Kearney Middle

Summary:

Kearney Middle is a public middle school serving grades 6-7 in Kearney, Missouri, which is part of the highly-ranked Kearney R-I School District. This exceptional school has consistently been ranked among the top middle schools in Missouri, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several years.

Kearney Middle's academic performance is truly impressive, with students consistently outperforming the state averages in both Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) assessments. In the 2023-2024 school year, 66.3% of 6th graders and 68% of 7th graders were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to the state averages of 44.4% and 40.6%, respectively. Similarly, 46.2% of 6th graders and 46.6% of 7th graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state averages of 37.6% and 37.8%. The school also excels in supporting various student subgroups, ranking among the top 12 middle schools in Missouri for students with disabilities and low socioeconomic status, and among the top 45 for white students.

While Kearney Middle's performance is exceptional, the educational landscape in the region is strong, with nearby schools such as New Mark Middle, Gateway 6th Grade Center, and Smithville Middle also demonstrating high academic achievement and ranking highly within the state. This suggests opportunities for collaboration and shared best practices among the region's top-performing schools.

Detail:

Public 6-7

200 E 5th St
Kearney, MO 64060-8343

(816) 628-4115

District: Kearney R-I

SchoolDigger Rank:
36^th of 451 Missouri Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,286

Students who attend Kearney Middle usually attend:

High:

Kearney High

Feeder schools for Kearney Middle:

Elementary:	Dogwood Elementary
	Hawthorne Elementary
	Kearney Elementary
	Southview Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 12.8

Number of students: 558

Racial breakdown:

White:

87.8%

Hispanic:

5.4%

Two or more races:

4.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 19.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Kearney Middle ranks better than 92% of middle schools in Missouri. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 87.94. (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 (87.8%), Hispanic (5.4%), two or more races (4.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 19.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

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

Compare Kearney Middle employs 43.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Kearney Middle is $12,286.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Kearney Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Kearney Middle 36^th of 451 Missouri public middle schools. (See Kearney Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

White students:

Kearney R-I:

SchoolDigger ranks Kearney R-I 44^th of 386 Missouri school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Kearney Middle

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Rank History for all students at Kearney Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2009	90.76	13^th	601	97.8%
2010	94.86	7^th	614	98.9%
2011	90.52	20^th	625	96.8%
2012	83.90	38^th	623	93.9%
2013	83.50	39^th	649	94.0%
2014	82.98	51^st	633	91.9%
2015	83.36	59^th	585	89.9%
2016	86.10	33^rd	435	92.4%
2017	91.97	14^th	568	97.5%
2018	93.17	18^th	552	96.7%
2019	93.03	14^th	587	97.6%
2021	87.29	35^th	454	92.3%
2022	89.00	31^st	459	93.2%
2023	90.01	29^th	459	93.7%
2024	87.94	36^th	451	92.0%

See the entire list of Missouri Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Kearney Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	83.94	15^th	192	92.2%
2024	89.00	12^th	194	93.8%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Kearney Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	70.91	58^th	422	86.3%
2019	79.95	37^th	482	92.3%
2022	93.22	7^th	365	98.1%
2023	90.68	11^th	382	97.1%
2024	91.10	11^th	378	97.1%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Kearney Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	88.32	8^th	162	95.1%
2019	82.67	17^th	204	91.7%
2021	78.92	18^th	195	90.8%
2022	94.78	3^rd	187	98.4%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Kearney Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	73.94	10^th	104	90.4%

See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for White students at Kearney Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	90.04	22^nd	479	95.4%
2019	89.23	27^th	527	94.9%
2021	81.17	47^th	376	87.5%
2022	83.35	39^th	381	89.8%
2023	85.95	37^th	385	90.4%
2024	81.84	45^th	379	88.1%

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

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Enrollment information for Kearney Middle

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2007	275	2	0	7	2	n/a	n/a	286
2008	550	5	6	11	2	n/a	n/a	574
2009	547	5	8	14	1	n/a	n/a	575
2010	525	7	6	12	3	n/a	n/a	553
2011	551	8	6	17	4	0	0	586
2012	564	8	8	16	1	0	0	597
2013	540	8	6	7	1	1	3	566
2014	566	7	3	9	1	1	12	599
2015	531	6	2	16	1	0	15	571
2016	504	8	4	19	1	0	8	544
2017	501	6	1	14	0	0	11	533
2018	498	4	1	12	1	0	14	530
2019	487	2	2	15	1	0	16	523
2020	507	1	4	20	2	0	16	550
2021	534	6	2	23	1	0	18	584
2022	491	5	2	17	0	0	11	526
2023	459	6	4	15	1	0	14	499
2024	490	6	2	30	2	1	27	558

