Total enrollment
4,864
-308 (-6%) vs SY 2020-21
Dunklin County
Missouri · Public K-12
Dunklin County in Missouri has 21 public K-12 schools in service today, collectively responsible for roughly 4,864 students with Kennett 39 the largest district. That works out to 9 elementary, 2 middle, and 8 high schools.
4-year change in Dunklin County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
19
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Dunklin County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Missouri | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 27.4% | #96 of 100 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 4,864 | #37 of 101 | #1,358 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 19 | #29 of 101 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.2:1 | #50 of 101 | #592 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 99.7% | #3 of 101 | #55 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 54.6% | #8 of 99 | #863 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Dunklin County school rankings
Residents
27,493
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
21
8 districts
Enrollment
4,864
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$47,849
Below Missouri avg
Free/reduced lunch
99.7%
Above Missouri avg
Elementary
9
2,478 students
Middle
2
603 students
High
8
1,757 students
Combined / other
2
26 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
KENNETT 39
1,807 students · 8 districts in Dunklin County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Dunklin County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
13.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
15.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.8%
civilian labor
Median age
40
26.0% under 18
Test scores in Dunklin County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 16 schools ranked. Missouri state average: 44.9%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- KENNETT HIGH· 56.9%
- SENATH-HORNERSVILLE HIGH SCHOO· 47.8%
- SENATH-HORNERSVILLE ELEM SCH· 47.6%
- HOLCOMB HIGH· 44.7%
- CAMPBELL HIGH· 41.2%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- SOUTHLAND ELEM.· 8.8%
- SOUTHLAND HIGH· 14.6%
- CLARKTON ELEM.· 15.4%
- CLARKTON HIGH· 17.6%
- MALDEN HIGH· 23.4%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KENNETT HIGH | Kennett | High | 09-12 | 493 | · |
| MALDEN LOWER ELEM. | Malden | Elementary | PK-05 | 424 | · |
| SOUTH ELEM. | Kennett | Elementary | 03-05 | 420 | · |
| H. BYRON MASTERSON ELEM. | Kennett | Elementary | KG-02 | 417 | · |
| KENNETT MIDDLE | Kennett | Middle | 06-08 | 392 | · |
| MALDEN HIGH | Malden | High | 06-12 | 383 | · |
| CAMPBELL ELEM. | Campbell | Elementary | PK-06 | 312 | · |
| SENATH-HORNERSVILLE ELEM SCH | Senath | Elementary | PK-04 | 292 | · |
| CAMPBELL HIGH | Campbell | High | 07-12 | 235 | · |
| HOLCOMB ELEM. | Holcomb | Elementary | PK-06 | 235 | · |
| SENATH-HORNERSVILLE MIDDLE SCH | Hornersville | Middle | 05-08 | 211 | · |
| SENATH-HORNERSVILLE HIGH SCHOO | Senath | High | 09-12 | 205 | · |
| HOLCOMB HIGH | Holcomb | High | 07-12 | 194 | · |
| SOUTHLAND ELEM. | Cardwell | Elementary | PK-05 | 150 | · |
| CLARKTON ELEM. | Clarkton | Elementary | PK-06 | 143 | · |
| CLARKTON HIGH | Clarkton | High | 07-12 | 135 | · |
| SOUTHLAND HIGH | Cardwell | High | 06-12 | 112 | · |
| EARLY CHILDHOOD CTR. | Kennett | Elementary | PK-PK | 85 | · |
| BOOTHEEL SCHOOL | Clarkton | Combined | KG-12 | 26 | · |
| DIAGNOSTIC CTR. | Kennett | Combined | PK-12 | 0 | · |
| KENNETT CAREER TECH. CTR. | Kennett | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Dunklin County
About Dunklin County
In Missouri, Dunklin County is a rural-scale county of about 27,493 residents. 21 public schools across the county serves about 4,864 students between them.
Looking at the wider area, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $47,849, about 13% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 16%. That income level is 22% below the Missouri median.
For a sense of the school types, Dunklin County is built around 9 elementary schools (2,478 students), 2 middle schools (603), 8 high schools (1,757), and 2 combined or other schools.
KENNETT 39 dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 1,807 students on its own.
Looking at the last 4 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 4,864 students, decreased 6% from the 5,172 reported in SY 2020-21.
On allk12, the community for Dunklin County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data