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Clifford H. Nowlin Middle

Public Grades 6-8

355^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 438 Missouri Middle Schools

Better than 19% of Missouri middle schools

Summary

Clifford H. Nowlin Middle is a public middle school located in Independence, Missouri, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 886 students. The school is part of the Independence 30 school district, which is ranked 238 out of 367 districts in Missouri and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Clifford H. Nowlin Middle consistently performs below the state and district averages on standardized tests across all grade levels and subjects. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, only 16.9% of 6th graders, 23.3% of 7th graders, and 11% of 8th graders were proficient or better in MAP Mathematics, compared to the state averages of 45.5%, 43.2%, and 32.7%, respectively. The school also has a significantly higher chronic absenteeism rate of 36.0% in the 2023-2024 school year, much higher than the state's average of around 15-20%. Additionally, the school's rankings for various student subgroups are in the bottom half or bottom third of Missouri middle schools.

Interestingly, the nearby schools in the Independence 30 district, such as Bridger Middle and Bingham Middle, perform significantly better than Clifford H. Nowlin Middle on academic measures, despite serving similar student populations. Clifford H. Nowlin Middle has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Missouri middle schools for the past several years, suggesting that the school has struggled to make meaningful improvements in student outcomes over an extended period.

902

Students ?

16.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,761

Per pupil spending ?

79.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2800 S Hardy Ave
Independence, MO 64052-1444

(816) 521-5380

District: Independence 30

Students who attend Clifford H. Nowlin Middle usually attend:

High:

Van Horn High

Feeder schools for Clifford H. Nowlin Middle:

Elementary:	Abraham Mallinson Elementary
	Cassell Park Elementary
	Fairmount Elementary
	Korte Elementary
	More...
	Sugar Creek Elementary
	Three Trails Elementary

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

36.4%

White:

35.0%

African American:

16.7%

See top rated Missouri middle schools

Compare Clifford H. Nowlin Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 13th percentile in 2015 → 19th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 6 percentile points since 2015

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Missouri average (24% vs 41% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (19th percentile)

!Mathematics scores 23 pts below the Missouri average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school24%

District avg31%

Missouri avg41%

355^th of 438

Missouri public middle schools ?

Bottom 19%▲ up 6 pts since 2015

From bottom 13% (2015) to bottom 19% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Missouri Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 3Middle Schools in the Independence 30

238^th of 367Independence 30 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	21.4	355 of 438	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	22.4	362 of 451	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.2	369 of 459	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	16.0	396 of 459	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	19.1	380 of 454	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	13.1	538 of 587	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	15.1	504 of 552	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	13.3	528 of 568	7.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	13.0	399 of 435	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	23.2	511 of 585	12.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	17.7	578 of 633	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	13.7	605 of 649	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	14.3	583 of 623	6.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	12.2	589 of 625	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	40.0	83 of 143	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.4	91 of 144	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	35.2	103 of 153	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	31.5	105 of 148	29.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	45.0	70 of 135	48.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	23.2	121 of 149	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	26.2	103 of 129	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2022	19.8	169 of 187	9.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	19.0	180 of 195	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	45.7	108 of 204	47.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	37.8	107 of 162	34.0%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	35.3	62 of 81	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	39.7	47 of 72	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	36.4	47 of 68	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	21.3	60 of 68	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	46.1	47 of 90	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	44.9	39 of 74	47.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	48.0	34 of 74	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	29.9	56 of 78	28.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	34.1	52 of 67	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	20.4	112 of 130	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	29.7	71 of 96	26.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	37.0	247 of 369	33.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	36.2	263 of 378	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	39.5	243 of 382	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	23.3	317 of 365	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	35.9	262 of 371	29.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	20.8	432 of 482	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	21.6	378 of 422	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	17.1	46 of 48	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	24.9	42 of 51	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	32.4	25 of 44	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	35.8	23 of 45	48.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	30.9	21 of 31	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	12.9	93 of 98	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	4.0	79 of 79	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	19.0	175 of 196	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	31.0	142 of 194	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	11.9	190 of 192	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	16.0	321 of 358	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	17.7	331 of 379	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	18.7	336 of 385	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	11.8	354 of 381	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	15.2	345 of 376	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	12.5	505 of 527	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	11.7	469 of 479	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

Hispanic (2025)48th percentile+29 vs school

African American (2025)42nd percentile+23 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)33rd percentile+14 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)23rd percentile+5 vs school

Special Education (2025)11th percentile-8 vs school

White (2025)10th percentile-9 vs school

Disabled (2022)10th percentile-4 vs school

Multi-racial (2025)4th percentile-15 vs school

By subject vs Missouri (2024-2025) ?