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 Kearney Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	286	15.8	18.1	10.5
2008	574	37.9	15.1	10.5
2009	575	37.7	15.3	11.5
2010	553	37.4	14.7	14.5
2011	586	36.0	16.2	17.2
2012	597	36.9	16.1	17.1
2013	566	38.7	14.6	16.3
2014	599	38.0	15.7	15.9
2015	571	39.0	14.6	14.4
2016	544	39.0	13.9	14.7
2017	533	39.8	13.3	15.2
2018	530	39.3	13.4	15.1
2019	523	38.6	13.5	15.9
2020	550	38.2	14.3	10.7
2021	584	38.9	15.0	17.1
2022	526	41.0	12.8	19.2
2023	499	42.9	11.6	18.6
2024	558	43.3	12.8	19.4

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 Kearney Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	286	15.8	18.1	10.5
2008	574	37.9	15.1	10.5
2009	575	37.7	15.3	11.5
2010	553	37.4	14.7	14.5
2011	586	36.0	16.2	17.2
2012	597	36.9	16.1	17.1
2013	566	38.7	14.6	16.3
2014	599	38.0	15.7	15.9
2015	571	39.0	14.6	14.4
2016	544	39.0	13.9	14.7
2017	533	39.8	13.3	15.2
2018	530	39.3	13.4	15.1
2019	523	38.6	13.5	15.9
2020	550	38.2	14.3	10.7
2021	584	38.9	15.0	17.1
2022	526	41.0	12.8	19.2
2023	499	42.9	11.6	18.6
2024	558	43.3	12.8	19.4

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 Kearney Middle

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$247 (2.5%)	$9,789 (97.5%)	$10,036
2020	$429 (4.3%)	$9,586 (95.7%)	$10,016
2021	$274 (2.8%)	$9,600 (97.2%)	$9,874
2022	$413 (3.4%)	$11,873 (96.6%)	$12,286

Data source: Missouri Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Kearney 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 14^th of 587 Middle schools	Ranks 29^th of 459 Middle schools	3.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Kearney Middle)	73.5	62.4	11.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Kearney R-I)	73.5	62.4	11.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	42.5	43.7	1.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Kearney Middle)	61	49.3	11.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Kearney R-I)	61	49.3	11.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	45.9	37.5	8.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Kearney Middle)	71.9	74.3	2.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Kearney R-I)	71.9	74.3	2.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	38	39.5	1.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Kearney Middle)	61.3	52.5	8.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Kearney R-I)	61.3	52.5	8.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	43.6	37.3	6.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	523	499	4.6%
African American	2	6	200%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	2	4	100%
Hispanic	15	15
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	487	459	5.7%
Two or More Races	16	14	12.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	15.9%	18.6%	2.8%

