Public schools in Missouri

The NCES directory lists 2,451 public schools operating in Missouri in 2024-25; 2,294 of them reported 881,318 students, averaging 12.3 students per teacher, the 39th highest of the 50 jurisdictions (states and D.C.) that reported 2024-25 teacher counts (the mean of its schools' ratios); Tennessee did not. Its largest district is Springfield R-Xii, with 23,149 students in 2024-25.

NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23 · method

Schools2,2941,203 elementary, 390 middle, 560 high, 141 other
Students881,3181.8% of U.S. public-school students
Students per teacher12.3U.S. 15.3

Missouri has fewer students per teacher than the U.S. average

Missouri ranks 39th of the 50 jurisdictions (states and D.C.) that reported 2024-25 teacher counts, counting from the most students per teacher; below, it is shown with the states ranked just above and below it. The full ranking of all 51 is on the states page.

  1. Nebraska13.1
  2. Kansas12.9
  3. New Mexico12.7
  4. Missouri12.3
  5. Connecticut12.2
  6. Massachusetts12.0
  7. Montana11.6

Eight in ten larger Missouri districts spent between $10,275 and $15,382 per student

Among the 176 Missouri districts with at least 1,000 students, one in ten spent less than $10,275 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 and one in ten spent more than $15,382; the median was $11,885. Each tick below is one district: the spread shows how far apart the state's districts are, which a statewide average hides.

Current spending per student, Missouri districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23176 values from $3,821 to $23,552; ; state median $11,885.$10,275$15,382the middle eight in ten$0k$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $11,885
Current spending per student, Missouri districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23176 values from $3,821 to $23,552; ; state median $11,885.$10,275$15,382the middle eight in ten$0k$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $11,885
Current spending per student, Missouri districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23176 values from $3,821 to $23,552; ; state median $11,885.$10,275$15,382the middle eight in ten$0k$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $11,885
Current spending per student, Missouri districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23176 values from $3,821 to $23,552; ; state median $11,885.$10,275$15,382the middle eight in ten$0k$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $11,885

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: mean of school ratios from 3 to 99, schools open that year; NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures over fall membership, districts with at least 1,000 students.

State test results, 2022-23

In 2022-23, 43.5% of the Missouri students tested met the state's reading standard and 40.3% its math standard. Missouri writes its own tests and sets its own standard, so these compare Missouri's districts and schools with each other, not with other states; each district and school page gives its own results beside these. Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 89.3% of 67,017 students.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2022-23 and four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students.

In the Missouri almanac

  1. 01Every school district

    Directory, 2024-25

  2. 02Largest schools

    Largest: Missouri Virtual Academy, 3,895 students (By 2024-25 enrollment)

  3. 03Fewest students per teacher

    Fewest: Hiram Neuwoehner, 3.3 students per teacher (Schools, 2024-25)

  4. 04Highest-spending districts

    Highest: Confluence Academies, $23,552 per student (F-33 fiscal year 2022-23)

  5. 05Teacher salary spending by district

    Highest: Clayton, $94,417 of salary spending per teacher (F-33 fiscal year 2022-23)

  6. 06Chronic absenteeism

    Lowest: Missouri Virtual Academy, 0.1% chronically absent (EDFacts 2022-23)

  7. 07Schools by resource index

    Highest index: Stanberry High, 72 of 100 (CCD and CRDC)

  8. 08Districts by resource index

    Highest index: Osage Co. R-III, 63 of 100 on average (CCD and CRDC)

Largest districts in Missouri

  1. Springfield R-Xii23,149
  2. North Kansas City School District21,252
  3. Rockwood School District19,597
  4. Columbia Public Schools18,640
  5. Saint Louis Public School District18,293
  6. Wentzville R-Iv School District17,973
  7. Lee's Summit R-7 School District17,695
  8. Francis Howell School District17,047

Every Missouri school district, with a find box →

Source: Largest districts: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25, students in the district's schools open that year.

Cities with the most public schools

  1. St Louis78,131 students193 schools
  2. Kansas City69,287 students151 schools
  3. Springfield26,636 students60 schools
  4. Independence17,970 students36 schools
  5. Columbia18,648 students35 schools
  6. St Charles21,022 students32 schools
  7. Lee's Summit18,814 students30 schools
  8. Florissant14,505 students29 schools
  9. St Joseph10,327 students23 schools
  10. Jefferson City9,079 students19 schools
  11. O'fallon12,504 students18 schools
  12. Joplin7,891 students17 schools

All cities →

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: a school counts under the city in its mailing address, so a large city's count takes in suburbs that share its postal name.

Questions about Missouri's public schools

  1. How many public schools are in Missouri?
    The NCES directory lists 2,451 operating in 2024-25; 2,294 of them reported students: 1,203 elementary, 390 middle, 560 high and 141 other, enrolling 881,318 students (NCES Common Core of Data).
  2. What is the average student-teacher ratio in Missouri?
    12.3 students per full-time teacher in 2024-25, against 15.3 for the U.S.; the mean of school ratios for schools open that year.
  3. What is the largest school district in Missouri?
    Springfield R-Xii, with 23,149 students in its schools in 2024-25 (NCES Common Core of Data).
  4. How much does Missouri spend per public-school student?
    $13,595 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, summed over its districts (NCES F-33).

Sources

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership and staff files · 2024-25

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District membership and spending · FY 2022-23

Compiled from official source data by .