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Buckner Elementary

Q: Is Buckner Elementary a good school?

Buckner Elementary ranks 173 rd of 900 Missouri elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-4

173^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 900 Missouri Elementary Schools

Better than 81% of Missouri elementary schools

Summary

Buckner Elementary is a public elementary school located in Independence, Missouri, serving 320 students in grades K-4. As part of the Fort Osage R-I school district, Buckner Elementary has consistently outperformed its district peers in academic achievement, ranking in the top 20% of Missouri elementary schools with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Buckner Elementary's strong academic performance is evident in its proficiency rates, which exceed the district and state averages in both Math and English Language Arts (ELA) for 3rd and 4th grades. For example, in 4th grade Math, Buckner Elementary had a 63% proficiency rate, compared to 40.3% for the Fort Osage R-I district and 43.8% for the state of Missouri. Additionally, the school effectively supports its population of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 40.31% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, yet still ranking in the top 30% of Missouri elementary schools for this subgroup.

While Buckner Elementary outperforms other schools within the Fort Osage R-I district, it lags behind some neighboring schools, such as Lucy Franklin Elementary in the Blue Springs R-IV district, which had significantly higher proficiency rates in Math and ELA. Buckner Elementary's high per-student spending of $13,712 and low student-teacher ratio of 11.6 may contribute to its academic success, but the school still faces challenges, such as higher-than-average chronic absenteeism rates, which the school and district should address.

327

Students ?

12.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,374

Per pupil spending ?

45.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

25102 E. US 24 Highway
Independence, MO 64056-4001

(816) 650-7300

District: Fort Osage R-I

Students who attend Buckner Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Fire Prairie Middle
	Osage Trail Middle
High:	Fort Osage High

Racial breakdown:

White:

82.0%

Two or more races:

8.0%

Hispanic:

7.6%

See top rated Missouri elementary schools

Compare Buckner Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 78th percentile in 2015 → 81st in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Missouri average (57% vs 43% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 19% of Missouri elementary schools

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Fort Osage R-I

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school57%

District avg38%

Missouri avg43%

173^rd of 900

Missouri public elementary schools ?

Top 19%▲ up 3 pts since 2015

From top 22% (2015) to top 19% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Missouri Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 5Elementary Schools in the Fort Osage R-I

214^th of 367Fort Osage R-I among Missouri districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	78.4	173 of 900	80.8%	★★★★☆
2024	40.7	552 of 906	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	46.1	498 of 898	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	67.8	267 of 908	70.6%	★★★★☆
2021	58.1	373 of 901	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	62.3	368 of 1052	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	64.2	361 of 1045	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2017	75.9	213 of 1032	79.4%	★★★★☆
2016	62.6	335 of 865	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2015	74.1	236 of 1058	77.7%	★★★★☆
2014	55.7	480 of 1089	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2013	62.4	401 of 1108	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2012	66.0	355 of 1085	67.3%	★★★☆☆
2011	76.7	188 of 1088	82.7%	★★★★☆
2010	72.0	258 of 1066	75.8%	★★★★☆
2009	62.8	354 of 1053	66.4%	★★★☆☆
2008	62.1	351 of 1084	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2007	60.0	392 of 1080	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2006	52.2	524 of 1074	51.2%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2018	64.2	80 of 251	68.1%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2024	62.5	166 of 625	73.4%	★★★★☆
2023	58.4	198 of 611	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	54.1	210 of 574	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	66.9	202 of 907	77.7%	★★★★☆
2018	51.9	415 of 887	53.2%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	68.2	207 of 666	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	26.0	521 of 668	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	36.5	435 of 673	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	50.6	327 of 675	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	43.4	388 of 691	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	52.1	406 of 917	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.0	418 of 898	53.5%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Low Socio Economic Status (2024)73rd percentile+34 vs school

White (2025)69th percentile-12 vs school

Disabled (2018)68th percentile+3 vs school

By subject vs Missouri (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics61%+18 vs state

