Best Public Schools in Independence, MO

The city of Independence, Missouri is home to 37 schools across two school districts - Independence 30 and Fort Osage R-I. The district includes 27 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, and 4 high schools, serving students from early childhood through 12th grade.

Among the standout schools in the area are William Yates Elementary, which consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in the state, and Mill Creek Elementary, which also performs very well, ranking in the top 25% of Missouri elementary schools. Another notable school is Buckner Elementary, which has shown significant improvement, moving from a 2-star to a 4-star rating. However, the data also reveals a wide disparity in academic performance, with some schools significantly outperforming others.

While the high schools in the district have relatively high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 92.3% to 92.9%, and low dropout rates, the data also highlights some concerning issues, such as high chronic absenteeism rates, which are significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, many of the schools have high percentages of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a significant population of economically disadvantaged students, which may be a factor in the academic performance of these schools.