Is Holden Middle a good school?

Holden Middle ranks 271 st of 451 Missouri middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Holden Middle?

In the 2023-24 school year, 280 students attended Holden Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Holden Middle?

Students at Holden Middle are 90% White, 4% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

What high school do graduates of Holden Middle attend?

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

Holden Middle

Summary:

Holden Middle is a public middle school in Holden, Missouri, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 262 students. The school is part of the Holden R-III School District, which is ranked 151 out of 386 districts in Missouri and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Holden Middle faces several challenges, including consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, below-average test scores in Mathematics, Science, and English Language Arts compared to the state and nearby schools like Pleasant Hill Middle and Warrensburg Middle. The school also has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 33.46% to 44.52% over the past few years, which is higher than the nearby schools. Despite a lower student-teacher ratio, Holden Middle's statewide ranking has declined over the years, suggesting a concerning trend in the school's overall performance.

The school's performance for specific student subgroups, such as White students and students with low socioeconomic status, is also below the state averages, indicating potential equity issues that need to be addressed. While Holden Middle's spending per student has increased over the years, this increased spending does not seem to have translated into improved academic outcomes for the school. The school's declining performance compared to nearby schools and the state averages suggests the need for a comprehensive review of its educational strategies, resource allocation, and support systems to drive meaningful improvements and better serve its students.

Detail:

Public 6-8

301 Eagle Dr
Holden, MO 64040-1696

(816) 732-4125

District: Holden R-III

SchoolDigger Rank:
271^st of 451 Missouri Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,498

Students who attend Holden Middle usually attend:

High:

Holden High

Feeder schools for Holden Middle:

Elementary:

Holden Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 12.8

Number of students: 280

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.4%

Hispanic:

3.9%

Two or more races:

3.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 42.1%

See top rated Missouri middle schools

Compare Holden Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Holden Middle ranks worse than 60.1% of middle schools in Missouri. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 40.59. (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 (90.4%), Hispanic (3.9%), two or more races (3.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 42.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Holden Middle is 12.8. (See more...)

Compare Holden Middle employs 21.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Holden Middle is $11,498.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Holden Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Holden Middle 271^st of 451 Missouri public middle schools. (See Holden Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

White students:

Holden R-III:

SchoolDigger ranks Holden R-III 151^st of 386 Missouri school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Holden Middle.

What do you think?

Your rating for Holden Middle?

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Rank History for Holden Middle

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Rank History for all students at Holden Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2006	57.87	211^th	619	65.9%
2007	51.79	316^th	624	49.4%
2008	59.06	228^th	624	63.5%
2009	43.45	401^st	601	33.3%
2010	53.56	321^st	614	47.7%
2011	46.17	380^th	625	39.2%
2012	50.54	334^th	623	46.4%
2013	47.22	375^th	649	42.2%
2014	51.92	320^th	633	49.4%
2015	55.93	240^th	585	59.0%
2016	53.93	204^th	435	53.1%
2017	43.66	338^th	568	40.5%
2018	39.87	343^rd	552	37.9%
2019	24.17	483^rd	587	17.7%
2021	49.41	234^th	454	48.5%
2022	58.07	177^th	459	61.4%
2023	56.57	190^th	459	58.6%
2024	40.59	271^st	451	39.9%

See the entire list of Missouri Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Holden Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	19.12	387^th	422	8.3%
2019	20.77	433^rd	482	10.2%
2021	43.80	212^th	371	42.9%
2022	58.20	129^th	365	64.7%
2023	55.17	148^th	382	61.3%
2024	47.39	195^th	378	48.4%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Holden Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	29.48	126^th	162	22.2%
2019	31.55	141^st	204	30.9%

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

Rank History for White students at Holden Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	32.14	342^nd	479	28.6%
2019	17.89	483^rd	527	8.3%
2021	38.55	236^th	376	37.2%
2022	46.37	190^th	381	50.1%
2023	50.21	183^rd	385	52.5%
2024	27.39	291^st	379	23.2%

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: 2)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Friday, March 16, 2018

After being bullied by both students and teachers...TEACHERS...my 13-year-old son developed stomach ulcers from the hostile learning environment. He is now homeschooled and is excelling in areas he’d given up on before.That being said, he was passing Language Arts with a B, and I can say that his writing skills are atrocious!! I cannot believe what they are letting slide at this school! He can’t write cursive, use proper forms of their, there, or they’re (and others like this), has little idea how to properly use commas, adjectives or adverbs, is grammatically inept and can barely spell words that I KNOW he used to know in elementary school (before we moved here). I’m not surprised at the ratings this school district has earned, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if they end up losing state accreditation in the long run. Unbelievable! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Holden Middle

