Is Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center a good school?

Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center ranks in the bottom 2.8% of Missouri middle schools.

How many students attend Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center?

In the 2022-23 school year, 770 students attended Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center.

What is the racial makeup of Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center?

Students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center are 65% African American, 18% Hispanic, 8% White, 7% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What high school do graduates of Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center attend?

Students who attend Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center usually go on to attend Ruskin High School

Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Summary:

Smith-Hale Middle is a public middle school in Kansas City, Missouri, serving 770 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Hickman Mills C-1 School District, which is ranked 357 out of 376 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Smith-Hale Middle faces significant challenges, with a student population that is predominantly African American (64.68%) and Hispanic (17.92%), and an extremely high percentage (100%) of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage. The school's academic performance is consistently in the bottom 10% of Missouri middle schools, with only 7-11% of students proficient or better in Mathematics and English Language Arts on state assessments. This persistent low performance has been an issue for the past 10 years.

While Smith-Hale Middle struggles, some nearby schools, such as Raytown Central Middle, Brookside Charter Middle School, and Ewing Marion Kauffman Middle, demonstrate higher academic achievement, despite serving similar student populations. This suggests that factors beyond resources, such as curriculum, instructional practices, and school culture, may play a more significant role in the school's persistent low performance.

Detail:

Public 8

11115 Bennington Ave
Kansas City, MO 64134-3106

(816) 316-7600

District: Hickman Mills C-1

SchoolDigger Rank:
446^th of 459 Missouri Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,515

Students who attend Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center usually attend:

High:

Ruskin High School

Feeder schools for Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center:

Elementary:	Compass Elementary
	Dobbs Elementary
	Ervin Elementary School
	Ingels Elementary
	More...
	Millennium At Sante Fe
	Truman Elementary
	Warford Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 16.8

Number of students: 770

Racial breakdown:

African American:

64.7%

Hispanic:

17.9%

White:

7.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated Missouri middle schools

Compare Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center ranks worse than 97.2% of middle schools in Missouri. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 5.98. (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: African American (64.7%), Hispanic (17.9%), White (7.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center is 16.8. (See more...)

Compare Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center employs 45.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center is $12,515.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center:

SchoolDigger ranks Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center 446^th of 459 Missouri public middle schools. (See Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

English Language Learner students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Hickman Mills C-1:

SchoolDigger ranks Hickman Mills C-1 357^th of 376 Missouri school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center.

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Rank History for Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

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Rank History for all students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2013	7.89	617^th	649	4.9%
2014	10.22	598^th	633	5.5%
2015	6.33	566^th	585	3.2%
2016	7.19	414^th	435	4.8%
2017	1.84	557^th	568	1.9%
2018	3.39	540^th	552	2.2%
2019	4.54	563^rd	587	4.1%
2021	8.80	424^th	454	6.6%
2022	7.02	437^th	459	4.8%
2023	5.98	446^th	459	2.8%

See the entire list of Missouri Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2021	17.39	30^th	31	3.2%
2022	18.13	44^th	45	2.2%
2023	19.83	39^th	44	11.4%

See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	31.91	50^th	68	26.5%
2023	17.30	62^nd	68	8.8%

See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	6.90	415^th	422	1.7%
2019	9.03	464^th	482	3.7%
2021	18.84	336^th	371	9.4%
2022	15.45	338^th	365	7.4%
2023	9.98	368^th	382	3.7%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	10.76	193^rd	195	1.0%
2022	18.72	172^nd	187	8.0%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	2.73	102^nd	104	1.9%
2019	4.60	118^th	121	2.5%

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

Rank History for African American students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	16.15	120^th	129	7.0%
2019	16.40	134^th	149	10.1%
2021	26.33	111^th	135	17.8%
2022	22.05	128^th	148	13.5%
2023	13.99	144^th	153	5.9%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	22.20	86^th	96	10.4%
2019	18.88	116^th	130	10.8%
2021	28.29	57^th	67	14.9%
2022	23.73	69^th	78	11.5%
2023	22.11	67^th	74	9.5%

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

Rank History for White students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2019	9.71	515^th	527	2.3%
2021	10.53	361^st	376	4.0%
2022	9.75	361^st	381	5.2%
2023	6.95	375^th	385	2.6%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, March 2, 2020

