All rankings · Missouri

Best Missouri public schools

Eight rankings of Missouri's public schools from the latest NCES + state-assessment data. Unlike most school rankings, this list leads with BeatsExpectations: a demographics-adjusted score that asks how a school performs relative to what its student population would predict, not just in absolute terms.

Methodology · All Missouri schools · State test scores

Missouri schools outperforming demographics

Top schools by BeatsExpectations score. Demographically-adjusted; a +20 here means the school posts 20 more proficiency points than its FRL profile predicts.

#	School	City	Beats by
1	OSAGE CO. ELEM.	CHAMOIS	+46.1pp
2	BROOKFIELD ELEM.	BROOKFIELD	+45.1pp
3	REED ELEMENTARY	ST LOUIS	+45.1pp
4	THORNFIELD ELEM.	THORNFIELD	+44.0pp
5	LIFT FOR LIFE ACADEMY HIGH SCH	ST LOUIS	+44.0pp
6	SKYLINE ELEM.	NORWOOD	+43.2pp
7	PATTONVILLE SR. HIGH	MARYLAND HEIGHTS	+42.7pp
8	VALLEY PARK SR. HIGH	VALLEY PARK	+42.5pp
9	PARK HILL HIGH	KANSAS CITY	+41.7pp
10	MAPLEWOOD-RICHMOND HGTS. HIGH	MAPLEWOOD	+41.6pp
11	THE LEADERSHIP SCHOOL	Pagedale	+41.1pp
12	UNIVERSITY CITY SR. HIGH	UNIVERSITY CITY	+40.8pp
13	FT. ZUMWALT SOUTH HIGH	ST PETERS	+39.9pp
14	WEST ELEM.	OZARK	+39.7pp
15	WEDGWOOD 6TH GRADE CENTER	FLORISSANT	+39.6pp

See full sortable list →

Missouri Title I schools beating the odds

High-poverty schools (60%+ FRL) ranking in the top quartile of their state's proficiency.

#	School	City	Proficient
1	LIFT FOR LIFE ACADEMY HIGH SCH	ST LOUIS	93.4%
2	THE LEADERSHIP SCHOOL	Pagedale	90.5%
3	UNIVERSITY CITY SR. HIGH	UNIVERSITY CITY	90.3%
4	WEDGWOOD 6TH GRADE CENTER	FLORISSANT	89.0%
5	RUSKIN HIGH SCHOOL	KANSAS CITY	87.6%
6	THOMAS BENTON ELEM.	COLUMBIA	87.6%
7	FRONTIER STEM HIGH SCHOOL	KANSAS CITY	84.1%
8	BETTY WHEELER CLASSICAL JR. AC	ST LOUIS	82.8%
9	EMINENCE ELEM.	EMINENCE	81.8%
10	WEAUBLEAU ELEM.	WEAUBLEAU	81.5%
11	DONIPHAN INTERMEDIATE	Doniphan	81.1%
12	FRONTIER SCHL OF EXCELLENCE-U	KANSAS CITY	80.9%
13	Ewing Marion Kauffman Middle	Kansas City	80.5%
14	GARRETT ELEM.	HAZELWOOD	80.0%
15	FRONTIER SCHL OF INNOVATION-M	KANSAS CITY	79.8%

See full sortable list →

Missouri schools by raw proficiency

The traditional ranking: highest combined math + reading proficiency on the state assessment.

#	School	City	Proficient
1	REED ELEMENTARY	ST LOUIS	96.3%
2	BROOKFIELD ELEM.	BROOKFIELD	95.5%
3	LIFT FOR LIFE ACADEMY HIGH SCH	ST LOUIS	93.4%
4	VALLEY PARK SR. HIGH	VALLEY PARK	93.1%
5	PATTONVILLE SR. HIGH	MARYLAND HEIGHTS	93.1%
6	PARK HILL HIGH	KANSAS CITY	92.4%
7	MAPLEWOOD-RICHMOND HGTS. HIGH	MAPLEWOOD	92.3%
8	FT. ZUMWALT SOUTH HIGH	ST PETERS	90.9%
9	THE LEADERSHIP SCHOOL	Pagedale	90.5%
10	WEST ELEM.	OZARK	90.3%
11	UNIVERSITY CITY SR. HIGH	UNIVERSITY CITY	90.3%
12	DAVID HARRISON ELEMENTARY	SPRINGFIELD	90.0%
13	FAYETTE HIGH	FAYETTE	89.1%
14	WEDGWOOD 6TH GRADE CENTER	FLORISSANT	89.0%
15	ELDON HIGH	ELDON	88.7%