Compare

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	289	289
1992	286	5	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	291
1993	301	4	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	305
1994	293	3	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	296
1995	365	7	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	372
1996	365	7	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	372
1997	360	7	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	367
1998	338	6	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	346
1999	334	7	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	344
2000	320	8	0	3	4	n/a	n/a	0	335
2001	309	7	0	4	4	n/a	n/a	0	324
2002	361	5	0	8	2	n/a	n/a	0	376
2003	361	5	0	8	2	n/a	n/a	0	376
2004	356	5	0	3	4	n/a	n/a	0	368
2005	360	3	0	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	366
2006	342	2	0	2	2	n/a	n/a	0	348
2007	354	2	0	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	362
2008	322	4	3	7	2	n/a	n/a	0	338
2009	308	6	2	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	323
2010	318	5	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	327
2011	327	5	0	6	1	0	7	0	346
2012	342	5	0	5	2	0	3	0	357
2013	318	5	0	5	3	0	3	0	334
2014	275	5	1	8	3	0	3	0	295
2015	259	2	1	6	2	0	1	0	271
2016	254	3	2	9	1	0	3	0	272
2017	259	1	1	7	1	0	4	0	273
2018	253	3	2	9	1	0	9	0	277
2019	256	4	2	11	0	0	17	0	290
2020	261	4	2	11	0	0	16	0	294
2021	248	5	0	11	3	1	15	0	283
2022	228	4	0	11	3	1	10	0	257
2023	231	3	0	11	3	1	13	0	262
2024	253	2	2	11	3	0	9	0	280

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 Holden Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	289	13.8	20.9	n/a
1992	291	16.9	17.2	n/a
1993	305	17.0	17.9	n/a
1994	296	19.4	15.3	0
1995	372	22.2	16.8	n/a
1996	372	22.2	16.8	n/a
1997	367	24.2	15.2	24.8
1998	346	23.5	14.7	22.8
1999	344	20.0	17.2	34.6
2000	335	21.7	15.4	35.5
2001	324	24.0	13.5	34.6
2002	376	23.8	15.8	34.3
2003	376	23.8	15.8	34.3
2004	368	23.7	15.5	39.9
2005	366	23.6	15.5	42.1
2006	348	25.1	13.9	38.8
2007	362	24.0	15.1	35.6
2008	338	25.4	13.3	36.7
2009	323	24.3	13.3	37.8
2010	327	25.3	12.9	33.9
2011	346	25.2	13.7	38.2
2012	357	24.9	14.3	46.5
2013	334	24.2	13.7	47.6
2014	295	23.3	12.6	48.1
2015	271	20.0	13.5	50.6
2016	272	21.0	12.9	35.3
2017	273	21.0	13.0	39.9
2018	277	21.2	13.0	40.8
2019	290	20.2	14.3	44.8
2020	294	21.0	13.9	45.2
2021	283	20.1	14.0	44.5
2022	257	21.0	12.2	33.5
2023	262	22.0	11.8	43.5
2024	280	21.7	12.8	42.1

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 Holden Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	289	13.8	20.9	n/a
1992	291	16.9	17.2	n/a
1993	305	17.0	17.9	n/a
1994	296	19.4	15.3	0
1995	372	22.2	16.8	n/a
1996	372	22.2	16.8	n/a
1997	367	24.2	15.2	24.8
1998	346	23.5	14.7	22.8
1999	344	20.0	17.2	34.6
2000	335	21.7	15.4	35.5
2001	324	24.0	13.5	34.6
2002	376	23.8	15.8	34.3
2003	376	23.8	15.8	34.3
2004	368	23.7	15.5	39.9
2005	366	23.6	15.5	42.1
2006	348	25.1	13.9	38.8
2007	362	24.0	15.1	35.6
2008	338	25.4	13.3	36.7
2009	323	24.3	13.3	37.8
2010	327	25.3	12.9	33.9
2011	346	25.2	13.7	38.2
2012	357	24.9	14.3	46.5
2013	334	24.2	13.7	47.6
2014	295	23.3	12.6	48.1
2015	271	20.0	13.5	50.6
2016	272	21.0	12.9	35.3
2017	273	21.0	13.0	39.9
2018	277	21.2	13.0	40.8
2019	290	20.2	14.3	44.8
2020	294	21.0	13.9	45.2
2021	283	20.1	14.0	44.5
2022	257	21.0	12.2	33.5
2023	262	22.0	11.8	43.5
2024	280	21.7	12.8	42.1

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 Holden Middle

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$230 (2.3%)	$9,583 (97.7%)	$9,813
2020	$621 (6.3%)	$9,187 (93.7%)	$9,808
2021	$1,384 (13.8%)	$8,659 (86.2%)	$10,043
2022	$1,604 (14.0%)	$9,894 (86.0%)	$11,498

