Is Van Horn High a good school?

Van Horn High ranks 269 th of 378 Missouri high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Van Horn High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,113 students attended Van Horn High.

What is the racial makeup of Van Horn High?

Students at Van Horn High are 42% White, 37% Hispanic, 16% African American, 4% Two or more races.

What schools feed into Van Horn High?

Van Horn High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Abraham Mallinson Elementary Elementary : Cassell Park Elementary Elementary : Fairmount Elementary Elementary : Korte Elementary Elementary : Sugar Creek Elementary Elementary : Three Trails Elementary Middle : Clifford H. Nowlin Middle

Van Horn High

Summary:

Van Horn High is a public high school located in Independence, Missouri, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,047 students. The school is part of the Independence 30 School District, which is ranked 236 out of 386 districts in Missouri and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Van Horn High consistently ranks in the bottom half of Missouri high schools, with academic performance significantly below the state and district averages across all subject areas and grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, only 8.8% of Van Horn High students were proficient or better in Algebra I, compared to 27.1% in the district and 41.5% statewide. The school's performance is particularly low for certain student subgroups, such as White students and English Language Learners, who rank in the bottom 20-30% of Missouri high schools in their respective categories. Additionally, Van Horn High has a very high chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 31.7% to 48.8% in recent years, significantly higher than the district and state averages.

Compared to the nearby high schools in the Kansas City 33 School District, such as Central High School and Northeast High, Van Horn High performs significantly better, though both of these schools serve a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students. However, the two other high schools in the Independence 30 School District, Truman High and William Chrisman High, consistently outperform Van Horn High on academic measures, graduation rates, and other key metrics.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1109 S Arlington Ave
Independence, MO 64053-1613

(816) 521-5360

District: Independence 30

SchoolDigger Rank:
269^th of 378 Missouri High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,960

Feeder schools for Van Horn High:

Elementary:	Abraham Mallinson Elementary
	Cassell Park Elementary
	Fairmount Elementary
	Korte Elementary
	More...
	Sugar Creek Elementary
	Three Trails Elementary
Middle:	Clifford H. Nowlin Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 18.1

Number of students: 1,113

Racial breakdown:

White:

42.2%

Hispanic:

36.7%

African American:

16.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 79.2%

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Compare Van Horn High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Van Horn High ranks worse than 71.2% of high schools in Missouri. It also ranks last among 3 ranked high schools in the Independence 30 School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 28.62. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Van Horn High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

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 Van Horn High is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (42.2%), Hispanic (36.7%), African American (16.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 79.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Independence 30 School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Van Horn High is 18.1. 2 high schools in the Independence 30 School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Van Horn High employs 61.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Van Horn High is $11,960, which is the highest among 4 high schools in the Independence 30 School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Van Horn High:

SchoolDigger ranks Van Horn High 269^th of 378 Missouri public high schools. (See Van Horn High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Independence 30:

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

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Van Horn High

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Rank History for all students at Van Horn High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MO State Percentile
2011	30.07	425^th	528	19.5%
2012	23.23	462^nd	522	11.5%
2013	17.92	477^th	523	8.8%
2014	15.37	482^nd	521	7.5%
2015	33.77	386^th	504	23.4%
2016	25.96	337^th	401	16.0%
2017	38.41	272^nd	404	32.7%
2018	29.22	359^th	468	23.3%
2019	18.70	398^th	460	13.5%
2021	21.54	281^st	358	21.5%
2022	23.23	281^st	361	22.2%
2023	13.29	313^th	352	11.1%
2024	28.62	269^th	378	28.8%

See the entire list of Missouri High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Van Horn High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	15.67	49^th	52	5.8%
2021	30.85	16^th	23	30.4%

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

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Van Horn High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MO State Percentile
2022	30.92	26^th	33	21.2%
2023	25.03	38^th	42	9.5%
2024	32.73	32^nd	45	28.9%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Van Horn High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	54.66	46^th	127	63.8%
2024	57.86	42^nd	135	68.9%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Van Horn High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	41.75	222^nd	382	41.9%
2019	31.10	280^th	368	23.9%
2021	36.54	165^th	255	35.3%
2022	45.35	132^nd	250	47.2%
2023	18.85	239^th	268	10.8%
2024	30.84	198^th	274	27.7%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Van Horn High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	43.37	75^th	129	41.9%
2022	19.05	103^rd	111	7.2%

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

Rank History for African American students at Van Horn High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MO State Percentile
2021	39.30	54^th	96	43.8%
2022	51.99	46^th	105	56.2%
2023	23.86	86^th	99	13.1%
2024	48.37	39^th	105	62.9%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Van Horn High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	34.28	58^th	84	31.0%
2019	22.92	78^th	91	14.3%
2021	48.72	15^th	40	62.5%
2022	39.33	32^nd	57	43.9%
2023	21.20	60^th	64	6.3%
2024	29.52	53^rd	70	24.3%

