003091 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.6:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.3%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
+31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Three Trails Elem. compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at Three Trails Elem.
Three Trails Elem. is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Independence, Missouri, enrolling 328 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 60.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 328 students, its enrollment sits close to the Missouri median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,313 scored Missouri schools.
Against 214 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #149.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (38%) and White (35%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 328 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Independence 30 also operates Truman High (1,720 students) and William Chrisman High (1,417 students) alongside Three Trails Elem..
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 Three Trails Elem. compares
Three Trails Elem. on the metrics families compare, against Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.6:1 | ▲ 22% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.3% | ▲ 31% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 328 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.6:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
328
Bigger than 36% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% 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
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 22% above state mean
Top 85% in Missouri - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
27.4%
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
$11,956
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 328 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
17
in-school suspensions + 28 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.7 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
Hispanic or Latino 38.4%
White 35.1%
African American 14.0%
Two or More 10.1%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 38.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.9, Three Trails Elem. is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Independence 30, which includes Three Trails Elem..
$11,956
Per student
-8%
vs Missouri
Avg $12,931
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.9%
State 35.3%
Federal 21.8%
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 Three Trails Elem. Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Truman High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| William Chrisman High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Van Horn High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Clifford H. Nowlin Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bridger Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Three Trails Elem.'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,720
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,417
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,067
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 902
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 744
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar other 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 (~328 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Three Trails Elem.'s federal record.
- Compare Three Trails Elem. against another school. Compare schools
- Independence 30'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 Three Trails Elem.
How many students attend Three Trails Elem.?
Three Trails Elem. has 328 students enrolled. It is a public school in Independence, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Three Trails Elem.?
The student-teacher ratio at Three Trails Elem. is 15.6:1, which is 22% 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 Three Trails Elem.?
60.3% of students at Three Trails Elem. are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Three Trails Elem.?
The largest demographic group at Three Trails Elem. is Hispanic or Latino at 38.4% of enrollment, in Independence, MO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Three Trails Elem.?
Three Trails Elem. has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Three Trails Elem. rank among schools in Independence?
By Resource Investment Index, Three Trails Elem. ranks #9 of 22 schools in Independence, MO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Independence on the city page.
Is Three Trails Elem. a good school?
Three Trails Elem. earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% 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 Independence 30?
Besides Three Trails Elem., Independence 30 also operates Truman High (1,720 students), William Chrisman High (1,417 students), and Van Horn High (1,067 students). See the Independence 30 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.