Missouri
Missouri's 520+ school districts operate in a moderately decentralized system with significant local control over curriculum and scheduling. The Kansas City and St. Louis metro areas anchor the state's urban education landscape — both have historically struggled with racial segregation patterns, disinvestment, and demographic shifts, and both have experienced significant charter sector growth. The state's MAP (Missouri Assessment Program) measures academic performance, and Missouri has a well-established A-through-F accountability system. Rural districts in the Ozarks and Bootheel face persistent teacher shortages and enrollment declines. Missouri has adopted school choice expansions in recent years, including Education Savings Account legislation, and per-pupil spending remains slightly below the national median.
| District | Schools | Students | Per-Pupil | Grad Rate | Free Lunch | Opp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large Districts — 10,000+ Students | ||||||
| SPRINGFIELD R-XII | 55 | 23K | $17,624↑13% | 88.5% | 54.5% | 45 |
| ROCKWOOD R-VI | 31 | 21K | $13,397↓14% | 95.5%↑9% | 11.6%↓78% | 53 |
| NORTH KANSAS CITY 74 | 34 | 21K | $19,814↑27% | 96.9%↑10% | 47.1%↓11% | 42 |
| COLUMBIA 93 | 36 | 19K | $15,957 | 89.4% | 41.5%↓21% | 44 |
| ST. LOUIS CITY | 67 | 18K | $19,285↑24% | 78.5%↓11% | 99.0%↑87% | 33 |
| PARKWAY C-2 | 29 | 17K | $16,347↑5% | 95.4%↑9% | 15.5%↓71% | 48 |
| FRANCIS HOWELL R-III | 23 | 17K | $15,728 | 97.0%↑11% | 15.3%↓71% | 49 |
| FT. ZUMWALT R-II | 27 | 17K | $13,917↓11% | 94.4%↑8% | 20.0%↓62% | 42 |
| WENTZVILLE R-IV | 21 | 17K | $16,443↑6% | 96.0%↑9% | 13.7%↓74% | 51 |
| LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII | 27 | 17K | $20,401↑31% | 97.0%↑11% | 19.8%↓63% | 50 |
| HAZELWOOD | 33 | 16K | $13,951↓10% | 86.3% | 67.3%↑27% | 46 |
| BLUE SPRINGS R-IV | 22 | 15K | $15,073 | 95.5%↑9% | 28.1%↓47% | 42 |
| KANSAS CITY 33 | 35 | 14K | $19,566↑26% | 76.0%↓13% | 99.3%↑88% | 33 |
| INDEPENDENCE 30 | 31 | 14K | $16,029 | 92.8%↑6% | 68.4%↑29% | 44 |
| LIBERTY 53 | 20 | 12K | $13,266↓15% | 95.5%↑9% | 22.8%↓57% | 46 |
| PARK HILL | 20 | 12K | $15,923 | 93.5%↑7% | 27.3%↓48% | 45 |
| FOX C-6 | 18 | 11K | $11,842↓24% | 90.5% | 28.6%↓46% | 42 |
| ST. JOSEPH | 24 | 11K | $13,485↓13% | 83.0%↓5% | 73.8%↑40% | 46 |
| MEHLVILLE R-IX | 18 | 10K | $12,288↓21% | 94.7%↑8% | 31.9%↓40% | 43 |
| Medium Districts — 1,000–9,999 Students | ||||||
| FERGUSON-FLORISSANT R-II | 23 | 8,759 | $15,368 | 91.6% | 99.2%↑88% | 38 |
| JEFFERSON CITY | 18 | 8,683 | $13,972↓10% | 81.0%↓8% | 55.5%↑5% | 40 |
| RAYTOWN C-2 | 20 | 8,012 | $16,391↑5% | 84.0% | 68.1%↑29% | 43 |
| LINDBERGH SCHOOLS | 10 | 7,456 | $18,467↑19% | 96.0%↑9% | 12.3%↓77% | 50 |
| JOPLIN SCHOOLS | 15 | 7,343 | $13,777↓11% | 81.0%↓8% | 58.7%↑11% | — |
| TROY R-III | 11 | 6,974 | $12,472↓20% | 95.0%↑8% | 31.9%↓40% | — |
| Nixa Public Schools | 11 | 6,724 | $11,945↓23% | 94.0%↑7% | 28.7%↓46% | 48 |
| RAYMORE-PECULIAR R-II | 11 | 6,377 | $14,685↓6% | 91.0% | 31.9%↓40% | 45 |
| KIRKWOOD R-VII | 9 | 6,175 | $16,163 | 98.0%↑12% | 9.2%↓83% | 49 |
| WAYNESVILLE R-VI | 10 | 6,115 | $14,280↓8% | 92.0% | 44.5%↓16% | 42 |
| PATTONVILLE R-III | 11 | 6,102 | $16,987↑9% | 90.0% | 41.8%↓21% | 46 |
| OZARK R-VI | 8 | 6,052 | $15,291 | 97.0%↑11% | 35.9%↓32% | — |
| NORTHWEST R-I | 10 | 5,969 | $11,967↓23% | 92.0% | 35.2%↓33% | 41 |
| JACKSON R-II | 10 | 5,713 | $11,587↓26% | 94.0%↑7% | 36.8%↓30% | 44 |
| RITENOUR | 10 | 5,628 | $12,381↓20% | 74.0%↓16% | 97.8%↑85% | 32 |
| RIVERVIEW GARDENS | 13 | 5,336 | $12,179↓22% | 83.0%↓5% | 99.3%↑88% | 37 |
| REPUBLIC R-III | 8 | 5,316 | $13,032↓16% | 92.0% | 37.0%↓30% | 40 |
| POPLAR BLUFF R-I | 10 | 5,204 | $11,465↓26% | 91.0% | 76.4%↑45% | 41 |
| CARTHAGE R-IX | 11 | 5,092 | $12,864↓17% | 93.0%↑6% | 65.8%↑25% | 49 |
| SEDALIA 200 | 9 | 5,042 | $10,920↓30% | 94.0%↑7% | 63.8%↑21% | 49 |
| NEOSHO SCHOOL DISTRICT | 10 | 4,897 | $11,187↓28% | 79.0%↓10% | 57.5%↑9% | 42 |
| FORT OSAGE R-I | 11 | 4,846 | $15,543 | 94.0%↑7% | 45.3%↓14% | 43 |
| ST. CHARLES R-VI | 12 | 4,836 | $21,383↑37% | 87.5% | 41.0%↓22% | 46 |
| HICKMAN MILLS C-1 | 12 | 4,799 | $18,564↑19% | 89.0% | 100.0%↑89% | 38 |
| WILLARD R-II | 9 | 4,732 | $11,445↓26% | 95.0%↑8% | 35.8%↓32% | 52 |
| WEBB CITY R-VII | 11 | 4,621 | $10,763↓31% | 94.0%↑7% | 46.9%↓11% | — |
| BRANSON R-IV | 7 | 4,560 | $12,559↓19% | 94.0%↑7% | 54.4% | 40 |
| GRAIN VALLEY R-V | 8 | 4,506 | $12,090↓22% | 97.0%↑11% | 25.8%↓51% | 48 |
| LEBANON R-III | 7 | 4,480 | $11,476↓26% | 90.0% | 59.0%↑12% | — |
| LADUE | 8 | 4,442 | $26,386↑70% | 99.5%↑13% | 10.5%↓80% | 50 |
| WEBSTER GROVES | 9 | 4,407 | $15,249 | 93.0%↑6% | 11.1%↓79% | 47 |