Data source: Missouri Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Holden 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 483^rd of 587 Middle schools	Ranks 190^th of 459 Middle schools	40.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Holden Middle)	19.1	48	28.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Holden R-III)	19.1	48	28.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	42.5	43.7	1.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Holden Middle)	22.9	38.8	15.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Holden R-III)	22.9	38.8	15.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	45.9	37.5	8.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Holden Middle)	18.9	44	25.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Holden R-III)	18.9	44	25.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	38	39.5	1.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Holden Middle)	32.6	45.3	12.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Holden R-III)	32.6	45.3	12.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	43.6	37.3	6.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Holden Middle)	29.7	39.5	9.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Holden R-III)	29.7	39.5	9.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	29	30	1%
8th Grade Science (Holden Middle)	34.7	20.9	13.8%
8th Grade Science (Holden R-III)	34.7	20.9	13.8%
8th Grade Science (Missouri)	43.7	37.8	5.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Holden Middle)	40.3	27.9	12.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Holden R-III)	40.3	27.9	12.4%
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	290	262	9.7%
African American	4	3	25%
American Indian	0	3
Asian	2	0	100%
Hispanic	11	11
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	256	231	9.8%
Two or More Races	17	13	23.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	44.8%	43.5%	1.3%

Schools Near Holden 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)				MAP Algebra I (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	MAP Algebra I End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Holden Middle	Public	6-8	301 Eagle Dr	Holden	64040	Johnson County	Holden R-III	No	No	No	No	(816) 732-4125	280	22	12.8	42.1%	253 (90.4%)	2 (0.7%)	11 (3.9%)	2 (0.7%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.2%)	40.6	271^st of 451 public middle schools	39.9%		56.6	190^th of 459 public middle schools	58.6%	81		34.3	40.0	16.6		25.1		27.4	39.0	27.3		$11,498	$1,604	$9,894
Sherwood Middle	Public	6-8	33300 S Sherwood Dr	Creighton	64739	Henry County	Sherwood Cass R-VIII	No	No	No	No	(660) 499-2239	181	12	14.6	40.9%	170 (93.9%)	2 (1.1%)	3 (1.7%)	2 (1.1%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	21.5	364^th of 451 public middle schools	19.3%		48.9	233^rd of 459 public middle schools	49.2%	131		19.1		10.5		22.5		23.2	19.8	29.4		$10,464	$387	$10,077
Warrensburg Middle	Public	6-8	640 E Gay St	Warrensburg	64093	Johnson County	Warrensburg R-VI	No	No	No	No	(660) 747-5612	764	58	13.1	33.6%	598 (78.3%)	37 (4.8%)	44 (5.8%)	10 (1.3%)	1 (0.1%)	13 (1.7%)	61 (8.0%)	42.1	260^th of 451 public middle schools	42.4%		55.6	198^th of 459 public middle schools	56.9%	62		34.1	27.5	15.9		31.3		31.2	35.9	37.4	87.6	$10,295	$610	$9,685
Pleasant Hill Middle	Public	7-8	1301 Myrtle	Pleasant Hill	64080	Cass County	Pleasant Hill R-III	No	No	No	No	(816) 540-2149	342	24	14.2	14.9%	307 (89.8%)	3 (0.9%)	19 (5.6%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	9 (2.6%)	78.4	74^th of 451 public middle schools	83.6%		82.1	57^th of 459 public middle schools	87.6%	17			59.0	49.9		48.4			35.6	51.1	73.4	$9,839	$845	$8,994
Pleasant Hill Intermediate	Public	5-6	1204 E 163rd St	Pleasant Hill	64080	Cass County	Pleasant Hill R-III	No	No	No	No	(816) 540-3156	325	24	13.3	17.8%	289 (88.9%)	1 (0.3%)	15 (4.6%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.5%)								(n/a)	39.3	55.8			43.7		48.9	42.7				$9,645	$776	$8,869
Leeton Middle	Public	6-8	500 N Main	Leeton	64761	Johnson County	Leeton R-X	No	No	No	No	(660) 653-4314	64	5	13.3	54.7%	63 (98.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20.1	373^rd of 451 public middle schools	17.3%					(n/a)				30.5		13.1		12.0	7.8	21.8		$9,511	$523	$8,987
Harrisonville Middle	Public	6-8	601 S Highland	Harrisonville	64701	Cass County	Harrisonville R-Ix	No	No	No	No	(816) 380-7654	507	41	12.4	33.3%	439 (86.6%)	4 (0.8%)	32 (6.3%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (5.1%)	51.9	217^th of 451 public middle schools	51.9%		36.5	299^th of 459 public middle schools	34.9%	82		36.0	43.1	33.2		31.0		31.5	35.9	37.0	97.3	$10,817	$423	$10,394

Holden Middle

Holden Middle:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Holden R-III:

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Holden Middle

Rank History for all students at Holden Middle

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Holden Middle

Rank History for Disabled students at Holden Middle

Rank History for White students at Holden Middle

Review counts

Enrollment information for Holden Middle

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Holden Middle

Student/Teacher Ratio Holden Middle

Per Pupil Expenditures for Holden Middle

Impact of COVID-19 on Holden Middle

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Holden Middle

Holden Middle

Sherwood Middle

Warrensburg Middle

Pleasant Hill Middle

Pleasant Hill Intermediate

Leeton Middle

Harrisonville Middle

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