Cassell Park Elementary

Summary:

Cassell Park Elementary is a public elementary school located in Independence, Missouri, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 375 students. The school is part of the Independence 30 School District, which is ranked 236 out of 386 school districts in Missouri and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Cassell Park Elementary faces significant challenges compared to both the district and state averages. The school has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 31.2% to 34.2% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average. Student performance on the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) tests is also consistently below the district and state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 18.5% of 3rd-grade students were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 35.7% in the district and 40.8% statewide. The school's performance for specific student subgroups, such as Hispanic students, White students, English Language Learners, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, is also significantly lower than the state averages for those subgroups.

When comparing Cassell Park Elementary to other nearby schools within the same district, such as Bryant Elementary, Thomas Hart Benton Elementary, and Santa Fe Trail Elementary, Cassell Park consistently underperforms in terms of student achievement, chronic absenteeism, and school rankings. The school's high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 80% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, likely contributes to these challenges. Despite increased spending per student, from $10,024 in the 2020-2021 school year to $12,242 in the 2021-2022 school year, the school's performance has not yet improved.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

10401 East 31st Street South
Independence, MO 64052

(816) 521-5540

District: Independence 30

SchoolDigger Rank:
773^rd of 906 Missouri Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,242

Students who attend Cassell Park Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Clifford H. Nowlin Middle
High:	Van Horn High

Student/teacher ratio: 14.5

Number of students: 370

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

45.9%

White:

31.6%

African American:

12.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 83.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Cassell Park Elementary ranks worse than 85.3% of elementary schools in Missouri. It also ranks 18^th among 19 ranked elementary schools in the Independence 30 School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 15.71. (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 Cassell Park Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (45.9%), White (31.6%), African American (12.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 83.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cassell Park Elementary is 14.5, which is the 11^th best among 19 elementary schools in the Independence 30 School District. (See more...)

Compare Cassell Park Elementary employs 25.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cassell Park Elementary is $12,242. 12 elementary schools in the Independence 30 School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cassell Park Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Cassell Park Elementary 773^rd of 906 Missouri public elementary schools. (See Cassell Park Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Independence 30:

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

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Rank History for Cassell Park Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Cassell Park Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2021	36.31	601^st	901	33.3%
2022	20.96	730^th	908	19.6%
2023	12.62	800^th	898	10.9%
2024	15.71	773^rd	906	14.7%

See the entire list of Missouri Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Cassell Park Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	26.26	47^th	52	9.6%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Cassell Park Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2021	45.91	281^st	574	51.0%
2022	29.94	403^rd	532	24.2%
2023	26.12	492^nd	611	19.5%
2024	29.19	475^th	625	24.0%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Cassell Park Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2022	22.50	40^th	45	11.1%
2023	29.13	30^th	40	25.0%
2024	47.81	19^th	45	57.8%

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

Rank History for White students at Cassell Park Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2022	12.07	622^nd	675	7.9%
2023	4.25	666^th	673	1.0%
2024	5.79	661^st	668	1.0%

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

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Enrollment information for Cassell Park Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2021	111	48	2	150	0	0	28	339
2022	118	42	3	153	3	0	38	357
2023	125	49	3	155	0	3	40	375
2024	117	47	6	170	0	3	27	370

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 Cassell Park Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2021	339	30.7	11.0	82.3
2022	357	27.7	12.8	77
2023	375	29.3	12.7	80
2024	370	25.5	14.5	83.5

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 Cassell Park Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2021	339	30.7	11.0	82.3
2022	357	27.7	12.8	77
2023	375	29.3	12.7	80
2024	370	25.5	14.5	83.5

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 Cassell Park Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2020	$1,105 (11.6%)	$8,438 (88.4%)	$9,544
2021	$1,333 (13.3%)	$8,690 (86.7%)	$10,024
2022	$2,567 (21.0%)	$9,675 (79.0%)	$12,242

