Enrollment
1,417
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Independence, MO
William Chrisman High
Federal NCES profile for William Chrisman High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 291548000724
👥 S:T ratio 32
📚 AP courses 15
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 10
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
William Chrisman High earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Missouri schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Missouri.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Independence · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.1:1
- large classes for Missouri
- 52.6%
- free-lunch eligible
William Chrisman High has class sizes larger than 92% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, William Chrisman High ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Independence, MO.
School address
District: Independence 30 · Missouri
NCES ID 291548000724 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
83.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.1:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
+34% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.6%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
+14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How William Chrisman High compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at William Chrisman High
William Chrisman High is a higher-need, large high school in Independence, Missouri, enrolling 1,417 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.1:1 is larger than about 92% of Missouri schools and 34% above the 12.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 52.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Missouri, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,417 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 2,313 Missouri schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 28 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Missouri schools statewide, it ranks #27, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 3 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 354 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.9% 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.
Discipline events run high: 509 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,417 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Independence 30 also operates Truman High (1,720 students) and Van Horn High (1,067 students) alongside William Chrisman High.
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 William Chrisman High compares
William Chrisman High on the metrics families compare, against Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.1:1 | ▲ 34% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.6% | ▲ 14% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,417 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.1:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,417
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% 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
17.1:1
students per teacher
- 34% above state mean
Top 92% in Missouri - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
35.9%
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 354 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
302
in-school suspensions + 207 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 21.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 35.9 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 53.1%
Hispanic or Latino 18.1%
African American 14.9%
Two or More 11.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: White at 53.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.0, William Chrisman High is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 3
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Independence 30, which includes William Chrisman High.
$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 William Chrisman High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Truman High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Van Horn High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Clifford H. Nowlin Middle | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bridger Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pioneer Ridge Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to William Chrisman High'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
- 1,067
- 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
- Enrollment
- 731
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar high 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 (~1,417 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on William Chrisman High's federal record.
- Compare William Chrisman High 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 William Chrisman High
How many students attend William Chrisman High?
William Chrisman High has 1,417 students enrolled. It is a high school in Independence, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at William Chrisman High?
The student-teacher ratio at William Chrisman High is 17.1:1, which is 34% higher than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 9% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at William Chrisman High?
52.6% of students at William Chrisman High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of William Chrisman High?
The largest demographic group at William Chrisman High is White at 53.1% of enrollment, in Independence, MO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for William Chrisman High?
William Chrisman High has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does William Chrisman High rank among high schools in Independence?
By Resource Investment Index, William Chrisman High ranks #2 of 3 high 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 high schools in Independence on the city page.
Is William Chrisman High a good school?
William Chrisman High earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% 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 Independence 30?
Besides William Chrisman High, Independence 30 also operates Truman High (1,720 students), Van Horn High (1,067 students), and Clifford H. Nowlin Middle (902 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.