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West Plains Middle

Q: Is West Plains Middle a good school?

West Plains Middle ranks 206 th of 438 Missouri middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 5-8

206^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 438 Missouri Middle Schools

Better than 53% of Missouri middle schools

Summary

West Plains Middle is a public middle school in West Plains, Missouri, serving 564 students in grades 5-8 and part of the West Plains R-VII District, which is ranked 164 out of 367 districts in the state.

While West Plains Middle has seen fluctuations in its statewide ranking, ranging from 117 out of 435 Missouri middle schools in 2015-2016 to 258 out of 459 in 2022-2023, it has generally underperformed compared to the nearby Willow Springs Middle School, which has consistently ranked in the top 200 middle schools in Missouri. West Plains Middle has also experienced high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 24.1% to 32.8% in recent years, significantly higher than Willow Springs Middle School's rate of 17.1% in 2023-2024.

Academically, West Plains Middle's performance has been mixed, with the school underperforming in mathematics compared to the district and state averages, while its English Language Arts and science results have been more varied. However, the school has shown relatively strong results for low socioeconomic status students, suggesting that it may be effectively supporting this population. By addressing the school's attendance issues and implementing a more comprehensive and targeted approach to curriculum and instruction, West Plains Middle can work towards enhancing the educational experiences and outcomes for all its students.

555

Students ?

13.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,350

Per pupil spending ?

67.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

730 E Olden
West Plains, MO 65775-3348

(417) 256-6150

District: West Plains R-Vii

Students who attend West Plains Middle usually attend:

High:

West Plains Senior High

Feeder schools for West Plains Middle:

Elementary:	South Fork Elementary
	West Plains Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

89.4%

Hispanic:

5.4%

Two or more races:

2.7%

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At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 44th percentile in 2023 → 53rd in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 53rd (2025) from a 44th-percentile low (2023)

✓Above the Missouri median (53rd percentile)

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Missouri average (36% vs 41% meeting standards)

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school36%

District avg38%

Missouri avg41%

206^th of 438

Missouri public middle schools ?

Top 47%▼ down 8 pts since 2015

From top 39% (2015) to top 47% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Missouri Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

164^th of 367West Plains R-Vii 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	51.0	206 of 438	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	50.1	226 of 451	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	45.1	258 of 459	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	48.7	238 of 459	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	58.0	188 of 454	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	52.9	259 of 587	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	60.9	179 of 552	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2017	58.1	221 of 568	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2016	67.2	117 of 435	73.1%	★★★★☆
2015	56.9	230 of 585	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2014	55.0	291 of 633	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2013	63.1	211 of 649	67.5%	★★★☆☆
2012	64.4	201 of 623	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2011	67.1	176 of 625	71.8%	★★★★☆
2010	63.0	210 of 614	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2009	63.9	186 of 601	69.1%	★★★☆☆
2008	68.5	135 of 624	78.4%	★★★★☆
2007	61.6	193 of 624	69.1%	★★★☆☆
2006	49.8	298 of 619	51.9%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2022	39.6	111 of 187	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	19.4	178 of 195	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	37.7	108 of 162	33.3%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2019	35.0	102 of 121	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	47.8	73 of 104	29.8%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	72.5	58 of 369	84.3%	★★★★☆
2024	60.0	115 of 378	69.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.4	181 of 382	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	61.6	108 of 365	70.4%	★★★★☆
2021	75.4	53 of 371	85.7%	★★★★☆
2019	57.8	161 of 482	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.7	73 of 422	82.7%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	40.5	117 of 196	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	31.2	141 of 194	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	42.0	105 of 192	45.3%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	38.3	219 of 358	38.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.3	221 of 379	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	37.3	244 of 385	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	35.1	260 of 381	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	45.7	198 of 376	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	45.7	271 of 527	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	53.4	187 of 479	61.0%	★★★☆☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)84th percentile+31 vs school

Disabled (2022)41st percentile-8 vs school

Special Education (2025)40th percentile-13 vs school

White (2025)39th percentile-14 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2019)16th percentile-40 vs school

By subject vs Missouri (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics37%-5 vs state

English Language Arts36%-5 vs state

Science35%-6 vs state

★

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Schools Near West Plains 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 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
West Plains Middle	Public	5-8	730 E Olden	West Plains	65775	Howell County	West Plains R-Vii	No	No	No	Yes	(417) 256-6150	555	42	13.1	67.4%	496 (89.4%)	2 (0.4%)	30 (5.4%)	6 (1.1%)	5 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (2.7%)	51	206^th of 438 public middle schools	53.0%		50.1	226^th of 451 public middle schools	49.9%	20	27.5	46.3	39.4		32.0	37.7	32.7	33.3	35.2	42.9		$11,350	$650	$10,701
Willow Springs Middle	Public	5-8	215 W Fourth St	Willow Springs	65793	Howell County	Willow Springs R-IV	No	No	No	No	(417) 469-3211	355	34	10.4	66.8%	333 (93.8%)	2 (0.6%)	9 (2.5%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.0%)	55.8	189^th of 438 public middle schools	56.8%		65.7	131^st of 451 public middle schools	71.0%	58	35.0	39.9	54.1	22.5	63.7	38.1	49.9	33.6	49.3	38.1	92.5	$13,295	$776	$12,519

Frequently Asked Questions about West Plains Middle

What is the racial makeup of West Plains Middle?

Students at West Plains Middle are 89% White, 5% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What high school do graduates of West Plains Middle attend?

Students who attend West Plains Middle usually go on to attend West Plains Senior High

How many students attend West Plains Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 555 students attended West Plains Middle.

Is West Plains Middle a good school?

West Plains Middle ranks 206^th of 438 Missouri middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is West Plains Middle in?

West Plains R-Vii

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Schools in West Plains, MO

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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.