Data source: Missouri Department of Education

Schools Near Cassell Park 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 Mathematics 6th Grade	MAP Science 5th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Cassell Park Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	10401 East 31st Street South	Independence	64052	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5540	370	26	14.5	83.5%	117 (31.6%)	47 (12.7%)	170 (45.9%)	6 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	27 (7.3%)	15.7	773^rd of 906 public elementary schools	14.7%		12.6	800^th of 898 public elementary schools	10.9%	27	18.5	17.0	11.2		11.2	23.8	36.6	13.5		$12,242	$2,567	$9,675
Three Trails Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	11801 E 32nd St S	Independence	64052	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5470	347	23	15.0	81.6%	139 (40.1%)	49 (14.1%)	126 (36.3%)	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	28 (8.1%)	39	569^th of 906 public elementary schools	37.2%		45.2	507^th of 898 public elementary schools	43.5%	62	46.2	17.1	32.8		30.3	44.2	18.7	35.6		$12,034	$2,466	$9,568
Korte Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2437 S Hardy Ave	Independence	64052	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5430	460	26	17.6	85.9%	164 (35.7%)	64 (13.9%)	190 (41.3%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	36 (7.8%)	34.3	617^th of 906 public elementary schools	31.9%		32.6	633^rd of 898 public elementary schools	29.5%	16	46.4	35.3	19.6		26.5	28.7	33.7	34.2		$12,929	$3,327	$9,602
Pitcher Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	9915 E 38th Terr	Kansas City	64133	Jackson County	Kansas City 33	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 418-1855	261	25	10.6	100.0%	33 (12.6%)	126 (48.3%)	82 (31.4%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.1%)	10 (3.8%)	8.7	845^th of 906 public elementary schools	6.7%		16.5	763^rd of 898 public elementary schools	15.0%	82	11.2		9.4	22.0	6.7		3.6	9.5	16.7	$19,399	$3,312	$16,087
Santa Fe Trail Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1301 S Windsor St	Independence	64055	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5450	356	24	14.9	72.2%	198 (55.6%)	40 (11.2%)	75 (21.1%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.7%)	35 (9.8%)	45.6	502^nd of 906 public elementary schools	44.6%		28.2	680^th of 898 public elementary schools	24.3%	178	38.6	45.5			41.8	37.4	36.9	30.9		$12,723	$2,310	$10,413
Procter Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1403 W Linden Ave	Independence	64052	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5440	200	16	12.6	85.0%	96 (48.0%)	32 (16.0%)	47 (23.5%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	3 (1.5%)	20 (10.0%)	20.3	731^st of 906 public elementary schools	19.3%		23.6	713^th of 898 public elementary schools	20.6%	18	28.1	25.8	21.5		18.0	27.9		17.9		$13,578	$2,860	$10,718
John W. Luff Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3700 S Delaware Ave	Independence	64055	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5415	343	24	14.2	69.4%	156 (45.5%)	48 (14.0%)	92 (26.8%)	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	8 (2.3%)	35 (10.2%)	61.4	332^nd of 906 public elementary schools	63.4%		60.7	346^th of 898 public elementary schools	61.5%	14	54.5	33.8			52.0	43.6	49.9	45.8		$12,684	$2,115	$10,569
Bryant Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	827 W College	Independence	64050	Jackson County	Independence 30	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 521-5400	227	16	14.3	74.0%	108 (47.6%)	15 (6.6%)	89 (39.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (6.6%)	16	768^th of 906 public elementary schools	15.2%		37	589^th of 898 public elementary schools	34.4%	179	19.1	20.1	11.4		20.1	19.6	24.3	29.5		$12,504	$2,812	$9,692
Laurel Hills Elementary	Public	K-5	5401 Lane	Raytown	64133	Jackson County	Raytown C-2	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 268-7230	339	27	12.7	72.3%	70 (20.6%)	161 (47.5%)	68 (20.1%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	5 (1.5%)	32 (9.4%)	34.6	610^th of 906 public elementary schools	32.7%		29.2	667^th of 898 public elementary schools	25.7%	57	12.3		35.2		45.0	20.5	28.2	41.1		$15,099	$2,852	$12,247
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Cassell Park Elementary

What schools do graduates of Cassell Park Elementary attend?

Students who attend Cassell Park Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Clifford H. Nowlin Middle
High : Van Horn High

What is the racial makeup of Cassell Park Elementary?

Students at Cassell Park Elementary are 46% Hispanic, 32% White, 13% African American, 7% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Is Cassell Park Elementary a good school?

Cassell Park Elementary ranks in the bottom 14.7% of Missouri elementary schools.

How many students attend Cassell Park Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 370 students attended Cassell Park Elementary.

What district is Cassell Park Elementary in?

Independence 30

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.