This school has no control of their students. Parents aren't allowed to come inside the classes to redirect their children by assisting the teacher in need. Why continue to make calls home if we're not working together? And the principles all across the board are a joke. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2011	102	780	12	67	0	0	1	962
2012	96	785	14	78	2	1	4	980
2013	86	800	9	68	3	0	10	976
2014	67	745	14	66	3	1	15	911
2015	77	663	12	68	2	0	16	838
2016	85	565	9	80	0	0	20	759
2017	102	541	8	76	1	1	18	747
2018	61	561	12	89	0	1	29	753
2019	61	591	13	100	1	1	29	796
2020	100	842	25	174	3	4	57	1205
2021	102	768	29	186	3	8	61	1157
2022	112	742	18	199	0	8	73	1152
2023	60	498	15	138	1	5	53	770

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 Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2011	962	82.2	11.6	81.9
2012	980	72.8	13.4	87.2
2013	976	59.0	16.5	86.8
2014	911	68.2	13.3	84.9
2015	838	59.0	14.2	100
2016	759	58.0	13.0	100
2017	747	62.4	11.9	100
2018	753	49.9	15.0	100
2019	796	50.0	15.8	99.6
2020	1205	82.8	14.5	99.8
2021	1157	79.2	14.6	99.7
2022	1152	78.5	14.6	99.7
2023	770	45.7	16.8	100

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 Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2011	962	82.2	11.6	81.9
2012	980	72.8	13.4	87.2
2013	976	59.0	16.5	86.8
2014	911	68.2	13.3	84.9
2015	838	59.0	14.2	100
2016	759	58.0	13.0	100
2017	747	62.4	11.9	100
2018	753	49.9	15.0	100
2019	796	50.0	15.8	99.6
2020	1205	82.8	14.5	99.8
2021	1157	79.2	14.6	99.7
2022	1152	78.5	14.6	99.7
2023	770	45.7	16.8	100

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 Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,354 (11.5%)	$10,446 (88.5%)	$11,800
2020	$1,641 (14.4%)	$9,758 (85.6%)	$11,399
2021	$3,248 (30.3%)	$7,462 (69.7%)	$10,710
2022	$3,442 (27.5%)	$9,073 (72.5%)	$12,515

Data source: Missouri Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

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 563^rd of 587 Middle schools	Ranks 446^th of 459 Middle schools	1.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade Mathematics (Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center)	10.4	7	3.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Hickman Mills C-1)	10.4	7.2	3.2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	38	39.5	1.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center)	13.2	11.4	1.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Hickman Mills C-1)	13.2	11.6	1.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	43.6	37.3	6.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center)	8.7	4.7	4%
8th Grade Mathematics (Hickman Mills C-1)	8.7	4.7	4%
8th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	29	30	1%
8th Grade Science (Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center)	10.8	9.8	1%
8th Grade Science (Hickman Mills C-1)	10.8	9.8	1%
8th Grade Science (Missouri)	43.7	37.8	5.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center)	21.3	9	12.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Hickman Mills C-1)	21.3	9	12.3%
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	796	770	3.3%
African American	591	498	15.7%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	13	15	15.4%
Hispanic	100	138	38%
Pacific Islander	1	5	400%
White	61	60	1.6%
Two or More Races	29	53	82.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	99.6%	100%	0.4%

