Cassell Park Elementary

Summary:

Cassell Park Elementary is a public elementary school in Independence, Missouri, serving 375 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Independence 30 School District, which is ranked 235 out of 376 school districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Cassell Park Elementary stands out for its significantly higher percentage of Hispanic students (41.33%) compared to nearby schools, which range from 19.69% to 36.28% Hispanic. The school also has a lower percentage of White students (33.33%) than the nearby schools, which range from 35.58% to 58.03% White. Academically, Cassell Park consistently underperforms the district and state averages on standardized tests, with only 10.6% of 3rd graders proficient in math compared to 28.3% for the district and 41.1% for the state. Additionally, the school has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 77.03% to 82.3% over the past three years, significantly higher than the nearby schools.

Cassell Park Elementary's academic struggles are further highlighted by its consistently low rankings, placing in the bottom 25% of Missouri elementary schools over the past three years. For example, the school's White students ranked 666 out of 673 Missouri elementary schools in mathematics, while the Hispanic students ranked 30 out of 40, revealing significant racial achievement gaps. Despite spending more per student ($12,242 in 2021-2022) than the nearby John W. Luff Elementary, which outperforms Cassell Park, the school's academic outcomes suggest the need for a comprehensive review of its educational practices and resource allocation.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

10401 East 31st Street South
Independence, MO 64052

(816) 521-5540

District: Independence 30

SchoolDigger Rank:
800^th of 898 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: 12.7

Number of students: 375

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

41.3%

White:

33.3%

African American:

13.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 80%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Cassell Park Elementary ranks worse than 89.1% of elementary schools in Missouri. It also ranks last among 19 ranked elementary schools in the Independence 30 School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.62. (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 (41.3%), White (33.3%), African American (13.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 80% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cassell Park Elementary is 12.7, which is the 3^rd best among 19 elementary schools in the Independence 30 School District. (See more...)

Compare Cassell Park Elementary employs 29.3 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 2023 Rankings:

Cassell Park Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Cassell Park Elementary 800^th of 898 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 30 235^th of 376 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%

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%

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	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	22.50	40^th	45	11.1%
2023	29.13	30^th	40	25.0%

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	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	12.07	622^nd	675	7.9%
2023	4.25	666^th	673	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

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

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

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 (2023)				Ranking (2022)				MAP Mathematics (2023)				MAP Science (2023)	MAP English Language Arts (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 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	375	29	12.7	80.0%	125 (33.3%)	49 (13.1%)	155 (41.3%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	40 (10.7%)	12.6	800^th of 898 public elementary schools	10.9%		21	730^th of 908 public elementary schools	19.6%	70	10.6		9.8		19.7	30.3	8.0	16.4		$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	317	21	14.8	74.8%	138 (43.5%)	35 (11.0%)	115 (36.3%)	4 (1.3%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	22 (6.9%)	45.2	507^th of 898 public elementary schools	43.5%		59.4	368^th of 908 public elementary schools	59.5%	139	20.0	30.4	51.8		41.3			36.8		$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	447	25	17.8	84.6%	174 (38.9%)	53 (11.9%)	174 (38.9%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	40 (8.9%)	32.6	633^rd of 898 public elementary schools	29.5%		20.3	735^th of 908 public elementary schools	19.1%	102	37.3	28.1	26.0		22.2	43.3	37.1	24.7		$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	283	26	10.6	98.9%	41 (14.5%)	150 (53.0%)	71 (25.1%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.5%)	11 (3.9%)	16.5	763^rd of 898 public elementary schools	15.0%		32.1	629^th of 908 public elementary schools	30.7%	134			15.8	29.8	23.7	8.6	6.5	22.3	21.1	$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	386	23	16.7	76.4%	224 (58.0%)	47 (12.2%)	76 (19.7%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	3 (0.8%)	32 (8.3%)	28.2	680^th of 898 public elementary schools	24.3%		36.6	582^nd of 908 public elementary schools	35.9%	98	22.9	26.0	34.8		34.8	22.9	26.6	32.6		$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	208	15	14.1	81.7%	74 (35.6%)	33 (15.9%)	64 (30.8%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (1.0%)	2 (1.0%)	32 (15.4%)	23.6	713^th of 898 public elementary schools	20.6%		50.4	448^th of 908 public elementary schools	50.7%	265	11.6	10.0			35.2	26.2	10.3	45.5		$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	354	23	15.2	64.4%	162 (45.8%)	55 (15.5%)	83 (23.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.7%)	47 (13.3%)	60.7	346^th of 898 public elementary schools	61.5%		70.3	237^th of 908 public elementary schools	73.9%	109	51.7	38.2	37.0		47.8	48.4				$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	235	15	16.2	68.9%	123 (52.3%)	18 (7.7%)	72 (30.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	20 (8.5%)	37	589^th of 898 public elementary schools	34.4%		43.2	527^th of 908 public elementary schools	42.0%	62	29.0		32.4			27.6	31.8	44.1		$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	314	29	10.6	71.3%	71 (22.6%)	147 (46.8%)	62 (19.7%)	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	3 (1.0%)	27 (8.6%)	29.2	667^th of 898 public elementary schools	25.7%		26.1	683^rd of 908 public elementary schools	24.8%	16	24.1	34.8	21.5		30.8	29.3	47.8	21.5		$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	27	14.8	82.1%	196 (49.4%)	67 (16.9%)	92 (23.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	39 (9.8%)	49.5	466^th of 898 public elementary schools	48.1%		36.2	587^th of 908 public elementary schools	35.4%	121	42.3	22.8	39.2		45.1	44.1	38.6	43.1		$11,974	$2,784	$9,190

Frequently Asked Questions about Cassell Park Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Cassell Park Elementary?

Students at Cassell Park Elementary are 41% Hispanic, 33% White, 13% African American, 11% Two or more races.

Is Cassell Park Elementary a good school?

Cassell Park Elementary ranks in the bottom 10.9% of Missouri elementary schools.

How many students attend Cassell Park Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 375 students attended 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 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.