Is Buffalo Middle a good school?

Buffalo Middle ranks 203 rd of 451 Missouri middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Buffalo Middle?

In the 2023-24 school year, 482 students attended Buffalo Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Buffalo Middle?

Students at Buffalo Middle are 89% White, 5% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 1% African American.

What high school do graduates of Buffalo Middle attend?

Students who attend Buffalo Middle usually go on to attend Buffalo High

Buffalo Middle

Summary:

Buffalo Middle is a public middle school located in Buffalo, Missouri, serving grades 5-8 with a total enrollment of 499 students. The school is part of the Dallas County R-I school district, which is ranked 252 out of 386 districts in Missouri and is rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Buffalo Middle has seen fluctuating statewide rankings, ranging from 203 out of 451 Missouri middle schools in 2023-2024 (rated 3 stars) to as low as 513 out of 587 in 2018-2019 (rated 1 star), indicating inconsistent performance compared to other middle schools in the state. The school has performed relatively well for its Low Socio-Economic Status (SES) students, ranking 104 out of 378 Missouri middle schools in 2023-2024 and receiving a 4-star rating. However, it has struggled with its Special Education and Gifted and Talented student groups. Additionally, Buffalo Middle has had a high chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 17.5% to 21.8% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average.

Interestingly, Fair Grove Middle, located about 17 miles away, consistently outperforms Buffalo Middle in terms of statewide ranking, test scores, and student-teacher ratio. Similarly, Bolivar Middle, about 17 miles away, also outperforms Buffalo Middle in several areas, such as test scores and chronic absenteeism. These comparisons suggest that Buffalo Middle may need to examine the practices and strategies of its higher-performing neighboring schools to identify areas for improvement. Additionally, Buffalo Middle's high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, ranging from 60.95% to 64.38% over the past few years, may be contributing to the school's overall academic performance and chronic absenteeism challenges.

Detail:

Public 5-8

1001 W Truman Rd
Buffalo, MO 65622-1500

(417) 345-2335

District: Dallas County R-I

SchoolDigger Rank:
203^rd of 451 Missouri Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,864

Students who attend Buffalo Middle usually attend:

High:

Buffalo High

Feeder schools for Buffalo Middle:

Elementary:

Mallory Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 12.3

Number of students: 482

Racial breakdown:

White:

88.8%

Two or more races:

4.8%

Hispanic:

4.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 62%

See top rated Missouri middle schools

Compare Buffalo Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Buffalo Middle ranks better than 55% of middle schools in Missouri. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 54.74. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a 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 Racial makeup is: White (88.8%), two or more races (4.8%), Hispanic (4.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 62% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Buffalo Middle is 12.3. (See more...)

Compare Buffalo Middle employs 39 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Buffalo Middle is $9,864.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Buffalo Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Buffalo Middle 203^rd of 451 Missouri public middle schools. (See Buffalo Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

White students:

Dallas County R-I:

SchoolDigger ranks Dallas County R-I 252^nd of 386 Missouri school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Buffalo Middle

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Rank History for all students at Buffalo Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2006	43.71	388^th	619	37.3%
2007	42.76	420^th	624	32.7%
2008	45.61	398^th	624	36.2%
2009	55.41	271^st	601	54.9%
2010	47.88	373^rd	614	39.3%
2011	48.51	357^th	625	42.9%
2012	47.77	362^nd	623	41.9%
2013	54.94	285^th	649	56.1%
2014	58.91	259^th	633	59.1%
2015	57.84	222^nd	585	62.1%
2016	47.52	243^rd	435	44.1%
2017	33.03	422^nd	568	25.7%
2018	25.33	453^rd	552	17.9%
2019	18.06	513^th	587	12.6%
2021	34.40	310^th	454	31.7%
2022	46.55	255^th	459	44.4%
2023	49.57	229^th	459	50.1%
2024	54.74	203^rd	451	55.0%

See the entire list of Missouri Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Buffalo Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	31.31	145^th	192	24.5%
2024	49.98	79^th	194	59.3%

See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Buffalo Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	32.33	323^rd	422	23.5%
2019	25.99	408^th	482	15.4%
2021	50.29	168^th	371	54.7%
2022	58.97	123^rd	365	66.3%
2023	63.12	95^th	382	75.1%
2024	64.40	104^th	378	72.5%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Buffalo Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2019	16.78	172^nd	204	15.7%
2021	55.99	62^nd	195	68.2%
2022	36.89	119^th	187	36.4%

See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Buffalo Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	21.17	99^th	104	4.8%
2019	48.64	84^th	121	30.6%

