Gladden Elementary

Q: Is Gladden Elementary a good school?

Gladden Elementary ranks 557 th of 898 Missouri elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Gladden Elementary is a public elementary school in Belton, Missouri, serving 382 students in grades K-4. The school is part of the Belton 124 School District, which is ranked 168 out of 376 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating.

Gladden Elementary faces several challenges, including declining school performance, potential racial achievement gaps, and socioeconomic factors that may be impacting student learning. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Missouri elementary schools, with a 1-2 star rating from SchoolDigger. Its student proficiency rates on state assessments are lower than the district and state averages, and it has a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch compared to nearby schools. In contrast, Wilckens STEAM Academy @Hillcrest, located just half a mile away, has significantly outperformed Gladden on academic measures, ranking in the top 30% of Missouri elementary schools.

Other nearby schools, such as Eagle Glen Elementary and Stonegate Elementary in the Raymore-Peculiar R-II district, as well as schools in the Grandview C-4 district, have also generally outperformed Gladden on academic measures, highlighting the need for Gladden to implement targeted interventions and strategies to improve student outcomes.

Detail:

Public K-4

405 Westover Rd
Belton, MO 64012-4923

(816) 489-7530

District: Belton 124

SchoolDigger Rank:
557^th of 898 Missouri Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,019

Students who attend Gladden Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Belton Middle School
	Mill Creek Upper Elementary
High:	Belton High

Student/teacher ratio: 13.2

Number of students: 382

Racial breakdown:

White:

57.6%

Hispanic:

19.9%

African American:

12.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 58.6%

See top rated Missouri elementary schools

Compare Gladden Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Gladden Elementary ranks worse than 62% of elementary schools in Missouri. It also ranks 3^rd among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Belton 124 School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 41.02. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Gladden Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (57.6%), Hispanic (19.9%), African American (12%). (See more...)

Compare Details 58.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Belton 124 School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Gladden Elementary is 13.2, which is the 2^nd best among 4 elementary schools in the Belton 124 School District. (See more...)

Compare Gladden Elementary employs 28.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Gladden Elementary is $12,019. 2 elementary schools in the Belton 124 School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Gladden Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Gladden Elementary 557^th of 898 Missouri public elementary schools. (See Gladden Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

Belton 124:

SchoolDigger ranks Belton 124 168^th of 376 Missouri school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Gladden Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Gladden Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2006	56.02	446^th	1074	58.5%
2007	41.20	715^th	1080	33.8%
2008	43.77	683^rd	1084	37.0%
2009	48.76	586^th	1053	44.3%
2010	43.07	683^rd	1066	35.9%
2011	44.09	692^nd	1088	36.4%
2012	59.44	453^rd	1085	58.2%
2013	55.38	506^th	1108	54.3%
2014	52.61	531^st	1089	51.2%
2015	70.23	284^th	1058	73.2%
2016	64.95	306^th	865	64.6%
2017	56.05	459^th	1032	55.5%
2018	43.80	598^th	1045	42.8%
2019	42.59	623^rd	1052	40.8%
2021	21.22	721^st	901	20.0%
2022	25.49	687^th	908	24.3%
2023	41.02	557^th	898	38.0%

See the entire list of Missouri Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Gladden Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	58.61	315^th	887	64.5%
2019	62.99	248^th	907	72.7%
2021	33.28	395^th	574	31.2%
2022	45.34	263^rd	532	50.6%

See the entire list of Best Missouri Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Gladden Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	63.44	22^nd	105	79.0%

See the entire list of Best Missouri Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Gladden Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	31.43	644^th	898	28.3%
2019	32.47	659^th	917	28.1%
2021	14.30	623^rd	691	9.8%
2023	17.61	593^rd	673	11.9%

See the entire list of Best Missouri Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Enrollment information for Gladden Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	422	422
1992	408	17	2	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	431
1993	398	17	9	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	426
1994	483	11	1	12	3	n/a	n/a	0	510
1995	450	13	3	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	475
1996	450	13	3	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	475
1997	484	8	3	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	506
1998	454	15	5	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	486
1999	451	14	5	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	479
2000	341	9	3	10	1	n/a	n/a	0	364
2001	370	22	2	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	403
2002	383	41	2	15	1	n/a	n/a	0	442
2003	383	41	2	15	1	n/a	n/a	0	442
2004	381	46	5	19	2	n/a	n/a	0	453
2005	332	42	8	29	4	n/a	n/a	0	415
2006	320	49	1	27	2	n/a	n/a	0	399
2007	308	42	3	24	6	n/a	n/a	0	383
2008	290	34	4	22	2	n/a	n/a	0	352
2009	305	38	2	25	2	n/a	n/a	0	372
2010	296	39	2	36	1	n/a	n/a	0	374
2011	288	39	7	32	2	0	0	0	368
2012	300	38	6	29	1	1	6	0	381
2013	286	27	7	36	2	1	8	0	367
2014	275	21	6	40	2	2	5	0	351
2015	249	20	2	30	2	5	23	0	331
2016	248	26	1	54	1	8	22	0	360
2017	236	19	3	63	1	4	25	0	351
2018	224	20	1	57	2	3	24	0	331
2019	214	19	0	65	1	3	28	0	330
2020	271	32	1	73	2	3	37	0	419
2021	280	48	2	81	0	3	35	0	449
2022	271	42	0	77	2	2	36	0	430
2023	220	46	1	76	4	1	34	0	382

