Lawson Middle

Q: Is Lawson Middle a good school?

Lawson Middle ranks 124 th of 451 Missouri middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Lawson Middle is a public middle school located in Lawson, Missouri, serving grades 5-8 with a total enrollment of 337 students. The school is part of the Lawson R-XIV school district, which is ranked 85 out of 386 districts in Missouri and is rated 4 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger. Lawson Middle has consistently been ranked among the top middle schools in the state, with a ranking as high as 24th out of 435 Missouri middle schools in the 2015-2016 school year.

Lawson Middle consistently outperforms the state average in various MAP (Missouri Assessment Program) test scores, with higher proficiency rates in 6th grade mathematics, 8th grade science, and 7th grade English Language Arts. The school also has relatively low chronic absenteeism rates compared to the state average, and a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch compared to some nearby schools, such as Cameron Veterans Middle and Excelsior Springs Middle. Additionally, Lawson Middle has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 14.3 to 15.3 over the past few years, which is comparable to or better than many of the nearby schools.

While Lawson Middle performs well overall, its performance for specific subgroups, such as White students and low socioeconomic status students, has been more variable. The school's ranking for these subgroups has fluctuated between 143rd and 226th out of Missouri middle schools, indicating a need to focus on addressing any achievement gaps. However, Lawson Middle generally outperforms many of the nearby middle schools in academic metrics, suggesting that it may be providing a higher-quality educational experience compared to its neighbors. The school's increased spending per student, from $8,199 in 2019-2020 to $9,657 in 2021-2022, may also be contributing to its strong academic performance.

Detail:

Public 5-8

602 Bob Gill Dr
Lawson, MO 64062-0157

(816) 580-7279

District: Lawson R-XIV

SchoolDigger Rank:
124^th of 451 Missouri Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,657

Students who attend Lawson Middle usually attend:

High:

Lawson High

Feeder schools for Lawson Middle:

Elementary:

Southwest Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 14.3

Number of students: 337

Racial breakdown:

White:

96.1%

Hispanic:

2.4%

African American:

1.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 28.8%

See top rated Missouri middle schools

Compare Lawson Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Lawson Middle ranks better than 72.5% of middle schools in Missouri. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 66.9. (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

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Lawson Middle is $9,657.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Lawson Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Lawson Middle 124^th of 451 Missouri public middle schools. (See Lawson Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

Lawson R-XIV:

SchoolDigger ranks Lawson R-XIV 85^th of 386 Missouri school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Lawson Middle

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Rank History for all students at Lawson Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2006	38.78	460^th	619	25.7%
2007	56.30	254^th	624	59.3%
2008	59.82	222^nd	624	64.4%
2009	68.33	152^nd	601	74.7%
2010	68.83	157^th	614	74.4%
2011	77.64	82^nd	625	86.9%
2012	80.36	65^th	623	89.6%
2013	86.33	21^st	649	96.8%
2014	88.50	30^th	633	95.3%
2015	89.60	30^th	585	94.9%
2016	88.67	24^th	435	94.5%
2017	79.61	67^th	568	88.2%
2018	81.30	60^th	552	89.1%
2019	74.25	95^th	587	83.8%
2021	82.46	53^rd	454	88.3%
2022	67.72	123^rd	459	73.2%
2023	59.34	172^nd	459	62.5%
2024	66.90	124^th	451	72.5%

See the entire list of Missouri Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Lawson Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	77.94	33^rd	422	92.2%
2019	50.54	214^th	482	55.6%
2021	72.48	61^st	371	83.6%
2023	42.00	226^th	382	40.8%

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

Rank History for White students at Lawson Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	76.16	71^st	479	85.2%
2019	65.93	122^nd	527	76.9%
2021	75.60	64^th	376	83.0%
2022	55.43	143^rd	381	62.5%
2023	46.63	206^th	385	46.5%
2024	54.94	149^th	379	60.7%

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 Lawson Middle

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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	270	270
1992	293	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	294
1993	388	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	388
1994	389	1	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	393
1995	406	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	407
1996	406	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	407
1997	418	4	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	422
1998	425	5	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	430
1999	410	2	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	414
2000	414	1	2	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	418
2001	396	1	1	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	400
2002	394	2	1	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	402
2003	394	2	1	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	402
2004	414	1	1	4	3	n/a	n/a	0	423
2005	416	1	2	3	3	n/a	n/a	0	425
2006	409	2	2	3	4	n/a	n/a	0	420
2007	411	0	3	1	4	n/a	n/a	0	419
2008	428	0	3	1	3	n/a	n/a	0	435
2009	415	1	4	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	426
2010	417	1	3	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	429
2011	391	1	1	3	0	0	0	0	396
2012	376	1	1	3	1	0	1	0	383
2013	384	1	0	5	1	0	0	0	391
2014	365	2	0	4	2	0	0	0	373
2015	353	2	0	4	2	0	1	0	362
2016	320	2	0	3	2	0	0	0	327
2017	311	2	0	9	1	0	0	0	323
2018	338	1	0	8	1	0	3	0	351
2019	325	2	0	7	0	0	3	0	337
2020	342	4	0	14	1	0	2	0	363
2021	343	4	0	9	1	0	2	0	359
2022	335	5	0	9	1	0	1	0	351
2023	324	4	0	8	1	0	0	0	337

