AVA MIDDLE

Set in AVA, Missouri, AVA MIDDLE is a low-enrollment junior high, overseen by AVA R-I. It works with 386 students across grades 5 through 8.

Across the 3 schools in AVA R-I (1,330 students total), AVA MIDDLE accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

In terms of who attends, AVA MIDDLE lists that 95% of students identify as White, making the school strongly White-majority. Other groups include 3% multiracial. Compared to Douglas County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

Looking at the economic backdrop, AVA MIDDLE records 28 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 13.8:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.0:1, putting AVA MIDDLE higher than the state norm the norm. An estimated 52% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, AVA MIDDLE tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 50.3% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 37.5%.

Across the wider county, census data for Douglas County shows median household income runs about $45,985, roughly 15% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 15% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Douglas County's 5 public schools (combined enrollment of about 1,511 students), AVA MIDDLE is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: AVA HIGH, around 0.1 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 2 other public schools cluster around AVA MIDDLE. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts AVA MIDDLE at 7th of 8; the average score across the group is 58.1%.

The campus sits in a rural setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count fell 7%: 413 students in 2018 compared to 386 in 2025. Class-load math has fell: from 16.6:1 in 2018 to 13.8:1 in 2025.

On the community side, members of the AVA MIDDLE community share and discuss sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.