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Gladden Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	422	30.6	13.7	n/a
1992	431	32.7	13.1	19.7
1993	426	31.4	13.6	39.2
1994	510	29.4	17.3	26.5
1995	475	30.1	15.8	26.9
1996	475	30.1	15.8	26.9
1997	506	30.7	16.5	19.8
1998	486	30.1	16.1	20.6
1999	479	30.9	15.5	28.6
2000	364	25.6	14.2	25.8
2001	403	31.6	12.8	44.4
2002	442	29.5	15.0	31.4
2003	442	29.5	15.0	31.4
2004	453	29.5	15.4	32.9
2005	415	29.5	14.1	35.9
2006	399	27.1	14.7	39.8
2007	383	26.1	14.7	45.7
2008	352	28.4	12.4	40.6
2009	372	28.5	13.0	51.9
2010	374	25.5	14.6	56.4
2011	368	25.8	14.2	52.2
2012	381	26.8	14.2	53
2013	367	27.0	13.5	57.2
2014	351	25.0	14.0	56.4
2015	331	25.0	13.2	51.4
2016	360	25.0	14.4	58.9
2017	351	26.5	13.2	61
2018	331	25.0	13.2	59.8
2019	330	25.6	12.8	60.6
2020	419	28.0	14.9	75.9
2021	449	26.7	16.8	49.7
2022	430	31.0	13.8	45.6
2023	382	28.8	13.2	58.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Gladden Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	422	30.6	13.7	n/a
1992	431	32.7	13.1	19.7
1993	426	31.4	13.6	39.2
1994	510	29.4	17.3	26.5
1995	475	30.1	15.8	26.9
1996	475	30.1	15.8	26.9
1997	506	30.7	16.5	19.8
1998	486	30.1	16.1	20.6
1999	479	30.9	15.5	28.6
2000	364	25.6	14.2	25.8
2001	403	31.6	12.8	44.4
2002	442	29.5	15.0	31.4
2003	442	29.5	15.0	31.4
2004	453	29.5	15.4	32.9
2005	415	29.5	14.1	35.9
2006	399	27.1	14.7	39.8
2007	383	26.1	14.7	45.7
2008	352	28.4	12.4	40.6
2009	372	28.5	13.0	51.9
2010	374	25.5	14.6	56.4
2011	368	25.8	14.2	52.2
2012	381	26.8	14.2	53
2013	367	27.0	13.5	57.2
2014	351	25.0	14.0	56.4
2015	331	25.0	13.2	51.4
2016	360	25.0	14.4	58.9
2017	351	26.5	13.2	61
2018	331	25.0	13.2	59.8
2019	330	25.6	12.8	60.6
2020	419	28.0	14.9	75.9
2021	449	26.7	16.8	49.7
2022	430	31.0	13.8	45.6
2023	382	28.8	13.2	58.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Gladden Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$395 (3.6%)	$10,450 (96.4%)	$10,845
2020	$173 (1.7%)	$9,802 (98.3%)	$9,975
2021	$365 (3.8%)	$9,218 (96.2%)	$9,583
2022	$970 (8.1%)	$11,049 (91.9%)	$12,019

Data source: Missouri Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Gladden Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 623^rd of 1052 Elementary schools	Ranks 557^th of 898 Elementary schools	2.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Gladden Elementary)	44.1	32.9	11.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Belton 124)	45.6	40.7	4.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	46	41.1	4.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Gladden Elementary)	39	44.7	5.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Belton 124)	42.7	39.8	2.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	48.7	42.4	6.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Gladden Elementary)	50.7	27.9	22.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Belton 124)	47.4	39	8.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	46.8	43.4	3.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Gladden Elementary)	40.9	28.1	12.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Belton 124)	45.4	34.7	10.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	49.3	45.9	3.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	330	382	15.8%
African American	19	46	142.1%
American Indian	1	4	300%
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	65	76	16.9%
Pacific Islander	3	1	66.7%
White	214	220	2.8%
Two or More Races	28	34	21.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	60.6%	58.6%	2%