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 Lawson Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	270	15.7	17.1	n/a
1992	294	16.0	18.3	n/a
1993	388	20.0	19.4	n/a
1994	393	21.9	17.9	0
1995	407	22.5	18.1	n/a
1996	407	22.5	18.1	n/a
1997	422	22.6	18.7	10
1998	430	23.9	18.0	9.5
1999	414	23.7	17.5	17.1
2000	418	24.5	17.1	13.2
2001	400	24.1	16.6	17.5
2002	402	24.1	16.7	21.6
2003	402	24.1	16.7	21.6
2004	423	25.1	16.9	22.9
2005	425	25.5	16.7	20.9
2006	420	28.5	14.7	21.4
2007	419	27.4	15.3	18.9
2008	435	28.7	15.2	19.3
2009	426	28.3	15.0	23.7
2010	429	28.8	14.8	27.3
2011	396	26.1	15.1	27.5
2012	383	26.8	14.2	29.8
2013	391	26.8	14.5	27.4
2014	373	26.2	14.1	28.2
2015	362	25.0	14.4	26
2016	327	24.0	13.6	23.2
2017	323	23.8	13.5	28.5
2018	351	23.6	14.8	31.6
2019	337	23.3	14.4	24.9
2020	363	23.7	15.2	29.2
2021	359	23.3	15.3	27.6
2022	351	23.4	14.9	22.2
2023	337	23.5	14.3	28.8

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 Lawson Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	270	15.7	17.1	n/a
1992	294	16.0	18.3	n/a
1993	388	20.0	19.4	n/a
1994	393	21.9	17.9	0
1995	407	22.5	18.1	n/a
1996	407	22.5	18.1	n/a
1997	422	22.6	18.7	10
1998	430	23.9	18.0	9.5
1999	414	23.7	17.5	17.1
2000	418	24.5	17.1	13.2
2001	400	24.1	16.6	17.5
2002	402	24.1	16.7	21.6
2003	402	24.1	16.7	21.6
2004	423	25.1	16.9	22.9
2005	425	25.5	16.7	20.9
2006	420	28.5	14.7	21.4
2007	419	27.4	15.3	18.9
2008	435	28.7	15.2	19.3
2009	426	28.3	15.0	23.7
2010	429	28.8	14.8	27.3
2011	396	26.1	15.1	27.5
2012	383	26.8	14.2	29.8
2013	391	26.8	14.5	27.4
2014	373	26.2	14.1	28.2
2015	362	25.0	14.4	26
2016	327	24.0	13.6	23.2
2017	323	23.8	13.5	28.5
2018	351	23.6	14.8	31.6
2019	337	23.3	14.4	24.9
2020	363	23.7	15.2	29.2
2021	359	23.3	15.3	27.6
2022	351	23.4	14.9	22.2
2023	337	23.5	14.3	28.8

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 Lawson Middle

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$149 (1.7%)	$8,657 (98.3%)	$8,806
2020	$465 (5.7%)	$7,734 (94.3%)	$8,199
2021	$685 (7.8%)	$8,144 (92.3%)	$8,828
2022	$986 (10.2%)	$8,671 (89.8%)	$9,656

Data source: Missouri Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Lawson 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 95^th of 587 Middle schools	Ranks 172^nd of 459 Middle schools	21.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
5th Grade Mathematics (Lawson Middle)	65.8	51.5	14.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Lawson R-XIV)	65.8	51.5	14.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	40.3	39.1	1.2%
5th Grade Science (Lawson Middle)	71.1	71	0.1%
5th Grade Science (Lawson R-XIV)	71.1	71	0.1%
5th Grade Science (Missouri)	42.5	40.9	1.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Lawson Middle)	63.2	52.1	11.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Lawson R-XIV)	63.2	52.1	11.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	47.1	44.1	3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Lawson Middle)	57.7	41.1	16.6%
6th Grade Mathematics (Lawson R-XIV)	57.7	41.1	16.6%
6th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	42.5	43.7	1.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Lawson Middle)	52.9	40	12.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Lawson R-XIV)	52.9	40	12.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	45.9	37.5	8.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Lawson Middle)	55.6	33.8	21.8%
7th Grade Mathematics (Lawson R-XIV)	55.6	33.8	21.8%
7th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	38	39.5	1.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Lawson Middle)	45.2	39.5	5.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Lawson R-XIV)	45.2	39.5	5.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	43.6	37.3	6.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Lawson Middle)	44.6	36.6	8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Lawson R-XIV)	44.6	36.6	8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	29	30	1%
8th Grade Science (Lawson Middle)	60.8	44.4	16.4%
8th Grade Science (Lawson R-XIV)	60.8	44.4	16.4%
8th Grade Science (Missouri)	43.7	37.8	5.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Lawson Middle)	47.3	36.7	10.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Lawson R-XIV)	47.3	36.7	10.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	47.3	42.7	4.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	337	337
African American	2	4	100%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	7	8	14.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	325	324	0.3%
Two or More Races	3	0	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	24.9%	28.8%	3.9%

