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Smith Cotton Junior High School

Q: Is Smith Cotton Junior High School a good school?

Smith Cotton Junior High School ranks 217 th of 438 Missouri middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

217^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 438 Missouri Middle Schools

Better than 50% of Missouri middle schools

Summary

Smith Cotton Junior High School is a public middle school in Sedalia, Missouri, serving 1,121 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Sedalia 200 School District, which is ranked 140 out of 367 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Smith Cotton Junior High School has consistently outperformed the state average in mathematics, with 6th-grade proficiency rates ranging from 38.2% to 46.1% compared to the state's 30-45.5%. However, the school's performance in English Language Arts (ELA) has been below the state average, with 6th-grade proficiency rates ranging from 25.2% to 32%, compared to the state's 37.5-39.4%. Interestingly, the school's Algebra I proficiency rates have been exceptionally high, consistently above 98%, significantly higher than the state average of 35.6-45.4%. The school has shown strong performance for its multi-racial and gifted and talented student subgroups, ranking in the top 25% of Missouri middle schools, but its performance for English Language Learner (ELL) and disabled student subgroups has been relatively weaker, ranking in the bottom 50%.

When compared to nearby schools, Knob Noster Middle School in the Knob Noster R-VIII district generally outperforms Smith Cotton Junior High School in both mathematics and ELA, while Sedalia Middle School within the same district has lower performance in these areas. Additionally, Smith Cotton Junior High School has a higher percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, at 55.94% to 66.73%, compared to Knob Noster Middle School's 35.52%.

1,133

Students ?

13.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,051

Per pupil spending ?

67.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

312 East Broadway
Sedalia, MO 65301-7981

(660) 829-6300

District: Sedalia 200

Racial breakdown:

White:

66.9%

Hispanic:

21.4%

Two or more races:

6.9%

See top rated Missouri middle schools

Compare Smith Cotton Junior High School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 29th percentile in 2015 → 50th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 21 percentile points since 2015

✓Above the Missouri median (50th percentile)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school39%

District avg38%

Missouri avg41%

217^th of 438

Missouri public middle schools ?

Top 50%▲ up 21 pts since 2015

From bottom 29% (2015) to top 50% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Missouri Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

140^th of 367Sedalia 200 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	48.5	217 of 438	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	56.4	193 of 451	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	52.9	212 of 459	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	50.5	225 of 459	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	56.5	195 of 454	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	47.0	306 of 587	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	42.1	328 of 552	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2017	50.3	298 of 568	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2016	51.1	220 of 435	49.4%	★★★☆☆
2015	36.9	413 of 585	29.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	44.6	392 of 633	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2013	48.1	360 of 649	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2012	47.3	366 of 623	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2011	45.3	391 of 625	37.4%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2023	39.5	92 of 153	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	50.0	65 of 148	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	74.2	23 of 149	84.6%	★★★★☆
2018	51.9	60 of 129	53.5%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2022	39.6	110 of 187	41.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	43.7	104 of 195	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	33.5	136 of 204	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	28.7	130 of 162	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	37.6	61 of 81	24.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	54.3	28 of 72	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.8	20 of 68	70.6%	★★★★☆
2022	47.1	36 of 68	47.1%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2019	65.0	36 of 121	70.2%	★★★★☆
2018	62.5	48 of 104	53.8%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	41.7	54 of 90	40.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	52.3	33 of 74	55.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	48.9	33 of 74	55.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.3	28 of 78	64.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	49.8	30 of 67	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	29.0	97 of 130	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	28.1	75 of 96	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	56.2	6 of 22	72.7%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	51.4	169 of 369	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	58.6	124 of 378	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	57.2	133 of 382	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	47.3	184 of 365	49.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	63.3	98 of 371	73.6%	★★★★☆
2019	44.4	272 of 482	43.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	36.4	289 of 422	31.5%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	55.3	10 of 48	79.2%	★★★★☆
2024	61.6	12 of 51	76.5%	★★★★☆
2023	56.9	11 of 44	75.0%	★★★★☆
2022	47.9	13 of 45	71.1%	★★★★☆
2021	36.0	17 of 31	45.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	27.0	77 of 98	21.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	26.8	64 of 79	19.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	48.2	79 of 196	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	40.9	104 of 194	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	41.4	107 of 192	44.3%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	46.6	181 of 358	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	55.9	143 of 379	62.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	52.5	165 of 385	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	48.3	178 of 381	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	56.9	140 of 376	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.5	224 of 527	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	43.9	254 of 479	47.0%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Multi-racial (2025)79th percentile+29 vs school

Homeless (2025)73rd percentile+22 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2019)70th percentile+22 vs school

Special Education (2025)60th percentile+9 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)54th percentile+4 vs school

White (2025)49th percentile~ school

Disabled (2022)41st percentile-10 vs school

Hispanic (2025)40th percentile-10 vs school

African American (2023)40th percentile-14 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)25th percentile-26 vs school

By subject vs Missouri (2024-2025) ?

Algebra I98%+53 vs state

Mathematics41%~ state avg

Science38%~ state avg

English Language Arts32%-8 vs state

★

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Schools Near Smith Cotton Junior High School

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 5th Grade	MAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MAP Science 5th Grade	MAP Science 8th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 5th 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
Smith Cotton Junior High School	Public	6-8	312 East Broadway	Sedalia	65301	Pettis County	Sedalia 200	No	No	No	No	(660) 829-6300	1,133	82	13.7	67.1%	758 (66.9%)	34 (3.0%)	243 (21.4%)	7 (0.6%)	6 (0.5%)	7 (0.6%)	78 (6.9%)	48.5	217^th of 438 public middle schools	50.5%		56.4	193^rd of 451 public middle schools	57.2%	24		46.1	38.8	39.3		38.3		32.0	32.7	31.8	98.4	$12,051	$1,213	$10,838
Sedalia Middle School	Public	5	2205 S Ingram	Sedalia	65301	Pettis County	Sedalia 200	No	No	No	No	(660) 829-6500	396	28	14.2	63.6%	269 (67.9%)	17 (4.3%)	70 (17.7%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	37 (9.3%)								(n/a)	35.1				42.2		41.0					$11,393	$715	$10,678
Knob Noster Middle	Public	6-8	211 E Wimer	Knob Noster	65336	Johnson County	Knob Noster R-VIII	No	No	No	No	(660) 563-2260	381	28	13.6	38.1%	297 (78.0%)	16 (4.2%)	24 (6.3%)	1 (0.3%)	9 (2.4%)	7 (1.8%)	27 (7.1%)	69.2	114^th of 438 public middle schools	74.0%		70.6	112^th of 451 public middle schools	75.2%	2		31.7	42.0	52.0		49.6		48.0	50.3	54.8		$11,953	$826	$11,128

Frequently Asked Questions about Smith Cotton Junior High School

What is the racial makeup of Smith Cotton Junior High School?

Students at Smith Cotton Junior High School are 67% White, 21% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 3% African American.

What district is Smith Cotton Junior High School in?

Sedalia 200

Is Smith Cotton Junior High School a good school?

Smith Cotton Junior High School ranks 217^th of 438 Missouri middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Smith Cotton Junior High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,133 students attended Smith Cotton Junior High School.

Rate Smith Cotton Junior High School!

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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.