Is Blackburn Elementary a good school?

Blackburn Elementary ranks 379 th of 906 Missouri elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Blackburn Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 365 students attended Blackburn Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Blackburn Elementary?

Students at Blackburn Elementary are 59% White, 16% Hispanic, 14% African American, 10% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Blackburn Elementary attend?

Students who attend Blackburn Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Bridger Middle Middle : Pioneer Ridge Middle High : Truman High

Blackburn Elementary

Summary:

Blackburn Elementary is a public elementary school located in Independence, Missouri, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 372 students. The school is part of the Independence 30 School District, which is ranked 236 out of 386 districts in Missouri and is rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Blackburn Elementary has consistently performed better than the Independence 30 district and the state of Missouri in various MAP (Missouri Assessment Program) test scores, particularly in Mathematics and English Language Arts. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Blackburn Elementary's 3rd grade Mathematics proficiency rate was 46.8%, compared to 35.7% for the district and 40.8% for the state. However, the school faces challenges with high chronic absenteeism rates, with 31.7% in the 2023-2024 school year and 43.82% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year.

Blackburn Elementary generally outperforms the nearby Randall Elementary and William Southern Elementary in academic performance, but lags behind the high-performing William Yates Elementary, which is part of the Blue Springs R-IV School District. Blackburn Elementary's performance for White students and students of low socioeconomic status has been relatively lower compared to the overall school performance, suggesting the need to address achievement gaps for these subgroups.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

17302 E R D Mize Rd
Independence, MO 64057-1819

(816) 521-5395

District: Independence 30

SchoolDigger Rank:
379^th of 906 Missouri Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,968

Students who attend Blackburn Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Bridger Middle
	Pioneer Ridge Middle
High:	Truman High

Student/teacher ratio: 13.1

Number of students: 365

Racial breakdown:

White:

58.6%

Hispanic:

16.2%

African American:

13.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 46.8%

See top rated Missouri elementary schools

Compare Blackburn Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Blackburn Elementary ranks better than 58.2% of elementary schools in Missouri. It also ranks 3^rd among 19 ranked elementary schools in the Independence 30 School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 56.98. (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 Student population at Blackburn Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (58.6%), Hispanic (16.2%), African American (13.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 46.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Blackburn Elementary is 13.1, which is the 6^th best among 19 elementary schools in the Independence 30 School District. (See more...)

Compare Blackburn Elementary employs 27.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Blackburn Elementary is $11,968. 16 elementary schools in the Independence 30 School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Blackburn Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Blackburn Elementary 379^th of 906 Missouri public elementary schools. (See Blackburn Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

White students:

Independence 30:

SchoolDigger ranks Independence 30 236^th of 386 Missouri school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Blackburn Elementary.

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Your rating for Blackburn Elementary?

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Rank History for Blackburn Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Blackburn Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2006	79.89	130^th	1074	87.9%
2007	78.86	139^th	1080	87.1%
2008	71.31	229^th	1084	78.9%
2009	72.70	224^th	1053	78.7%
2010	72.18	252^nd	1066	76.4%
2011	68.51	304^th	1088	72.1%
2012	58.95	465^th	1085	57.1%
2013	61.88	408^th	1108	63.2%
2014	63.93	352^nd	1089	67.7%
2015	66.81	327^th	1058	69.1%
2016	47.37	496^th	865	42.7%
2017	66.41	341^st	1032	67.0%
2018	55.13	463^rd	1045	55.7%
2019	60.86	387^th	1052	63.2%
2021	45.07	516^th	901	42.7%
2022	45.51	502^nd	908	44.7%
2023	53.03	419^th	898	53.3%
2024	56.98	379^th	906	58.2%

See the entire list of Missouri Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Blackburn Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	38.04	609^th	887	31.3%
2019	35.68	655^th	907	27.8%
2021	37.43	356^th	574	38.0%
2022	32.42	380^th	532	28.6%
2023	41.08	356^th	611	41.7%
2024	53.45	255^th	625	59.2%

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

Rank History for White students at Blackburn Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	65.95	277^th	898	69.2%
2019	63.37	294^th	917	67.9%
2021	44.46	374^th	691	45.9%
2022	44.22	388^th	675	42.5%
2023	39.67	404^th	673	40.0%
2024	51.70	315^th	668	52.8%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Sunday, October 18, 2015