Algebra I69%+24 vs state

Science30%-9 vs state

English Language Arts25%-15 vs state

Mathematics18%-23 vs state

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What people are saying

by a citizen
Wednesday, February 27, 2019

If the #1 middle school has a 99.3 map score, how can Nowlin have a 15 for the same? Doesn't that bother anyone but me? Close Quote

Schools Near Clifford H. Nowlin Middle

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)			MAP Algebra I (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 6th Grade	MAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MAP Science 8th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	MAP Algebra I End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Clifford H. Nowlin Middle	Public	6-8	2800 S Hardy Ave	Independence	64052	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5380	902	54	16.7	79.8%	316 (35.0%)	151 (16.7%)	328 (36.4%)	9 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	6 (0.7%)	91 (10.1%)	21.4	355^th of 438 public middle schools	18.9%		22.4	362^nd of 451 public middle schools	19.7%	7	16.9	23.3	11.0	30.3	21.8	26.4	28.4	69.1	$12,761	$1,410	$11,352
Raytown Middle	Public	6-8	4900 Pittman Rd	Kansas City	64133	Jackson County	Raytown C-2	No	No	No	No	(816) 268-7360	667	46	14.5	66.0%	130 (19.5%)	320 (48.0%)	136 (20.4%)	7 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	70 (10.5%)	18.9	367^th of 438 public middle schools	16.2%		17.8	391^st of 451 public middle schools	13.3%	24	14.3	18.3	16.6	27.1	19.0	23.2	26.8	95.4	$15,524	$882	$14,642
Kansas City Girls Prep Middle	Public, Charter	5-8	5000 E.17th St.	Kansas City	64127	Jackson County	Kansas City Girls Prep Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(816) 268-2573	111	25	4.4	100.0%	3 (2.7%)	65 (58.6%)	32 (28.8%)	2 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	8 (7.2%)	17.4	374^th of 438 public middle schools	14.6%		22.7	361^st of 451 public middle schools	20.0%	13	7.5	7.5	27.1	19.0	26.0	15.5	24.4		$47,137	$3,297	$43,839
Raytown Central Middle	Public	6-8	10601 E 59th St	Raytown	64133	Jackson County	Raytown C-2	No	No	No	No	(816) 268-7400	488	34	14.2	65.8%	112 (23.0%)	237 (48.6%)	80 (16.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (11.7%)	18.8	368^th of 438 public middle schools	16.0%		22.9	360^th of 451 public middle schools	20.2%	8	18.6	27.3	8.1	21.6	17.9	31.3	20.7	68.4	$16,883	$1,005	$15,877
Northeast Middle School	Public	7-8	4904 Independence Avenue	Kansas City	64124	Jackson County	Kansas City 33	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 418-3400	607	47	12.7	100.0%	47 (7.7%)	225 (37.1%)	272 (44.8%)	43 (7.1%)	3 (0.5%)	4 (0.7%)	13 (2.1%)	5.3	429^th of 438 public middle schools	2.1%		4.7	444^th of 451 public middle schools	1.6%	15		6.2	8.4	8.0		7.0	8.6		$17,394	$1,804	$15,591
Central Middle School	Public	7-8	3611 East Linwood	Kansas City	64128	Jackson County	Kansas City 33	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 418-2100	375	29	12.7	100.0%	22 (5.9%)	240 (64.0%)	85 (22.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	6 (1.6%)	20 (5.3%)	4.4	432^nd of 438 public middle schools	1.4%		4.6	445^th of 451 public middle schools	1.3%	13		7.6	5.2	7.0		8.5	7.1		$18,905	$1,667	$17,238
Bridger Middle	Public	6	18200 E M-78 Hwy	Independence	64057	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5375	744	47	15.6	72.3%	374 (50.3%)	116 (15.6%)	159 (21.4%)	8 (1.1%)	2 (0.3%)	10 (1.3%)	75 (10.1%)								(n/a)	47.2				35.6				$12,948	$1,164	$11,784
Bingham Middle	Public	7-8	1716 S Speck Rd	Independence	64057	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5490	730	50	14.6	76.4%	367 (50.3%)	114 (15.6%)	152 (20.8%)	4 (0.5%)	5 (0.7%)	16 (2.2%)	72 (9.9%)	35.2	297^th of 438 public middle schools	32.2%		27.8	330^th of 451 public middle schools	26.8%	33		31.5	13.7	35.7		30.7	34.5	90.4	$13,770	$1,640	$12,130
Pioneer Ridge Middle	Public	7-8	1656 S Speck Rd	Independence	64057	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5385	731	51	14.2	64.4%	374 (51.2%)	119 (16.3%)	144 (19.7%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.5%)	4 (0.5%)	85 (11.6%)	41.4	263^rd of 438 public middle schools	40.0%		45.8	244^th of 451 public middle schools	45.9%	19		33.6	11.8	37.2		29.8	45.2	85.4	$13,891	$1,516	$12,375
Frontier School Of Innovation-M	Public, Charter	6-8	1575 Universal Dr.	Kansas City	64120	Jackson County	Frontier Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(816) 822-1331	307	35	8.7	82.1%	22 (7.2%)	39 (12.7%)	235 (76.5%)	5 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.6%)	64.3	143^rd of 438 public middle schools	67.4%		53.7	208^th of 451 public middle schools	53.9%	65	60.8	63.0	64.2	37.7	24.6	36.8	40.1		$22,984	$1,408	$21,575

Frequently Asked Questions about Clifford H. Nowlin Middle

How many students attend Clifford H. Nowlin Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 902 students attended Clifford H. Nowlin Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Clifford H. Nowlin Middle?

Students at Clifford H. Nowlin Middle are 36% Hispanic, 35% White, 17% African American, 10% Two or more races.

Is Clifford H. Nowlin Middle a good school?

Clifford H. Nowlin Middle ranks in the bottom 18.9% of Missouri middle schools.

What high school do graduates of Clifford H. Nowlin Middle attend?

Students who attend Clifford H. Nowlin Middle usually go on to attend Van Horn High

What district is Clifford H. Nowlin Middle in?

Independence 30

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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.