See full sortable list →

Missouri schools with the lowest student-teacher ratios

Schools with 200+ students reporting the fewest students per teacher. Excludes virtual.

#	School	City	Ratio
1	EXTERNAL SITES	TOWN AND COUNTRY	0.7:1
2	BINGHAM ELEM.	SPRINGFIELD	5.6:1
3	CENTER FOR EARLY LRNING-NORTH	Columbia	7.5:1
4	BLACKHURST ELEMENTARY	ST. CHARLES	8.1:1
5	KC INTERNATIONAL-WALLACE	KANSAS CITY	8.2:1
6	OAK GROVE MIDDLE	OAK GROVE	8.3:1
7	EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER	St. Peters	8.3:1
8	FATIMA ELEM.	WESTPHALIA	8.4:1
9	LYON AT BLOW ELEM.	ST LOUIS	8.4:1
10	NORMANDY EARLY LEARNING CENTER	St. Louis	8.4:1
11	KIRKSVILLE PRIMARY	KIRKSVILLE	8.5:1
12	GEORGE M. NULL ELEM.	ST CHARLES	8.5:1
13	GALENA-ABESVILLE ELEM.	GALENA	8.5:1
14	SEYMOUR ELEM.	SEYMOUR	8.5:1
15	NELL HOLCOMB ELEM.	CAPE GIRARDEAU	8.6:1

See full sortable list →

Fastest-growing Missouri public schools, 2017-2024

Schools open in both years with 200+ enrollment in 2017, ranked by % change.

#	School	City	Enrollment Δ
1	ROCKWOOD CTR. EARLY CHILD. ED.	CHESTERFIELD	+149%
2	CEDAR RIDGE ELEM.	COLUMBIA	+121%
3	ROBINSON SCHOOL	AURORA	+98%
4	EWING MARION KAUFFMAN HIGH	Kansas City	+98%
5	RIVERBEND SCH.	PACIFIC	+92%
6	JEFFERSON ELEM.	CAPE GIRARDEAU	+89%
7	CENTER FOR EARLY LRNING-NORTH	Columbia	+83%
8	GATEWAY SCIENCE ACADEMY HIGH	ST. LOUIS	+82%
9	GUADALUPE CENTERS MIDDLE	KANSAS CITY	+76%
10	SOUTHERN BOONE MIDDLE	ASHLAND	+76%
11	ROOSEVELT HIGH	ST LOUIS	+74%
12	WHITEMAN A.F.B. ELEM.	WHITEMAN AFB	+68%
13	HALLSVILLE PRIMARY	HALLSVILLE	+68%
14	FRONTIER MIDDLE	O'FALLON	+67%
15	JACKSON SR. HIGH	JACKSON	+61%

See full sortable list →

Most racially diverse Missouri public schools

Schools ranked by how balanced their student body is. The largest single racial group's share of enrollment, lowest first.

