The bulletin board for America's public schools. Parents, teachers, students, and staff. One community per school.

Shelby County

Missouri · Public K-12

The schools list below covers the full public K-12 directory for Shelby County: 5 campuses, 931 students, Shelby Co. R-Iv as the largest district. By grade band, the county runs 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools.

7-year change in Shelby County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
931
-121 (-12%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
5
-1 (-17%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
93%
was 97%
% Hispanic
2%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
5
2 districts
Enrollment
931
NCES CCD
Median income
$51,594
Below Missouri avg
Free/reduced lunch
46.0%
Below Missouri avg
Elementary
2
449 students
Middle
1
126 students
High
2
356 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
SHELBY CO. R-IV
635 students · 2 districts in Shelby County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Shelby 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
White
94%
Hispanic
2%
Black
2%
Asian
0%
Two or more
4%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
93%
Hispanic
2%
Black
1%
Asian
0%
Two or more
4%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
18.5%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
12.8%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
1.8%
civilian labor
Median age
43
24.0% under 18

Test scores in Shelby County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 4 schools ranked. Missouri state average: 49.5%.

See all 4 schools in Shelby County ranked by score →

All schools (5)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
SOUTH SHELBY ELEMENTARYShelbinaElementaryPK-05282·
SOUTH SHELBY HIGHShelbinaHigh09-12227·
NORTH SHELBY ELEM.ShelbyvilleElementaryPK-06167·
NORTH SHELBY HIGHShelbyvilleHigh07-12129·
SOUTH SHELBY MIDDLE SCHOOLShelbinaMiddle06-08126·

Cities in Shelby County

Shelbina3 schoolsShelbyville2 schools

About Shelby County

Shelby County is a compact county of about 5,986 residents in Missouri. Its public-school system enrolls approximately 931 students across 5 schools.

Looking at the wider area, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $51,594, 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the federal-poverty share is near 13%. That income level is 16% below the Missouri median.

Looking at the level breakdown, Shelby County spans 2 elementary schools (449 students), 1 middle school (126), and 2 high schools (356).

SHELBY CO. R-IV dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 635 students on its own.

Trend over the past 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment contracted 12%: 1,052 students in SY 2017-18 versus 931 in SY 2024-25. Over that span, Shelby County lost 1 school, going from 6 to 5. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 97% to 93% over the same window.

On this page, the community for Shelby 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

How many public schools are in Shelby County?
Shelby County, Missouri has 5 public K-12 schools serving approximately 931 students.
How many high schools are in Shelby County?
Shelby County, Missouri has 2 public high schools, serving approximately 356 students.
How many middle schools are in Shelby County?
Shelby County, Missouri has 1 public middle school, serving approximately 126 students.
How many elementary schools are in Shelby County?
Shelby County, Missouri has 2 public elementary schools, serving approximately 449 students.
What is the largest school district in Shelby County?
SHELBY CO. R-IV is the largest school district in Shelby County, serving approximately 635 students. The county contains 2 school districts overall.
What is the population of Shelby County?
Shelby County, Missouri has a population of approximately 5,986, with a median age of 43. About 24.0% of residents are under 18.
What is the median household income in Shelby County?
Median household income in Shelby County is $51,594, below the Missouri average of $61,285. About 12.8% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Shelby County?
Approximately 18.5% of adults 25 and older in Shelby County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Shelby County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 46.0% of students in Shelby County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is lower than the Missouri county average of 54.0%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Shelby County schools?
Across Shelby County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 10.8 to 1.
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data