Poplar Bluff Junior High

Q: Is Poplar Bluff Junior High a good school?

Poplar Bluff Junior High ranks 224 th of 459 Missouri middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Poplar Bluff Junior High is a public middle school serving grades 7-8 in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, with a student population of 782. The school has a diverse student body, with a racial makeup that is predominantly White (74.94%), with significant percentages of African American (12.02%), Hispanic (3.32%), and students of two or more races (8.57%).

While Poplar Bluff Junior High has seen a decline in its statewide ranking over the past several years, dropping from 101 out of 454 Missouri middle schools in 2020-2021 to 224 out of 459 in 2022-2023, the school's performance on specific student subgroups is more promising. Poplar Bluff Junior High ranks 44th out of 153 Missouri middle schools for African American students and 93rd out of 382 for students of low socioeconomic status. However, the school lags behind the state average in subject areas like Mathematics and English Language Arts, despite performing above the state average in Algebra I End of Course exams.

Compared to nearby schools like Puxico Junior High and Qulin Middle, Poplar Bluff Junior High has a higher percentage of students from low-income families, with 63.55% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to 50.28% at Puxico Junior High. Additionally, Poplar Bluff Junior High spends more per student ($9,813) than the state average and the nearby Poplar Bluff Middle School ($9,377 per student), and has a lower student-teacher ratio of 14.6, compared to 16.9 at Poplar Bluff Middle School and 8.6 at Qulin Middle.

Detail:

Public 7-8

550 N Westwood
Poplar Bluff, MO 63901-4720

(573) 785-5602

District: Poplar Bluff R-I

SchoolDigger Rank:
224^th of 459 Missouri Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,813

Students who attend Poplar Bluff Junior High usually attend:

High:

Poplar Bluff High

Feeder schools for Poplar Bluff Junior High:

Elementary:	Eugene Field Elementary
	Lake Road Elementary
	Oak Grove Elementary
	O'Neal Elementary
	More...
	Poplar Bluff Kindergarten Center

Student/teacher ratio: 14.6

Number of students: 782

Racial breakdown:

White:

74.9%

African American:

12.0%

Two or more races:

8.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 63.6%

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Compare Poplar Bluff Junior High to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Poplar Bluff Junior High ranks better than 51.2% of middle schools in Missouri. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 50.62. (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 Racial makeup is: White (74.9%), African American (12%), two or more races (8.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 63.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Poplar Bluff Junior High is 14.6. (See more...)

Compare Poplar Bluff Junior High employs 53.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Poplar Bluff Junior High is $9,813.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Poplar Bluff Junior High:

SchoolDigger ranks Poplar Bluff Junior High 224^th of 459 Missouri public middle schools. (See Poplar Bluff Junior High in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

African American students:

White students:

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Poplar Bluff Junior High

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Rank History for all students at Poplar Bluff Junior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2006	37.28	476^th	619	23.1%
2007	48.15	360^th	624	42.3%
2008	44.97	406^th	624	34.9%
2009	45.02	392^nd	601	34.8%
2010	44.19	405^th	614	34.0%
2011	43.62	404^th	625	35.4%
2012	45.57	383^rd	623	38.5%
2013	46.77	379^th	649	41.6%
2014	32.30	498^th	633	21.3%
2015	29.36	459^th	585	21.5%
2016	36.27	314^th	435	27.8%
2017	33.69	416^th	568	26.8%
2018	34.85	392^nd	552	29.0%
2019	38.99	375^th	587	36.1%
2021	70.60	101^st	454	77.8%
2022	57.68	180^th	459	60.8%
2023	50.62	224^th	459	51.2%

See the entire list of Missouri Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Poplar Bluff Junior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	33.08	29^th	45	35.6%
2023	34.52	23^rd	44	47.7%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Poplar Bluff Junior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	51.03	73^rd	192	62.0%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Poplar Bluff Junior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	40.05	261^st	422	38.2%
2019	41.44	295^th	482	38.8%
2021	80.03	38^th	371	89.8%
2022	69.13	71^st	365	80.5%
2023	63.47	93^rd	382	75.7%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Poplar Bluff Junior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2019	74.47	29^th	204	85.8%
2021	89.34	8^th	195	95.9%
2022	71.71	31^st	187	83.4%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Poplar Bluff Junior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	60.67	54^th	104	48.1%
2019	48.84	83^rd	121	31.4%

