Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 7 schools in district

BUCHANAN ELEMENTARY

1000 BUCHANAN ROAD, BRANSON, MO 65616BRANSON R-IV →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–03Non-Charter
594
Students
Total enrolled
$12,559
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 12% vs nat'l
13.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 16% vs nat'l
40/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 19% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 594 students in grades KG–03 in BRANSON, Missouri.
12% below average funding
District spends $12,559 per pupil, 12% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 40th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

BUCHANAN ELEMENTARY is a large elementary in BRANSON, Missouri, serving grades KG–03 with 594 students. The district invests $12,559 per student — 12% below the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 54% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at BUCHANAN ELEMENTARY

594
Total Students
13.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
54%
Free Lunch
46
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–03) are served by this school
Gender Distribution309 male · 285 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility54%
National avg 52% · 322 students
Student Composition
83%
8%
Asian1%
White83%
Hispanic / Latino8%
Black2%
Multiracial6%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 290576003237

Academic Outcomes at BUCHANAN ELEMENTARY

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
40
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 40th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 31th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 65616

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$12,559Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$12,559
State avg
$15,564
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,526
Student Support$2,386
Administration$1,507
Operations$1,884
Other$1,256
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $12,559 spent per student, an estimated $5,564 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
24%
65%
State government
23.7%
Local (property tax)
64.5%
Federal programs
11.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
CEDAR RIDGE ELEMENTARYCEDAR RIDGE PRIMARY
↓
Middle
BRANSON JR. HIGHCEDAR RIDGE INTERMEDIATEBUCHANAN INTERMEDIATE
↓
High School
BRANSON HIGH
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 03
Location—
CountyTaney County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictBRANSON R-IV →
Phone: (417)243-2530
NCES ID: 290576003237
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in BRANSON seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in BRANSON R-IV
High
BRANSON HIGH
1,423 students · 09–12
● 40 opp46% FRL
Mid
BRANSON JR. HIGH
724 students · 07–08
● 40 opp51% FRL
Elem
CEDAR RIDGE ELEMENTARY
503 students · 01–03
● 40 opp65% FRL
Mid
CEDAR RIDGE INTERMEDIATE
498 students · 04–06
● 40 opp61% FRL
Mid
BUCHANAN INTERMEDIATE
473 students · 04–06
● 40 opp55% FRL
Elem
CEDAR RIDGE PRIMARY
345 students · PK–KG
● 40 opp72% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1000 BUCHANAN ROAD, BRANSON, MO 65616
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.