CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE

As a well-populated middle school in INDEPENDENCE, Missouri, CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE teaches 902 students from grades 6 through 8, operated by INDEPENDENCE 30. That puts it 96% bigger than the typical public school in Missouri, which averages around 461 students.

INDEPENDENCE 30 comprises 29 schools with combined enrollment of 14,272 students; CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE is among them.

Demographically, CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE lists that 36% of students identify as Hispanic, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. The remainder looks like 35% White, 17% Black, 10% multiracial. By comparison, Jackson County as a whole is about 11% Hispanic, so the school skews meaningfully more Hispanic than its surroundings.

Looking at school resources, Staff filings list 54 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 16.8:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.0:1, putting CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE higher than the state norm the norm. Roughly 80% of students at CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. By comparison, Jackson County runs at roughly 60%, so the school's eligibility rate is higher than the surrounding baseline.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 49.8%; this one delivers 57.5%.

Around the school, Jackson County reports that median household income runs about $68,577, about 34% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 10%. CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE is one of 244 public schools in Jackson County (combined enrollment of about 105,714 students).

The closest other public school is CASSELL PARK ELEMENTARY, roughly 0.4 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE at 4th of 9; the average score across the group is 56.4%.

Geographically, the school is in a commuter-belt area.

Five-year trend. CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE's enrollment has declined 4% since 2018, when it stood at 941 (now 902). White enrollment moved from 50% to 35% across the same window.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE typically covers science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.