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

Rank History for African American students at Poplar Bluff Junior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2019	46.12	77^th	149	48.3%
2021	88.82	7^th	135	94.8%
2022	68.68	38^th	148	74.3%
2023	65.08	44^th	153	71.2%

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

Rank History for White students at Poplar Bluff Junior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	32.45	337^th	479	29.6%
2019	33.97	367^th	527	30.4%
2021	65.74	105^th	376	72.1%
2022	52.14	162^nd	381	57.5%
2023	47.06	203^rd	385	47.3%

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

Review counts

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Enrollment information for Poplar Bluff Junior High

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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	778	778
1992	729	75	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	804
1993	777	90	0	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	877
1994	779	90	3	3	4	n/a	n/a	0	879
1995	743	74	1	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	823
1996	743	74	1	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	823
1997	773	95	1	10	2	n/a	n/a	0	881
1998	765	90	1	11	4	n/a	n/a	0	871
1999	693	93	2	9	2	n/a	n/a	0	799
2000	679	85	5	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	774
2001	673	90	8	2	3	n/a	n/a	0	776
2002	655	74	5	4	9	n/a	n/a	0	747
2003	655	74	5	4	9	n/a	n/a	0	747
2004	660	75	2	7	8	n/a	n/a	0	752
2005	654	86	4	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	752
2006	650	82	5	9	4	n/a	n/a	0	750
2007	612	87	4	8	6	n/a	n/a	0	717
2008	617	93	6	7	5	n/a	n/a	0	728
2009	649	95	8	10	5	n/a	n/a	0	767
2010	614	86	10	8	2	n/a	n/a	0	720
2011	621	79	5	12	3	0	0	0	720
2012	647	84	4	12	5	0	0	0	752
2013	694	82	7	16	3	0	1	0	803
2014	697	92	4	10	3	0	7	0	813
2015	663	100	3	13	4	0	11	0	794
2016	641	93	2	15	7	0	14	0	772
2017	654	92	3	22	4	0	17	0	792
2018	660	101	2	18	3	0	22	0	806
2019	625	92	3	18	5	0	23	0	766
2020	654	75	1	18	4	1	39	0	792
2021	634	72	1	26	4	2	55	0	794
2022	606	94	7	29	3	2	60	0	801
2023	586	94	5	26	2	2	67	0	782

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 Poplar Bluff Junior High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	778	44.4	17.5	n/a
1992	804	41.0	19.6	38.3
1993	877	42.1	20.8	35.5
1994	879	45.9	19.2	42.9
1995	823	43.0	19.1	38
1996	823	43.0	19.1	38
1997	881	47.8	18.4	35.3
1998	871	45.3	19.2	34
1999	799	47.3	16.9	36.3
2000	774	45.9	16.9	42.9
2001	776	47.9	16.2	46.4
2002	747	47.6	15.7	48.7
2003	747	47.6	15.7	48.7
2004	752	45.4	16.6	53.1
2005	752	44.4	16.9	54
2006	750	45.5	16.5	54.5
2007	717	44.3	16.2	55.9
2008	728	47.1	15.5	57.7
2009	767	48.0	16.0	57.5
2010	720	48.8	14.7	59.6
2011	720	47.9	15.0	62.4
2012	752	47.8	15.7	58.1
2013	803	47.4	16.9	57.7
2014	813	47.4	17.1	58.7
2015	794	49.0	16.2	64.1
2016	772	48.0	16.0	55.8
2017	792	47.7	16.6	66.3
2018	806	50.6	15.9	65.5
2019	766	50.7	15.0	63.8
2020	792	50.9	15.5	62.6
2021	794	50.9	15.5	62.3
2022	801	52.2	15.3	64
2023	782	53.3	14.6	63.6

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 Poplar Bluff Junior High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	778	44.4	17.5	n/a
1992	804	41.0	19.6	38.3
1993	877	42.1	20.8	35.5
1994	879	45.9	19.2	42.9
1995	823	43.0	19.1	38
1996	823	43.0	19.1	38
1997	881	47.8	18.4	35.3
1998	871	45.3	19.2	34
1999	799	47.3	16.9	36.3
2000	774	45.9	16.9	42.9
2001	776	47.9	16.2	46.4
2002	747	47.6	15.7	48.7
2003	747	47.6	15.7	48.7
2004	752	45.4	16.6	53.1
2005	752	44.4	16.9	54
2006	750	45.5	16.5	54.5
2007	717	44.3	16.2	55.9
2008	728	47.1	15.5	57.7
2009	767	48.0	16.0	57.5
2010	720	48.8	14.7	59.6
2011	720	47.9	15.0	62.4
2012	752	47.8	15.7	58.1
2013	803	47.4	16.9	57.7
2014	813	47.4	17.1	58.7
2015	794	49.0	16.2	64.1
2016	772	48.0	16.0	55.8
2017	792	47.7	16.6	66.3
2018	806	50.6	15.9	65.5
2019	766	50.7	15.0	63.8
2020	792	50.9	15.5	62.6
2021	794	50.9	15.5	62.3
2022	801	52.2	15.3	64
2023	782	53.3	14.6	63.6