Schools Near Lawson 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
Lawson Middle	Public	5-8	602 Bob Gill Dr	Lawson	64062	Ray County	Lawson R-XIV	No	No	No	No	(816) 580-7279	337	24	14.3	28.8%	324 (96.1%)	4 (1.2%)	8 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	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
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	576	42	13.7	51.4%	487 (84.5%)	14 (2.4%)	42 (7.3%)	3 (0.5%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (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
Lathrop Middle School	Public	6-8	612 Center St	Lathrop	64465	Clinton County	Lathrop R-II	No	No	No	No	(816) 710-6115	195	16	12.1	32.3%	177 (90.8%)	1 (0.5%)	10 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.1%)	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
Kearney Middle	Public	6-7	200 E 5th St	Kearney	64060	Clay County	Kearney R-I	No	No	No	No	(816) 628-4115	499	43	11.6	18.6%	459 (92.0%)	6 (1.2%)	15 (3.0%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.8%)	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
Polo Middle	Public	5-8	300 W School St	Polo	64671	Caldwell County	Polo R-Vii	No	No	No	No	(660) 354-2200	107	11	9.7	38.3%	102 (95.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.8%)								(n/a)	66.6	89.5			66.6							$9,646	$975	$8,671
Clinton County R-III Middle	Public	6-8	800 W Frost St	Plattsburg	64477	Clinton County	Clinton County R-III	No	No	No	No	(816) 539-3920	150	11	13.2	41.3%	120 (80.0%)	5 (3.3%)	5 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	19 (12.7%)	43.6	253^rd of 451 public middle schools	43.9%		45.7	255^th of 459 public middle schools	44.4%	2		20.8				43.0		34.4		28.2		$9,566	$629	$8,937
Richmond Middle	Public	6-8	715 S Wellington St	Richmond	64085	Ray County	Richmond R-XVI	No	No	No	No	(816) 776-5841	359	25	14.3	40.4%	320 (89.1%)	4 (1.1%)	8 (2.2%)	3 (0.8%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.8%)	41.2	266^th of 451 public middle schools	41.0%		24	361^st of 459 public middle schools	21.4%	95		43.3	18.6	48.6		21.4		33.2	23.2	28.8		$9,772	$693	$9,079
Heritage Middle School	Public	6-8	600 W Kansas	Liberty	64068	Clay County	Liberty 53	No	No	No	No	(816) 736-5380	777	52	14.8	25.0%	612 (78.8%)	33 (4.2%)	64 (8.2%)	18 (2.3%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	48 (6.2%)	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
Liberty Middle School	Public	6-8	1500 S Withers	Liberty	64068	Clay County	Liberty 53	No	No	No	No	(816) 736-5410	638	49	13.0	33.4%	482 (75.5%)	39 (6.1%)	60 (9.4%)	4 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	49 (7.7%)	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
Cameron Veterans Middle	Public	6-8	1015 S. Park	Cameron	64429	Clinton County	Cameron R-I	No	No	No	No	(816) 882-1041	321	26	12.2	44.5%	296 (92.2%)	3 (0.9%)	8 (2.5%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.4%)	59	172^nd of 451 public middle schools	61.9%		60	168^th of 459 public middle schools	63.4%	4		50.4	31.8	28.1		48.0		36.0	34.4	43.3		$11,076	$247	$10,829

Frequently Asked Questions about Lawson Middle

What is the racial makeup of Lawson Middle?

Students at Lawson Middle are 96% White, 2% Hispanic, 1% African American.

Is Lawson Middle a good school?

Lawson Middle ranks 124^th of 451 Missouri middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What high school do graduates of Lawson Middle attend?

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

What district is Lawson Middle in?

Lawson R-XIV

How many students attend Lawson Middle?

In the 2022-23 school year, 337 students attended Lawson 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.