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

Rank History for White students at Van Horn High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	26.08	347^th	440	21.1%
2019	21.84	363^rd	430	15.6%
2021	17.03	267^th	309	13.6%
2022	28.48	217^th	310	30.0%
2023	13.37	280^th	302	7.3%
2024	20.96	259^th	321	19.3%

See the entire list of Best Missouri High 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:
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Enrollment information for Van Horn High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2009	416	66	14	109	4	n/a	n/a	609
2010	440	92	18	121	4	n/a	n/a	675
2011	535	107	9	137	6	3	8	805
2012	521	119	6	165	4	4	20	839
2013	544	111	5	203	3	5	37	908
2014	536	94	2	210	4	8	42	896
2015	537	113	2	245	4	10	51	962
2016	540	109	4	262	6	10	68	999
2017	540	120	7	256	6	7	54	990
2018	477	117	9	278	4	5	60	950
2019	484	135	7	318	5	6	73	1028
2020	478	153	3	354	4	8	66	1066
2021	433	166	5	368	1	5	105	1083
2022	437	153	4	356	2	5	104	1061
2023	384	156	6	400	1	2	98	1047
2024	470	180	7	409	0	3	44	1113

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 Van Horn High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	609	39.9	15.3	61.1
2010	675	47.3	14.2	70.5
2011	805	46.2	17.4	68.4
2012	839	48.3	17.3	76
2013	908	52.8	17.1	74.1
2014	896	53.3	16.7	78.6
2015	962	57.0	16.8	77.1
2016	999	60.0	16.6	81.1
2017	990	60.6	16.3	74.6
2018	950	57.1	16.6	82.7
2019	1028	58.4	17.6	73.1
2020	1066	60.5	17.5	80.9
2021	1083	58.2	18.5	83
2022	1061	60.5	17.5	74.9
2023	1047	60.5	17.3	72
2024	1113	61.3	18.1	79.2

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 Van Horn High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	609	39.9	15.3	61.1
2010	675	47.3	14.2	70.5
2011	805	46.2	17.4	68.4
2012	839	48.3	17.3	76
2013	908	52.8	17.1	74.1
2014	896	53.3	16.7	78.6
2015	962	57.0	16.8	77.1
2016	999	60.0	16.6	81.1
2017	990	60.6	16.3	74.6
2018	950	57.1	16.6	82.7
2019	1028	58.4	17.6	73.1
2020	1066	60.5	17.5	80.9
2021	1083	58.2	18.5	83
2022	1061	60.5	17.5	74.9
2023	1047	60.5	17.3	72
2024	1113	61.3	18.1	79.2

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 Van Horn High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,225 (11.0%)	$9,872 (89.0%)	$11,097
2020	$1,213 (11.1%)	$9,708 (88.9%)	$10,921
2021	$2,130 (20.3%)	$8,380 (79.7%)	$10,510
2022	$2,404 (20.1%)	$9,556 (79.9%)	$11,960

Data source: Missouri Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Van Horn High

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 398^th of 460 High schools	Ranks 313^th of 352 High schools	2.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Algebra I (Van Horn High)	23.8	12.2	11.6%
End of Course Algebra I (Independence 30)	42	30.8	11.2%
End of Course Algebra I (Missouri)	45.3	41.5	3.8%
End of Course Biology I (Van Horn High)	19.5	15.6	3.9%
End of Course Biology I (Independence 30)	29.9	32.5	2.6%
End of Course Biology I (Missouri)	39.2	38.5	0.7%
End of Course English II (Van Horn High)	47.4	33.4	14%
End of Course English II (Independence 30)	55.1	47.3	7.8%
End of Course English II (Missouri)	59	54.4	4.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1028	1047	1.8%
African American	135	156	15.6%
American Indian	5	1	80%
Asian	7	6	14.3%
Hispanic	318	400	25.8%
Pacific Islander	6	2	66.7%
White	484	384	20.7%
Two or More Races	73	98	34.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	73.1%	72%	1%