Great school. My kids love it there. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Blackburn 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	700	700
1992	595	16	22	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	647
1993	633	16	19	16	2	n/a	n/a	0	686
1994	647	19	25	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	701
1995	669	16	10	11	3	n/a	n/a	0	709
1996	669	16	10	11	3	n/a	n/a	0	709
1997	705	24	9	9	6	n/a	n/a	0	753
1998	593	23	3	8	41	n/a	n/a	0	668
1999	634	29	4	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	675
2000	617	29	8	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	667
2001	533	48	8	17	1	n/a	n/a	0	607
2002	548	48	13	22	3	n/a	n/a	0	634
2003	548	48	13	22	3	n/a	n/a	0	634
2004	552	59	15	31	4	n/a	n/a	0	661
2005	510	65	16	33	6	n/a	n/a	0	630
2006	505	62	23	43	5	n/a	n/a	0	638
2007	480	51	23	46	4	n/a	n/a	0	604
2008	515	44	31	40	2	n/a	n/a	0	632
2009	484	56	25	49	5	n/a	n/a	0	619
2010	475	73	26	58	4	n/a	n/a	0	636
2011	466	68	14	65	3	4	19	0	639
2012	436	57	11	72	2	3	33	0	614
2013	360	52	7	58	0	5	39	0	521
2014	322	56	4	59	0	3	46	0	490
2015	311	39	1	49	0	4	50	0	454
2016	285	41	3	52	0	4	44	0	429
2017	267	55	4	54	0	3	37	0	420
2018	269	63	2	49	0	3	29	0	415
2019	235	61	2	43	0	2	36	0	379
2020	238	66	4	44	0	4	28	0	384
2021	235	83	4	47	1	2	28	0	400
2022	241	72	4	57	0	2	28	0	404
2023	216	59	4	61	0	1	31	0	372
2024	214	50	5	59	0	2	35	0	365

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 Blackburn Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	700	32.6	21.4	n/a
1992	647	32.3	20.0	11.4
1993	686	32.6	21.0	17.3
1994	701	33.8	20.7	19.1
1995	709	36.4	19.5	26.9
1996	709	36.4	19.5	26.9
1997	753	36.6	20.6	14.5
1998	668	35.9	18.6	10.5
1999	675	34.7	19.5	0
2000	667	35.8	18.6	16.9
2001	607	34.5	17.6	22.1
2002	634	38.8	16.3	22.1
2003	634	38.8	16.3	22.1
2004	661	35.8	18.5	21.6
2005	630	35.7	17.6	28.1
2006	638	36.8	17.3	27.9
2007	604	35.8	16.9	24.2
2008	632	35.0	18.1	24.5
2009	619	35.6	17.4	29.4
2010	636	33.7	18.8	34.3
2011	639	33.1	19.3	38.5
2012	614	32.0	19.1	47.4
2013	521	29.8	17.4	44.9
2014	490	27.0	18.1	48.4
2015	454	26.0	17.4	41
2016	429	26.0	16.5	42.7
2017	420	30.0	14.0	44.3
2018	415	24.0	17.2	47.2
2019	379	24.5	15.4	41.7
2020	384	27.2	14.0	49.7
2021	400	31.3	12.7	47.3
2022	404	29.3	13.7	44.8
2023	372	28.7	12.9	43.8
2024	365	27.8	13.1	46.8

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 Blackburn Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	700	32.6	21.4	n/a
1992	647	32.3	20.0	11.4
1993	686	32.6	21.0	17.3
1994	701	33.8	20.7	19.1
1995	709	36.4	19.5	26.9
1996	709	36.4	19.5	26.9
1997	753	36.6	20.6	14.5
1998	668	35.9	18.6	10.5
1999	675	34.7	19.5	0
2000	667	35.8	18.6	16.9
2001	607	34.5	17.6	22.1
2002	634	38.8	16.3	22.1
2003	634	38.8	16.3	22.1
2004	661	35.8	18.5	21.6
2005	630	35.7	17.6	28.1
2006	638	36.8	17.3	27.9
2007	604	35.8	16.9	24.2
2008	632	35.0	18.1	24.5
2009	619	35.6	17.4	29.4
2010	636	33.7	18.8	34.3
2011	639	33.1	19.3	38.5
2012	614	32.0	19.1	47.4
2013	521	29.8	17.4	44.9
2014	490	27.0	18.1	48.4
2015	454	26.0	17.4	41
2016	429	26.0	16.5	42.7
2017	420	30.0	14.0	44.3
2018	415	24.0	17.2	47.2
2019	379	24.5	15.4	41.7
2020	384	27.2	14.0	49.7
2021	400	31.3	12.7	47.3
2022	404	29.3	13.7	44.8
2023	372	28.7	12.9	43.8
2024	365	27.8	13.1	46.8

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 Blackburn Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,500 (14.1%)	$9,164 (85.9%)	$10,664
2020	$1,247 (12.1%)	$9,048 (87.9%)	$10,294
2021	$1,248 (11.5%)	$9,564 (88.5%)	$10,812
2022	$2,436 (20.4%)	$9,532 (79.6%)	$11,968

Data source: Missouri Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Blackburn 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 387^th of 1052 Elementary schools	Ranks 419^th of 898 Elementary schools	9.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Blackburn Elementary)	39.7	47	7.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Independence 30)	38.5	28.3	10.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	46	41.1	4.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Blackburn Elementary)	47	36.8	10.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Independence 30)	44	36.4	7.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	48.7	42.4	6.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Blackburn Elementary)	45.3	50.8	5.5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Independence 30)	43.3	30.1	13.2%
4th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	46.8	43.8	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Blackburn Elementary)	39.6	49.2	9.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Independence 30)	47.1	38.1	9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	49.3	45.9	3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Blackburn Elementary)	62.1	33.3	28.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Independence 30)	37.2	35.6	1.6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	40.3	39.1	1.2%
5th Grade Science (Blackburn Elementary)	70.2	38.3	31.9%
5th Grade Science (Independence 30)	42.4	38.1	4.3%
5th Grade Science (Missouri)	42.5	40.9	1.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Blackburn Elementary)	62.1	36.7	25.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Independence 30)	46.6	39.5	7.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	47.1	44.1	3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	379	372	1.8%
African American	61	59	3.3%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	4	100%
Hispanic	43	61	41.9%
Pacific Islander	2	1	50%
White	235	216	8.1%
Two or More Races	36	31	13.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	41.7%	43.8%	2.1%