Schools Near Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

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)				MAP Algebra I (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 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
Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center	Public	8	11115 Bennington Ave	Kansas City	64134	Jackson County	Hickman Mills C-1	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 316-7600	770	46	16.8	100.0%	60 (7.8%)	498 (64.7%)	138 (17.9%)	15 (1.9%)	1 (0.1%)	5 (0.6%)	53 (6.9%)	6	446^th of 459 public middle schools	2.8%		7	437^th of 459 public middle schools	4.8%	9			7.0	4.7		9.8			11.4	9.0		$12,515	$3,442	$9,073
South Middle	Public	6-8	8401 E 83rd St	Raytown	64138	Jackson County	Raytown C-2	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 268-7380	522	38	13.6	72.8%	84 (16.1%)	316 (60.5%)	72 (13.8%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	42 (8.0%)	13.3	413^th of 459 public middle schools	10.0%		15.1	405^th of 459 public middle schools	11.8%	8		16.1	10.8	2.3		13.6		22.1	21.6	21.1		$13,101	$3,013	$10,088
Hickman Mills 6th 7th Gr Center	Public	6-8	9010a Old Santa Fe Rd	Kansas City	64138	Jackson County	Hickman Mills C-1	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(816) 316-7700	322	25	12.9	100.0%	33 (10.2%)	198 (61.5%)	64 (19.9%)	5 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	20 (6.2%)								(n/a)		15.1						16.7
Hogan Preparatory Academy Middle	Public, Charter	7-8	6409 Agnes	Kansas City	64132	Jackson County	Hogan Preparatory Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(816) 444-4479	188	12	15.6	98.4%	5 (2.7%)	167 (88.8%)	9 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.7%)	2.1	459^th of 459 public middle schools	0.0%		2.2	458^th of 459 public middle schools	0.2%	1			1.2			1.3			5.0	2.7		$16,418	$6,372	$10,046
Raytown Central Middle	Public	6-8	10601 E 59th St	Raytown	64133	Jackson County	Raytown C-2	No	No	No	No	(816) 268-7400	564	37	15.0	64.2%	170 (30.1%)	261 (46.3%)	74 (13.1%)	3 (0.5%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	52 (9.2%)	19.1	386^th of 459 public middle schools	15.9%		23.5	367^th of 459 public middle schools	20.0%	19		15.9	16.1	4.9		18.2		22.9	27.5	27.6		$13,664	$3,006	$10,658
Brookside Charter Middle School	Public, Charter	6-8	1815 East 63rd Street	Kansas City	64130	Jackson County	Brookside Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(816) 531-2192	229	24	9.7	98.7%	5 (2.2%)	200 (87.3%)	8 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	15 (6.6%)	32.1	324^th of 459 public middle schools	29.4%		27.5	350^th of 459 public middle schools	23.7%	26		17.1	14.1	42.8		26.9		14.3	20.5	49.2		$15,582	$4,147	$11,434
Center Middle	Public	6-8	326 E 103rd St	Kansas City	64114	Jackson County	Center 58	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 612-4000	560	49	11.4	66.4%	80 (14.3%)	355 (63.4%)	64 (11.4%)	7 (1.3%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (9.1%)	18	394^th of 459 public middle schools	14.2%		13.9	410^th of 459 public middle schools	10.7%	16		22.5	6.3	10.3		22.3		25.9	19.5	22.9	35.5	$15,956	$3,446	$12,510
Ewing Marion Kauffman Middle	Public, Charter	5-8	6401 Paseo Blvd	Kansas City	64131	Jackson County	Ewing Marion Kauffman School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(816) 268-5660	566	50	11.2	73.7%	19 (3.4%)	453 (80.0%)	64 (11.3%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	25 (4.4%)	62.8	151^st of 459 public middle schools	67.1%		41.8	276^th of 459 public middle schools	39.9%	125	25.3	49.6	57.4	47.4	23.2	23.1	17.2	37.3	34.8	41.8		$16,437	$2,515	$13,922
Grandview Middle	Public	6-8	12650 Manchester	Grandview	64030	Jackson County	Grandview C-4	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 316-5600	517	44	11.7	67.9%	69 (13.3%)	271 (52.4%)	133 (25.7%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	39 (7.5%)	44	266^th of 459 public middle schools	42.0%		43.9	267^th of 459 public middle schools	41.8%	1		34.9	28.4	25.9		27.3		31.5	35.0	42.6		$13,661	$329	$13,332
University Academy-Middle	Public, Charter	6-8	6801 Holmes Rd	Kansas City	64131	Jackson County	University Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(816) 412-9272	264	21	12.5	98.9%	6 (2.3%)	247 (93.6%)	8 (3.0%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45.5	256^th of 459 public middle schools	44.2%		45.7	258^th of 459 public middle schools	43.8%	2		9.8	40.9	42.5				13.0	38.7	46.6		$12,292	$2,184	$10,108

Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Hickman Mills C-1:

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Rank History for all students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Rank History for Disabled students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Rank History for African American students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Rank History for Hispanic students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Rank History for White students at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Review counts

Enrollment information for Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Student/Teacher Ratio Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Per Pupil Expenditures for Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Impact of COVID-19 on Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

Frequently Asked Questions about Hickman Mills 8th Grade Center

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