See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for White students at Buffalo Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	17.44	442^nd	479	7.7%
2019	11.19	510^th	527	3.2%
2021	23.70	311^th	376	17.3%
2022	35.82	257^th	381	32.5%
2023	39.60	229^th	385	40.5%
2024	45.12	203^rd	379	46.4%

See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle 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 Buffalo Middle

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1995	650	1	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	656
1996	650	1	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	656
1997	664	3	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	670
1998	659	1	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	662
1999	667	5	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	678
2000	686	3	2	9	4	n/a	n/a	704
2001	652	5	4	4	2	n/a	n/a	667
2002	622	2	3	9	7	n/a	n/a	643
2003	622	2	3	9	7	n/a	n/a	643
2004	612	0	3	7	8	n/a	n/a	630
2005	604	1	0	8	9	n/a	n/a	622
2006	602	5	2	10	5	n/a	n/a	624
2007	589	8	3	6	1	n/a	n/a	607
2008	545	6	4	6	1	n/a	n/a	562
2009	530	4	4	3	2	n/a	n/a	543
2010	536	3	8	2	3	n/a	n/a	552
2011	511	4	2	6	2	0	2	527
2012	485	3	4	8	2	0	1	503
2013	499	5	2	8	2	0	2	518
2014	504	3	3	9	5	0	5	529
2015	499	4	5	5	6	0	3	522
2016	510	2	2	5	4	0	6	529
2017	486	2	2	4	2	0	8	504
2018	488	6	3	7	4	2	9	519
2019	529	6	1	14	3	1	20	574
2020	532	6	0	18	2	1	14	573
2021	500	5	0	18	4	0	12	539
2022	475	9	0	26	2	0	13	525
2023	456	8	1	18	1	0	15	499
2024	428	6	3	20	1	1	23	482

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 Buffalo Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	656	37.8	17.4	n/a
1996	656	37.8	17.4	n/a
1997	670	38.5	17.4	27.2
1998	662	40.1	16.5	34.3
1999	678	39.4	17.2	40.9
2000	704	42.0	16.8	39.3
2001	667	41.2	16.2	45.7
2002	643	44.5	14.4	45.3
2003	643	44.5	14.4	45.3
2004	630	41.3	15.3	52.1
2005	622	41.3	15.1	56.4
2006	624	41.9	14.9	55.8
2007	607	40.9	14.8	54
2008	562	41.9	13.4	57.1
2009	543	41.0	13.2	64.3
2010	552	37.6	14.6	61.6
2011	527	38.3	13.7	63.8
2012	503	35.2	14.2	62.2
2013	518	38.4	13.4	62.2
2014	529	39.5	13.3	67.5
2015	522	36.0	14.5	63.6
2016	529	36.0	14.6	54.1
2017	504	35.9	14.0	56.9
2018	519	34.8	14.8	60.7
2019	574	34.7	16.5	61.7
2020	573	37.9	15.0	63
2021	539	35.9	14.9	64.4
2022	525	38.0	13.8	61
2023	499	38.9	12.8	61.3
2024	482	39.0	12.3	62

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 Buffalo Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	656	37.8	17.4	n/a
1996	656	37.8	17.4	n/a
1997	670	38.5	17.4	27.2
1998	662	40.1	16.5	34.3
1999	678	39.4	17.2	40.9
2000	704	42.0	16.8	39.3
2001	667	41.2	16.2	45.7
2002	643	44.5	14.4	45.3
2003	643	44.5	14.4	45.3
2004	630	41.3	15.3	52.1
2005	622	41.3	15.1	56.4
2006	624	41.9	14.9	55.8
2007	607	40.9	14.8	54
2008	562	41.9	13.4	57.1
2009	543	41.0	13.2	64.3
2010	552	37.6	14.6	61.6
2011	527	38.3	13.7	63.8
2012	503	35.2	14.2	62.2
2013	518	38.4	13.4	62.2
2014	529	39.5	13.3	67.5
2015	522	36.0	14.5	63.6
2016	529	36.0	14.6	54.1
2017	504	35.9	14.0	56.9
2018	519	34.8	14.8	60.7
2019	574	34.7	16.5	61.7
2020	573	37.9	15.0	63
2021	539	35.9	14.9	64.4
2022	525	38.0	13.8	61
2023	499	38.9	12.8	61.3
2024	482	39.0	12.3	62

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 Buffalo Middle

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$345 (4.1%)	$8,144 (95.9%)	$8,489
2020	$446 (5.3%)	$7,893 (94.6%)	$8,340
2021	$1,061 (12.3%)	$7,551 (87.7%)	$8,612
2022	$2,132 (21.6%)	$7,733 (78.4%)	$9,864

Data source: Missouri Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Buffalo Middle