Schools Near Gladden Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				MAP Mathematics (2023)				MAP Science (2023)	MAP English Language Arts (2023)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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 (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAP Mathematics 6th 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
Gladden Elementary	Public	K-4	405 Westover Rd	Belton	64012	Cass County	Belton 124	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 489-7530	382	29	13.2	58.6%	220 (57.6%)	46 (12.0%)	76 (19.9%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	34 (8.9%)	41	557^th of 898 public elementary schools	38.0%		25.5	687^th of 908 public elementary schools	24.3%	130	32.9					44.7	28.1			$12,019	$970	$11,049
Wilckens STEAM Academy @Hillcrest	Public	K-6	106 S Hillcrest Rd	Belton	64012	Cass County	Belton 124	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 348-1130	474	31	15.1	36.7%	307 (64.8%)	35 (7.4%)	82 (17.3%)	3 (0.6%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	43 (9.1%)	68.2	268^th of 898 public elementary schools	70.2%		68.7	255^th of 908 public elementary schools	71.9%	13	53.8	55.0	49.3	64.3	44.0	44.6	43.3	42.6	41.5	$11,272	$914	$10,358
Cambridge Elementary	Public	K-4	109 W Cambridge	Belton	64012	Cass County	Belton 124	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 348-1008	423	28	15.0	55.8%	253 (59.8%)	55 (13.0%)	78 (18.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	35 (8.3%)	29	670^th of 898 public elementary schools	25.4%		35.3	600^th of 908 public elementary schools	33.9%	70	33.8	25.7				30.0	31.6			$12,027	$1,206	$10,821
Belvidere Elementary	Public	K-5	15200 White Ave	Grandview	64030	Jackson County	Grandview C-4	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 316-5300	294	23	12.7	64.6%	97 (33.0%)	115 (39.1%)	48 (16.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (1.0%)	30 (10.2%)	44.4	517^th of 898 public elementary schools	42.4%		34.6	610^th of 908 public elementary schools	32.8%	93	51.9	32.6	23.3		30.2	42.3	38.1	37.3		$13,706	$199	$13,507
Kentucky Trail Elementary	Public	K-4	8301 E 163rd St	Belton	64012	Cass County	Belton 124	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 348-1100	325	26	12.3	43.7%	221 (68.0%)	23 (7.1%)	51 (15.7%)	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (8.0%)	56.9	388^th of 898 public elementary schools	56.8%		39.5	562^nd of 908 public elementary schools	38.1%	174	42.7	62.1				40.0	36.3			$13,211	$1,423	$11,788
Creekmoor Elementary	Public	K-5	1501 Creekmoor Dr	Raymore	64083	Cass County	Raymore-Peculiar R-II	No	No	No	No	(816) 892-1675	350	27	12.9	23.7%	226 (64.6%)	34 (9.7%)	53 (15.1%)	10 (2.9%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	25 (7.1%)	79.6	146^th of 898 public elementary schools	83.7%		83.9	118^th of 908 public elementary schools	87.0%	28	50.8	57.1	69.0		67.2	45.8				$12,004	$807	$11,197
Butcher-Greene Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5302 E 140th	Grandview	64030	Jackson County	Grandview C-4	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 316-5400	283	23	12.5	77.7%	44 (15.5%)	130 (45.9%)	84 (29.7%)	3 (1.1%)	1 (0.4%)	5 (1.8%)	16 (5.7%)	16	767^th of 898 public elementary schools	14.6%		24.9	692^nd of 908 public elementary schools	23.8%	75	27.8	18.4	5.0		10.0	24.6	26.3	20.5		$15,904	$185	$15,719
Eagle Glen Elementary	Public	K-5	100 S Foxridge Dr	Raymore	64083	Cass County	Raymore-Peculiar R-II	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 892-1750	412	33	12.3	34.5%	261 (63.3%)	78 (18.9%)	35 (8.5%)	2 (0.5%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (7.5%)	60.8	343^rd of 898 public elementary schools	61.8%		43.7	520^th of 908 public elementary schools	42.7%	177	34.9	41.0	62.7		67.8	35.0	44.6	50.8		$11,915	$856	$11,059
Stonegate Elementary	Public	K-5	900 S Foxridge Dr	Raymore	64083	Cass County	Raymore-Peculiar R-II	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 892-1900	310	24	12.8	40.0%	189 (61.0%)	66 (21.3%)	28 (9.0%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	22 (7.1%)	61.6	339^th of 898 public elementary schools	62.2%		59	372^nd of 908 public elementary schools	59.0%	33	31.5	40.4	55.1		55.2	46.3		44.8		$12,545	$844	$11,701
Meadowmere Elementary	Public	K-5	7010 E 136th St	Grandview	64030	Jackson County	Grandview C-4	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 316-5525	349	26	13.6	66.2%	78 (22.3%)	145 (41.5%)	95 (27.2%)	5 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (7.4%)	56.8	389^th of 898 public elementary schools	56.7%		48.5	471^st of 908 public elementary schools	48.1%	82	53.4	39.7	38.8		32.9	53.4	50.8	37.9		$14,467	$213	$14,254

Frequently Asked Questions about Gladden Elementary

Is Gladden Elementary a good school?

Gladden Elementary ranks 557^th of 898 Missouri elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Gladden Elementary attend?

Students who attend Gladden Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Belton Middle School
Middle : Mill Creek Upper Elementary
High : Belton High

How many students attend Gladden Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 382 students attended Gladden Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Gladden Elementary?

Students at Gladden Elementary are 58% White, 20% Hispanic, 12% African American, 9% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

What district is Gladden Elementary in?

Belton 124

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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.