Schools Near Blackburn Elementary

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 3rd Grade	MAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAP Science 5th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Blackburn Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	17302 E R D Mize Rd	Independence	64057	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5395	365	28	13.1	46.8%	214 (58.6%)	50 (13.7%)	59 (16.2%)	5 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	35 (9.6%)	57	379^th of 906 public elementary schools	58.2%		53	419^th of 898 public elementary schools	53.3%	40	46.8	54.5	36.1	37.8	40.8		43.0	$11,968	$2,436	$9,532
Glendale Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2611 S Lee's Summit Rd	Independence	64055	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5510	391	29	13.5	73.1%	210 (53.7%)	66 (16.9%)	74 (18.9%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.0%)	35 (9.0%)	54.6	401^st of 906 public elementary schools	55.7%		57.3	382^nd of 898 public elementary schools	57.5%	19	48.7	43.4	43.9	33.7	39.6		40.5	$11,625	$2,525	$9,100
Hanthorn Early Education	Public	PK	1511 Kings Hwy	Independence	64055	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	No	(816) 521-5485	8	11	.7		4 (50.0%)	2 (25.0%)	2 (25.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
William Yates Elementary	Public	K-5	3600 Davidson Rd	Independence	64055	Jackson County	Blue Springs R-IV	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 874-3740	447	34	13.3	46.3%	218 (48.8%)	78 (17.4%)	77 (17.2%)	9 (2.0%)	3 (0.7%)	9 (2.0%)	53 (11.9%)	94.5	28^th of 906 public elementary schools	96.9%		94.5	27^th of 898 public elementary schools	97.0%	1	73.8	89.5		71.2	54.9	89.1		$12,829	$929	$11,901
Little Blue Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2020 Quail Drive	Independence	64057	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5480	281	23	12.0	53.7%	168 (59.8%)	47 (16.7%)	35 (12.5%)	6 (2.1%)	1 (0.4%)	4 (1.4%)	20 (7.1%)	41.3	549^th of 906 public elementary schools	39.4%		55.1	397^th of 898 public elementary schools	55.8%	152	41.8	28.5	18.7	28.0	46.5		44.1	$14,708	$4,029	$10,680
Thomas Hart Benton Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	429 S Leslie	Independence	64050	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5390	397	26	15.5	88.4%	191 (48.1%)	79 (19.9%)	90 (22.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (9.1%)	42.1	540^th of 906 public elementary schools	40.4%		49.5	466^th of 898 public elementary schools	48.1%	74	34.6	32.6	36.9	40.7	29.2	36.7	46.2	$11,974	$2,784	$9,190
Sycamore Hills Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	15208 E 39th St S	Independence	64055	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5465	537	31	17.2	58.1%	283 (52.7%)	44 (8.2%)	146 (27.2%)	3 (0.6%)	3 (0.6%)	9 (1.7%)	49 (9.1%)	52.1	431^st of 906 public elementary schools	52.4%		60.2	354^th of 898 public elementary schools	60.6%	77	42.0	30.6	42.4	48.7	39.3	32.5	51.6	$11,058	$2,128	$8,929
Spring Branch Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	20404 E Truman Rd	Independence	64056	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5455	245	21	11.4	67.8%	150 (61.2%)	28 (11.4%)	38 (15.5%)	5 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (9.8%)	42.9	529^th of 906 public elementary schools	41.6%		43.2	533^rd of 898 public elementary schools	40.6%	4	30.0	23.4			47.5	42.8	41.0	$13,600	$4,250	$9,350
Sunshine Center	Public	PK	18400 East Salisbury Road	Independence	64056	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	No	(816) 461-0893	96	0		46.9%	60 (62.5%)	10 (10.4%)	16 (16.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (10.4%)								(n/a)
Randall Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	509 Jennings Rd	Independence	64056	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5445	280	23	12.0	86.4%	115 (41.1%)	69 (24.6%)	61 (21.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	5 (1.8%)	29 (10.4%)	16.8	762^nd of 906 public elementary schools	15.9%		13.6	785^th of 898 public elementary schools	12.6%	23	14.1	19.2	12.0		14.0	41.2		$14,433	$3,298	$11,136

Blackburn Elementary

Blackburn Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Independence 30:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Blackburn Elementary

Rank History for all students at Blackburn Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Blackburn Elementary

Rank History for White students at Blackburn Elementary

Review counts

Enrollment information for Blackburn Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Blackburn Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Blackburn Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Blackburn Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Blackburn Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Blackburn Elementary