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 513^th of 587 Middle schools	Ranks 229^th of 459 Middle schools	37.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
5th Grade Mathematics (Buffalo Middle)	19.2	43.4	24.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Dallas County R-I)	19.2	43.4	24.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	40.3	39.1	1.2%
5th Grade Science (Buffalo Middle)	37.2	41.6	4.4%
5th Grade Science (Dallas County R-I)	37.2	41.6	4.4%
5th Grade Science (Missouri)	42.5	40.9	1.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Buffalo Middle)	33	40.7	7.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Dallas County R-I)	33	40.7	7.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	47.1	44.1	3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Buffalo Middle)	26.6	28.8	2.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Dallas County R-I)	26.6	28.8	2.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	42.5	43.7	1.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Buffalo Middle)	33.8	20.7	13.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Dallas County R-I)	33.8	20.7	13.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	45.9	37.5	8.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Buffalo Middle)	15.8	47.3	31.5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Dallas County R-I)	15.8	47.3	31.5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	38	39.5	1.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Buffalo Middle)	26.3	39.7	13.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Dallas County R-I)	26.3	39.7	13.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	43.6	37.3	6.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Buffalo Middle)	19.2	27.9	8.7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Dallas County R-I)	19.2	27.9	8.7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	29	30	1%
8th Grade Science (Buffalo Middle)	28.4	27.9	0.5%
8th Grade Science (Dallas County R-I)	28.4	27.9	0.5%
8th Grade Science (Missouri)	43.7	37.8	5.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Buffalo Middle)	28.9	47.3	18.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Dallas County R-I)	28.9	47.3	18.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	47.3	42.7	4.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	574	499	13.1%
African American	6	8	33.3%
American Indian	3	1	66.7%
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	14	18	28.6%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	529	456	13.8%
Two or More Races	20	15	25%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	61.7%	61.3%	0.3%

Schools Near Buffalo Middle

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MAP Mathematics (2024)				MAP Science (2024)		MAP English Language Arts (2024)				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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Buffalo Middle	Public	5-8	1001 W Truman Rd	Buffalo	65622	Dallas County	Dallas County R-I	No	No	No	No	(417) 345-2335	482	39	12.3	62.0%	428 (88.8%)	6 (1.2%)	20 (4.1%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (4.8%)	54.7	203^rd of 451 public middle schools	55.0%		49.6	229^th of 459 public middle schools	50.1%	26	44.8	46.3	38.8	28.8	38.4	28.8	37.6	37.2	23.6	58.4	$9,864	$2,132	$7,733
Pleasant Hope Middle	Public	5-8	515 W McCurry	Pleasant Hope	65725	Greene County	Pleasant Hope R-VI	No	No	No	No	(417) 267-7701	176	14	12.6	65.9%	172 (97.7%)	2 (1.1%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46.5	242^nd of 451 public middle schools	46.3%		37.8	294^th of 459 public middle schools	35.9%	52	33.4	27.3	29.6	19.2	47.1	33.2		45.4	29.3	46.1	$9,038	$3,102	$5,936
Fair Grove Middle	Public	5-8	132 N Main St	Fair Grove	65648	Greene County	Fair Grove R-X	No	No	No	No	(417) 759-2556	363	22	16.8	33.9%	340 (93.7%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.4%)	2 (0.6%)	4 (1.1%)	1 (0.3%)	10 (2.8%)	82.5	55^th of 451 public middle schools	87.8%		80.2	65^th of 459 public middle schools	85.8%	10	52.4	67.3	57.4	32.8	73.2	44.5		50.5	47.6	55.3	$7,740	$963	$6,776
Bolivar Middle	Public	6-8	604 W Jackson	Bolivar	65613	Polk County	Bolivar R-I	No	No	No	No	(417) 326-3811	595	46	12.8	49.6%	569 (95.6%)	2 (0.3%)	8 (1.3%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.8%)	59.8	164^th of 451 public middle schools	63.6%		67.4	125^th of 459 public middle schools	72.8%	39		42.7	52.3	39.7		38.1		34.6	32.0	35.9	$9,440	$1,558	$7,883

Buffalo Middle

Buffalo Middle:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Dallas County R-I:

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Rank History for Buffalo Middle

Rank History for all students at Buffalo Middle

Rank History for Special Education students at Buffalo Middle

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Buffalo Middle

Rank History for Disabled students at Buffalo Middle

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Buffalo Middle

Rank History for White students at Buffalo Middle

Enrollment information for Buffalo Middle

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Buffalo Middle

Student/Teacher Ratio Buffalo Middle

Per Pupil Expenditures for Buffalo Middle

Impact of COVID-19 on Buffalo Middle

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Buffalo Middle

Buffalo Middle

Pleasant Hope Middle

Fair Grove Middle

Bolivar Middle

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