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What's the vibe like in the hallways at CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE right now?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
902
Middle
DISTRICT 777 · STATE 461
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·INDEPENDENCE 30·NCES 291548003090
CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE
2800 S HARDY AVE, INDEPENDENCE, MO 64052 · (816) 521-5380 · Jackson County
GRADES 06–08MIDDLE21-SUBURBTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL902 STUDENTS
C-
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 22% of Missouri public middle schools
- DTest scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- CBeats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- BThree-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded Missouri public middle schools
Student : Teacher
16.8:1
54 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 15.3:1 · STATE 13.0:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
80%
720 students
DISTRICT 75% · STATE 54%
Community
1
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other middle schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | 309 | 34% |
| Grade 7 | 322 | 36% |
| Grade 8 | 271 | 30% |
Student demographics
71%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 69% · STATE 52% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
MAP 2024-25 . % Proficient + AdvancedEnglish Language Arts
27.0%
MO avg 44.9% . +3.7pp since 2021
Math
21.1%
MO avg 43.8% . +3.8pp since 2021
What this means: On the MAP, Missouri's statewide test, about 27 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 21 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Missouri schools, those numbers are about 45 and 44. Reading and writing scores are up about 4 points since 2021, while math scores are up about 4 points.
Performance levels, 2024-25
| Subject | Advanced | Proficient | Basic | Below Basic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language Arts | 9.8% | 17.2% | 46.0% | 26.8% |
| Math | 7.4% | 13.7% | 36.1% | 42.5% |
Share of tested students at each MAP level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
MAP results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 27.0% | 21.1% |
| 2023-24 | 25.9% | 20.8% |
| 2022-23 | 27.0% | 20.9% |
| 2021-22 | 23.3% | 17.3% |
% Proficient + Advanced, all students and all tested grades.
Source: MAP. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
25.0%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
30.0%
based on MO schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-5.0pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 25% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 30% typical for Missouri schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Missouri's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE
CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE's state test result (25.0% proficient) is higher than 1 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE this school | 902 | 79.8% | 25.0% |
| BINGHAM MIDDLE INDEPENDENCE | 730 | 76.4% | 31.6% |
| BRIDGER MIDDLE INDEPENDENCE | 744 | 72.3% | 43.0% |
| CARTHAGE JR. HIGH CARTHAGE | 773 | 65.1% | 42.9% |
| NOEL ELEM. NOEL | 349 | 89.1% | 22.0% |
| CARTHAGE 6TH GRADE CENTER CARTHAGE | 377 | 71.1% | 38.7% |
Matched among Missouri middle schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE ranks
Among middle schools| Measure | This school | In Missouri | In Jackson County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 25.0% | #321 of 379 | #25 of 36 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 21.1% | #334 of 380 ▼ 9 | #25 of 36 no change |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 27.0% | #320 of 380 ▲ 3 | #25 of 36 no change |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest gain first | +3.8pp | #149 of 364 | #10 of 32 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 902 | #25 of 397 | #6 of 38 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 16.8:1 | #310 of 321 | #31 of 33 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 70.7% | #7 of 321 | #2 of 33 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 79.8% | #68 of 379 | #12 of 36 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -4.1% | #185 of 224 | #20 of 22 |
Ranked against other public middle schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
902
-6 (-1%) vs 2020
+36% since 2010-11, when it was 662
Student : Teacher
16.8:1
was 16.8:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 902 | 53.9 | 16.8:1 | 80% (720) |
| 2023-24 | 886 | 53.8 | 16.5:1 | 83% (736) |
| 2022-23 | 875 | 54.9 | 15.9:1 | 80% (698) |
| 2020-21 | 908 | 54 | 16.8:1 | 87% (793) |
| 2017-18 | 941 | 53.6 | 17.6:1 | 87% (822) |
| 2015-16 | 844 | 48 | 17.6:1 | 84% (713) |
| 2010-11 | 662 | 36 | 18.4:1 | 81% (535) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE.