English Language Arts53%+10 vs state

★

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Schools Near Buckner Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				MAP Mathematics (2025)			MAP Science (2025)	MAP English Language Arts (2025)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAP Science 5th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Blue Hills Elementary	Public	K-4	25102 E. US 24 Highway	Independence	64056	Jackson County	Fort Osage R-I	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 650-7440	357	25	14.0	43.7%	222 (62.2%)	27 (7.6%)	57 (16.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	9 (2.5%)	40 (11.2%)	43	535^th of 900 public elementary schools	40.6%		37.1	588^th of 906 public elementary schools	35.1%	53	37.7	40.7			35.1				$13,460	$1,398	$12,062
Buckner Elementary	Public	K-4	25102 E. US 24 Highway	Independence	64056	Jackson County	Fort Osage R-I	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 650-7300	327	27	12.0	45.6%	268 (82.0%)	8 (2.4%)	25 (7.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (8.0%)	78.4	173^rd of 900 public elementary schools	80.8%		40.7	552^nd of 906 public elementary schools	39.1%	379	58.4	63.0			49.2	56.8			$15,374	$1,614	$13,760
Cler-Mont Elementary	Public	K-4	25102 E. US 24 Highway	Independence	64056	Jackson County	Fort Osage R-I	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 650-7350	298	22	13.4	63.8%	187 (62.8%)	20 (6.7%)	65 (21.8%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.7%)	22 (7.4%)	39.4	572^nd of 900 public elementary schools	36.4%		48.8	462^nd of 906 public elementary schools	49.0%	110	32.8	39.9			32.0	40.4			$14,951	$1,470	$13,481
Elm Grove Elementary	Public	K-4	25102 E. US 24 Highway	Independence	64056	Jackson County	Fort Osage R-I	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 650-7400	305	25	12.1	68.9%	174 (57.0%)	46 (15.1%)	49 (16.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	31 (10.2%)	25.3	696^th of 900 public elementary schools	22.7%		11.4	818^th of 906 public elementary schools	9.7%	122	28.0	29.2			29.4	26.6			$15,824	$1,845	$13,979
Indian Trails Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	25102 E. US 24 Highway	Independence	64056	Jackson County	Fort Osage R-I	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 650-7645	365	28	13.1	60.3%	208 (57.0%)	54 (14.8%)	58 (15.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	5 (1.4%)	38 (10.4%)	29.4	666^th of 900 public elementary schools	26.0%		29.6	659^th of 906 public elementary schools	27.3%	7	22.6	31.0			31.8	35.8			$14,470	$1,646	$12,825
Orrick Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	100 Kirkham	Orrick	64077	Ray County	Orrick R-Xi	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 770-3922	160	13	12.3	57.5%	151 (94.4%)	4 (2.5%)	4 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)								(n/a)	40.0							27.3	$14,804	$743	$14,060
Prairie Branch Elementary	Public	K-5	2100 Dillingham Rd	Grain Valley	64029	Jackson County	Grain Valley R-V	No	No	No	No	(816) 847-5070	567	49	11.5	15.3%	459 (81.0%)	15 (2.6%)	47 (8.3%)	2 (0.4%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (7.1%)	75.7	197^th of 900 public elementary schools	78.1%		73.8	207^th of 906 public elementary schools	77.2%	10	49.4	58.7	56.0	44.8	52.6	59.7	56.0		$12,144	$462	$11,683
Lucy Franklin Elementary	Public	K-5	111 NE Roanoke Dr	Blue Springs	64014	Jackson County	Blue Springs R-IV	No	No	No	No	(816) 874-3690	536	36	14.8	19.6%	395 (73.7%)	30 (5.6%)	69 (12.9%)	4 (0.7%)	3 (0.6%)	5 (0.9%)	30 (5.6%)	90	73^rd of 900 public elementary schools	91.9%		88.5	69^th of 906 public elementary schools	92.4%	4	69.6	65.8	58.0	69.5	65.1	63.7	63.3		$12,911	$397	$12,513
James Lewis Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	717 NW Park Rd	Blue Springs	64015	Jackson County	Blue Springs R-IV	No	No	No	No	(816) 874-3650	473	37	12.7	29.8%	335 (70.8%)	44 (9.3%)	61 (12.9%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	29 (6.1%)	91.5	56^th of 900 public elementary schools	93.8%		70.8	247^th of 906 public elementary schools	72.7%	191	76.0	61.7	60.1	70.9	61.1		70.9		$14,345	$526	$13,819
Matthews Elementary	Public	K-5	144 McQuerry Rd	Grain Valley	64029	Jackson County	Grain Valley R-V	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 229-4870	422	37	11.2	37.4%	297 (70.4%)	44 (10.4%)	43 (10.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	33 (7.8%)	44.4	520^th of 900 public elementary schools	42.2%		43.7	522^nd of 906 public elementary schools	42.4%	2	34.5	40.8	35.1	34.0	30.7	49.9	39.7		$12,712	$216	$12,496

Frequently Asked Questions about Buckner Elementary

How many students attend Buckner Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 327 students attended Buckner Elementary.

What district is Buckner Elementary in?

Fort Osage R-I

What is the racial makeup of Buckner Elementary?

Students at Buckner Elementary are 82% White, 8% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic, 2% African American.

Is Buckner Elementary a good school?

Buckner Elementary ranks 173^rd of 900 Missouri elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Buckner Elementary attend?

Students who attend Buckner Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Fire Prairie Middle
Middle : Osage Trail Middle
High : Fort Osage High

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.