SOUTH VALLEY MIDDLE

SOUTH VALLEY MIDDLE, a heavily attended middle-grades school in LIBERTY, Missouri, part of LIBERTY 53, works with 809 students, covering grades 6 through 8. Enrollment runs roughly 75% larger than the state mean of about 461.

Across the 18 schools in LIBERTY 53 (11,826 students total), SOUTH VALLEY MIDDLE accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Demographically, SOUTH VALLEY MIDDLE records that 74% of the student body identifies as White. The remainder looks like 10% Hispanic, 7% Black, 7% multiracial, 2% Asian.

Looking at the economic backdrop, SOUTH VALLEY MIDDLE logs 57 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 14.2:1. That figure is higher than the state norm's 13.0:1 average. Around 20% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, often used as a Title I proxy. Set against Clay County (around 35%), the school's rate is somewhat below typical.

After controlling for student poverty, SOUTH VALLEY MIDDLE sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 50.9%; this one delivers 41.3%.

In the area at large, community-level numbers for Clay County indicate median household income runs about $88,468, roughly 37% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 6%. SOUTH VALLEY MIDDLE is one of 80 public schools in Clay County (combined enrollment of about 41,553 students).

The closest other public school is DISCOVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL, roughly 0.1 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), SOUTH VALLEY MIDDLE ranks 7th on composite proficiency, behind the local average of 49.9%.

SOUTH VALLEY MIDDLE operates from a residential location.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count ticked up 4%: 779 students in 2018 compared to 809 in 2025. The White share of enrollment decreased from 83% to 74% over that span. Class-load math has narrowed: from 16.1:1 in 2018 to 14.2:1 in 2025.

On the community side, the feed for SOUTH VALLEY MIDDLE typically covers school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.