Since 2017-18: students down 4% (941 to 902); teachers unchanged (53.6 to 53.9).
About CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE
CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE serves students in INDEPENDENCE, Missouri, as a large middle school. Federal data show 902 students enrolled in grades 6 through 8 in 2024-25. Across middle schools in Missouri, the average enrollment is about 461.
INDEPENDENCE 30 has 29 schools; together they serve 14,272 students.
About 36% of students at CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE are Hispanic, the largest single group. The rest of enrollment is 35% White, 17% Black, and 10% multiracial. Among all residents of Jackson County, the Hispanic share is about 11%. Its diversity index, the chance that two randomly chosen students belong to different racial or ethnic groups, is 71%.
The school had 53.9 full-time-equivalent teachers in 2024-25. Its student-to-teacher ratio is 16.8:1. The school's 16.8:1 compares with an average of 13.0:1 for middle schools in Missouri. The eligibility rate for free or reduced-price meals is 80%. That is 20 points above the 60% average for public schools in Jackson County.
CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE holds a C- allk12 Grade, placing it above 22% of Missouri public middle schools.
In Missouri, CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE is in the middle band of BeatsExpectations: 25.0% actual against a predicted 30.0%.
In Jackson County, where the school is located, median household income comes to about $68,577, the share of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher is 34%, and about 10% of people live in poverty. There are 244 public schools in the county, enrolling about 105,714, CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE among them.
CASSELL PARK ELEMENTARY, about 0.4 miles away, is the closest public school. Other public schools within five miles number at least 8. CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE is 9th of 9 nearby schools by average proficiency rate.
The school is in a suburban area outside a principal city, within an urbanized area with a population of 250,000 or more, according to its NCES locale (Suburb: Large).
Compared with 2020-21, when it had 908 students, enrollment in 2024-25 was about the same at 902.
On allk12, people connected to CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE can post about special education services, counseling, and support programs. Members of the school community can share what they know.
Jackson County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
719,976
Census ACS
Median income
$68,577
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
34%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
10%
Below federal line
Schools in county
244
105,714 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in INDEPENDENCE 30
- TRUMAN HIGHHigh · 1,720 students
- WILLIAM CHRISMAN HIGHHigh · 1,417 students
- VAN HORN HIGHHigh · 1,067 students
- BRIDGER MIDDLEMiddle · 744 students
- PIONEER RIDGE MIDDLEMiddle · 731 students
- BINGHAM MIDDLEMiddle · 730 students
Other schools in INDEPENDENCE
- TRUMAN HIGHHigh · 1,720 students
- FORT OSAGE HIGHHigh · 1,545 students
- WILLIAM CHRISMAN HIGHHigh · 1,417 students
- BRIDGER MIDDLEMiddle · 744 students
- PIONEER RIDGE MIDDLEMiddle · 731 students
- BINGHAM MIDDLEMiddle · 730 students
Nearby schools
- CASSELL PARK ELEMENTARY0.4 mi · 362
- KORTE ELEM.0.4 mi · 444
- THREE TRAILS ELEM.1.0 mi · 328
- PITCHER ELEMENTARY1.4 mi · 252
- PROCTER ELEM.1.5 mi · 221
- SANTA FE TRAIL ELEM.1.7 mi · 364
Frequently asked questions
About CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLEHow many students attend CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE?
CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE enrolls approximately 902 students in grades 06-08.
Is CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE an elementary, middle, or high school?
CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE is a middle school covering grades 06-08.
How many teachers does CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE have?
CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE employs 54 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 16.8:1.
What is the student diversity at CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE?
Student demographics at CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE are roughly 35% White, 36% Hispanic, 17% Black, 1% Asian, 10% Two or more.
Is CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE public or private?
CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE is a public K-12 school, overseen by INDEPENDENCE 30.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.