#	School	City	Max group
1	CRESTVIEW ELEMENTARY	KANSAS CITY	29.6% White (144)
2	LINCOLN COLLEGE ACADEMY MIDDLE	KANSAS CITY	31.9% Black (186)
3	NORTH KANSAS CITY HIGH	KANSAS CITY	32.2% White (553)
4	WINNWOOD ELEMENTARY	KANSAS CITY	32.2% Black (85)
5	LITTLE BLUE ELEMENTARY	KANSAS CITY	32.7% White (124)
6	SHEPARD BLVD. ELEM.	COLUMBIA	33.1% Black (178)
7	NORTHGATE MIDDLE	KANSAS CITY	33.1% White (228)
8	MCKELVEY INTERMEDIATE	MARYLAND HEIGHTS	33.1% White (143)
9	OAKLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL	COLUMBIA	33.3% White (196)
10	DAVIDSON ELEMENTARY	KANSAS CITY	33.4% White (189)
11	WEST ENGLEWOOD ELEMENTARY	KANSAS CITY	33.6% White (146)
12	ROSS ELEM.	ST LOUIS	33.7% Black (139)
13	CLIPPARD ELEM.	CAPE GIRARDEAU	33.9% Black (130)
14	TOPPING ELEMENTARY	KANSAS CITY	34.5% Black (101)
15	PATTONVILLE HEIGHTS MIDDLE	MARYLAND HEIGHTS	35.0% Black (238)

See full sortable list →

Largest Missouri public schools

Brick-and-mortar schools ranked by total enrollment. Virtual schools excluded.

#	School	City	Students
1	BLUE SPRINGS HIGH	BLUE SPRINGS	2,429
2	LINDBERGH SR. HIGH	ST. LOUIS	2,304
3	BLUE SPRINGS SOUTH HIGH	BLUE SPRINGS	2,299
4	JOPLIN HIGH	JOPLIN	2,288
5	LIBERTY NORTH HIGH SCHOOL	LIBERTY	2,262
6	TROY BUCHANAN HIGH	TROY	2,148
7	MARQUETTE SR. HIGH	CHESTERFIELD	2,095
8	STALEY HIGH	KANSAS CITY	2,091
9	RITENOUR SR. HIGH	ST LOUIS	2,041
10	NIXA HIGH	NIXA	2,041
11	DAVID H. HICKMAN HIGH	COLUMBIA	2,007
12	LEE'S SUMMIT WEST HIGH	LEE'S SUMMIT	1,999
13	ROCK BRIDGE SR. HIGH	COLUMBIA	1,997
14	HAZELWOOD WEST HIGH	HAZELWOOD	1,994
15	LEE'S SUMMIT SR. HIGH	LEE'S SUMMIT	1,989

See full sortable list →

Missouri schools underperforming demographics

Bottom 10% within state by BeatsExpectations. Not a verdict, a starting question. A school may be in leadership transition or recovering from a demographic shift.

#	School	City	Beats by
1	WASHINGTON-FRANKLIN ELEM.	FARMINGTON	-45.8pp
2	TRUMAN ELEM.	PACIFIC	-45.4pp
3	STE. GENEVIEVE SR. HIGH	STE GENEVIEVE	-44.3pp
4	ROBERTSVILLE ELEM.	ROBERTSVILLE	-43.2pp
5	LAMAR HIGH	LAMAR	-42.6pp
6	BOURBON HIGH SCHOOL	BOURBON	-41.4pp
7	WOODLAND ELEM.	LEE'S SUMMIT	-41.3pp
8	CUBA HIGH	CUBA	-41.2pp
9	FAIR GROVE ELEM.	FAIR GROVE	-41.0pp
10	ST. CLAIR HIGH	ST CLAIR	-40.3pp
11	KINGSTON MIDDLE	CADET	-38.5pp
12	EASTWOOD ELEM.	MARSHALL	-38.1pp
13	OSAGE BEACH ELEMENTARY	OSAGE BEACH	-38.0pp
14	BELLE ELEM.	BELLE	-37.6pp
15	NORMANDY HIGH	ST LOUIS	-37.2pp

See full sortable list →

About these rankings

These tables use the most recent NCES Common Core of Data (2024-25) for enrollment, demographics, and staffing, and state-native assessment data (typically 2023-24 or 2024-25) for proficiency. BeatsExpectations is computed via per-state ordinary-least-squares regression of composite proficiency on free-and-reduced-lunch share. Full methodology.

License: CC-BY 4.0. Reproduce these rankings anywhere with attribution to allk12.com. Press contact: [email protected].

Rankings for other states

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming District of Columbia