Schools Near Kearney 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
Kearney Middle	Public	6-7	200 E 5th St	Kearney	64060	Clay County	Kearney R-I	No	No	No	No	(816) 628-4115	558	43	12.8	19.4%	490 (87.8%)	6 (1.1%)	30 (5.4%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	27 (4.8%)	87.9	36^th of 451 public middle schools	92.0%		90	29^th of 459 public middle schools	93.7%	7		66.3	68.0					46.2	46.6			$12,286	$413	$11,873
Excelsior Springs Middle	Public	6-8	701 Crown Hill Rd	Excelsior Springs	64024	Clay County	Excelsior Springs 40	No	No	No	No	(816) 630-9230	596	42	14.1	52.9%	516 (86.6%)	11 (1.8%)	36 (6.0%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (4.7%)	44	252^nd of 451 public middle schools	44.1%		48.9	234^th of 459 public middle schools	49.0%	18		25.5	34.5	6.2		37.6		28.8	38.3	39.5	43.5	$11,106	$537	$10,569
Heritage Middle School	Public	6-8	600 W Kansas	Liberty	64068	Clay County	Liberty 53	No	No	No	No	(816) 736-5380	751	54	13.9	25.4%	585 (77.9%)	33 (4.4%)	56 (7.5%)	16 (2.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	60 (8.0%)	74.4	89^th of 451 public middle schools	80.3%		74.4	87^th of 459 public middle schools	81.0%	2		58.1	49.9	28.8		35.0		47.8	46.4	51.5	77.8	$11,596	$250	$11,346
Lawson Middle	Public	5-8	602 Bob Gill Dr	Lawson	64062	Ray County	Lawson R-XIV	No	No	No	No	(816) 580-7279	352	24	14.4	29.0%	339 (96.3%)	3 (0.9%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.1%)	66.9	124^th of 451 public middle schools	72.5%		59.3	172^nd of 459 public middle schools	62.5%	48	35.3	53.3	29.5	36.1	56.1	57.7	37.4	36.9	43.8	43.3		$9,657	$986	$8,671
Liberty Middle School	Public	6-8	1500 S Withers	Liberty	64068	Clay County	Liberty 53	No	No	No	No	(816) 736-5410	597	51	11.6	33.0%	457 (76.5%)	44 (7.4%)	49 (8.2%)	6 (1.0%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	37 (6.2%)	57.7	185^th of 451 public middle schools	59.0%		60.7	162^nd of 459 public middle schools	64.7%	23		44.4	42.3	16.3		31.9		40.1	39.5	44.2	69.0	$12,437	$867	$11,570
Discovery Middle School	Public	6-8	800 Midjay Drive	Liberty	64068	Clay County	Liberty 53	No	No	No	No	(816) 736-7300	663	50	13.3	18.4%	470 (70.9%)	41 (6.2%)	70 (10.6%)	34 (5.1%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	44 (6.6%)	84.1	48^th of 451 public middle schools	89.4%		74.8	85^th of 459 public middle schools	81.5%	37		60.0	57.5	26.6		48.4		58.2	55.9	55.9	79.9	$12,634	$754	$11,880
South Valley Middle	Public	6-8	1000 Midjay Dr	Liberty	64068	Clay County	Liberty 53	No	No	No	No	(816) 736-7180	808	55	14.5	17.8%	604 (74.8%)	48 (5.9%)	76 (9.4%)	19 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	59 (7.3%)	74	90^th of 451 public middle schools	80.0%		68.8	112^th of 459 public middle schools	75.6%	22		60.3	48.7	28.2		41.1		43.0	46.0	47.1	57.7	$11,473	$815	$10,658
Smithville Middle	Public	7-8	675 S Commercial Ave	Smithville	64089	Clay County	Smithville R-II	No	No	No	No	(816) 532-1122	399	32	12.6	15.8%	370 (92.7%)	3 (0.8%)	19 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.3%)	85.2	43^rd of 451 public middle schools	90.5%		77.9	72^nd of 459 public middle schools	84.3%	29			68.5	43.0		50.9			50.6	48.4	97.6	$11,449	$514	$10,935
Gateway 6th Grade Center	Public	6	9201 N Indiana Ave	Kansas City	64156	Clay County	North Kansas City 74	No	No	No	No	(816) 321-5360	869	61	14.2	36.9%	502 (57.8%)	113 (13.0%)	127 (14.6%)	24 (2.8%)	1 (0.1%)	11 (1.3%)	91 (10.5%)								(n/a)		59.8						52.2				$12,434	$528	$11,907
Lathrop Middle School	Public	6-8	612 Center St	Lathrop	64465	Clinton County	Lathrop R-II	No	No	No	No	(816) 710-6115	206	16	12.9	29.6%	194 (94.2%)	1 (0.5%)	10 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	62.1	150^th of 451 public middle schools	66.7%		63.3	147^th of 459 public middle schools	68.0%	3		38.0	49.1	37.4		44.9		28.1	39.2	45.0		$11,444	$491	$10,952

Frequently Asked Questions about Kearney Middle

How many students attend Kearney Middle?

In the 2023-24 school year, 558 students attended Kearney Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Kearney Middle?

Students at Kearney Middle are 88% White, 5% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% African American.

What district is Kearney Middle in?

Kearney R-I

What high school do graduates of Kearney Middle attend?

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

Is Kearney Middle a good school?

Yes. Kearney Middle ranks in the top 8.0% of Missouri middle schools.

Rate Kearney Middle!

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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.