Schools Near Van Horn High

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MAP Algebra I (2024)	MAP Biology I (2024)	MAP English II (2024)	MAP Algebra II (2024)	MAP English I (2024)	MAP Government (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 Algebra I End of Course	MAP Biology I End of Course	MAP English II End of Course	MAP Algebra II End of Course	MAP English I End of Course	MAP Government End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Van Horn High	Public	9-12	1109 S Arlington Ave	Independence	64053	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5360	1,113	61	18.1	79.2%	470 (42.2%)	180 (16.2%)	409 (36.7%)	7 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.3%)	44 (4.0%)	28.6	269^th of 378 public high schools	28.8%		13.3	313^th of 352 public high schools	11.1%	44	8.8	24.3				31.1	$11,960	$2,404	$9,556
Independence Academy	Public	9-12	600 W Mechanic Ave	Independence	64050	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	No	(816) 521-5505	0	44	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)						3.8
William Chrisman High	Public	9-12	1223 N Noland Rd	Independence	64050	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5355	1,441	84	17.2	70.2%	906 (62.9%)	184 (12.8%)	256 (17.8%)	9 (0.6%)	12 (0.8%)	23 (1.6%)	51 (3.5%)	41.4	204^th of 378 public high schools	46.0%		44.9	167^th of 352 public high schools	52.6%	37	16.2	27.6	43.3	49.0		42.9	$11,722	$2,305	$9,417
East High School	Public	9-12	1924 Van Brunt Blvd	Kansas City	64127	Jackson County	Kansas City 33	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 418-3125	1,066	77	13.8	100.0%	42 (3.9%)	393 (36.9%)	541 (50.8%)	71 (6.7%)	1 (0.1%)	6 (0.6%)	12 (1.1%)	6.4	358^th of 378 public high schools	5.3%		3.5	343^rd of 352 public high schools	2.6%	15	2.5	8.2	19.6			9.8	$18,091	$3,702	$14,389
Frontier Stem High School	Public, Charter	9-12	6455 E Commerce Ave.	Kansas City	64120	Jackson County	Frontier Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(816) 241-6202	353	39	9.0	77.3%	18 (5.1%)	61 (17.3%)	270 (76.5%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	60.4	97^th of 378 public high schools	74.3%		41.5	181^st of 352 public high schools	48.6%	84	60.6	30.9					$13,591	$2,186	$11,406
Northeast High	Public	9-12	415 S Van Brunt	Kansas City	64124	Jackson County	Kansas City 33	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 418-3300	697	42	16.6	100.0%	65 (9.3%)	317 (45.5%)	216 (31.0%)	87 (12.5%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.7%)	7 (1.0%)	6.7	357^th of 378 public high schools	5.6%		3.8	341^st of 352 public high schools	3.1%	16	16.0	9.8			18.0	7.7	$17,821	$3,606	$14,215
Truman High	Public	9-12	3301 S Noland Rd	Independence	64055	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5350	1,700	88	19.3	57.8%	923 (54.3%)	269 (15.8%)	401 (23.6%)	18 (1.1%)	6 (0.4%)	14 (0.8%)	69 (4.1%)	38.4	220^th of 378 public high schools	41.8%		51.8	124^th of 352 public high schools	64.8%	96	16.2	26.1	45.3	49.4		35.9	$11,558	$2,148	$9,411
Central High School	Public	9-12	3221 Indiana	Kansas City	64128	Jackson County	Kansas City 33	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 418-2005	534	42	12.8	100.0%	36 (6.7%)	419 (78.5%)	59 (11.0%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	5 (0.9%)	10 (1.9%)	5.1	368^th of 378 public high schools	2.6%		4.1	338^th of 352 public high schools	4.0%	30	7.0	5.6	20.1		10.2	6.7	$17,481	$3,762	$13,719
Lincoln College Prep.	Public, Magnet	9-12	2111 Woodland	Kansas City	64108	Jackson County	Kansas City 33	No	Yes	No	No	(816) 418-3000	958	56	17.2	100.0%	217 (22.7%)	410 (42.8%)	242 (25.3%)	52 (5.4%)	4 (0.4%)	13 (1.4%)	20 (2.1%)	74.7	41^st of 378 public high schools	89.2%		70.4	49^th of 352 public high schools	86.1%	8	30.5	54.5	77.5	43.6	78.1		$17,082	$3,384	$13,698
Guadalupe Centers High School	Public, Charter	9-12	1524 The Paseo	Kansas City	64108	Jackson County	Guadalupe Centers Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(816) 471-2582	464	36	12.8	99.4%	6 (1.3%)	5 (1.1%)	449 (96.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	27.2	275^th of 378 public high schools	27.2%		17.9	287^th of 352 public high schools	18.5%	12	39.6	14.5					$17,169	$1,929	$15,240

Van Horn High

Van Horn High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Independence 30:

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Van Horn High

Rank History for all students at Van Horn High

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Van Horn High

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Van Horn High

Rank History for Special Education students at Van Horn High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Van Horn High

Rank History for Disabled students at Van Horn High

Rank History for African American students at Van Horn High

Rank History for Hispanic students at Van Horn High

Rank History for White students at Van Horn High

Review counts

Enrollment information for Van Horn High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Van Horn High

Student/Teacher Ratio Van Horn High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Van Horn High

Impact of COVID-19 on Van Horn High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Van Horn High

Frequently Asked Questions about Van Horn High

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