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 Poplar Bluff Junior High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,018 (12.3%)	$7,253 (87.7%)	$8,271
2020	$1,716 (20.3%)	$6,748 (79.7%)	$8,464
2021	$1,517 (16.9%)	$7,460 (83.1%)	$8,977
2022	$2,226 (22.7%)	$7,587 (77.3%)	$9,813

Data source: Missouri Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Poplar Bluff Junior 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 375^th of 587 Middle schools	Ranks 224^th of 459 Middle schools	15.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade Mathematics (Poplar Bluff Junior High)	26	35.8	9.8%
7th Grade Mathematics (Poplar Bluff R-I)	26	35.8	9.8%
7th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	38	39.5	1.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Poplar Bluff Junior High)	49.5	37.8	11.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Poplar Bluff R-I)	49.5	37.8	11.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	43.6	37.3	6.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Poplar Bluff Junior High)	28.2	33.4	5.2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Poplar Bluff R-I)	28.2	33.4	5.2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	29	30	1%
8th Grade Science (Poplar Bluff Junior High)	32.2	32.7	0.5%
8th Grade Science (Poplar Bluff R-I)	32.2	32.7	0.5%
8th Grade Science (Missouri)	43.7	37.8	5.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Poplar Bluff Junior High)	39.9	34.7	5.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Poplar Bluff R-I)	39.9	34.7	5.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	47.3	42.7	4.6%
End of Course Algebra I (Poplar Bluff Junior High)	84.4	73.1	11.3%
End of Course Algebra I (Poplar Bluff R-I)	32.5	38.6	6.1%
End of Course Algebra I (Missouri)	45.3	41.5	3.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	766	782	2.1%
African American	92	94	2.2%
American Indian	5	2	60%
Asian	3	5	66.7%
Hispanic	18	26	44.4%
Pacific Islander	0	2
White	625	586	6.2%
Two or More Races	23	67	191.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	63.8%	63.6%	0.3%

Schools Near Poplar Bluff Junior High

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)					MAP Algebra I (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 4th Grade	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 4th 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
Poplar Bluff Junior High	Public	7-8	550 N Westwood	Poplar Bluff	63901	Butler County	Poplar Bluff R-I	No	No	No	No	(573) 785-5602	782	53	14.6	63.6%	586 (74.9%)	94 (12.0%)	26 (3.3%)	5 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	67 (8.6%)	50.6	224^th of 459 public middle schools	51.2%		57.7	180^th of 459 public middle schools	60.8%	44				35.8	33.4		32.7				37.8	34.7	73.1	$9,813	$2,226	$7,587
Poplar Bluff Middle School	Public	4-6	1300 Victory Lane	Poplar Bluff	63901	Butler County	Poplar Bluff R-I	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 785-5566	1,018	60	16.9	74.0%	807 (79.3%)	108 (10.6%)	23 (2.3%)	7 (0.7%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	70 (6.9%)								(n/a)	41.1	33.3	42.5			36.2		38.7	36.6	38.1				$9,811	$2,245	$7,566
Qulin Middle	Public	4-8	406 Connecticut St.	Qulin	63961	Butler County	Twin Rivers R-X	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 328-4444	120	14	8.6	82.5%	118 (98.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)	25.0													$10,741	$1,135	$9,606
Puxico Junior High	Public	6-8	481 N Bedford St	Puxico	63960	Stoddard County	Puxico R-VIII	No	No	No	No	(573) 222-3058	181	13	14.1	50.3%	176 (97.2%)	1 (0.6%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	69.7	107^th of 459 public middle schools	76.7%		79.9	61^st of 459 public middle schools	86.7%	46			45.4	42.6	51.7		45.0			36.4				$9,377	$1,179	$8,198

Poplar Bluff Junior High

Poplar Bluff Junior High:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

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Rank History for Poplar Bluff Junior High

Rank History for all students at Poplar Bluff Junior High

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Poplar Bluff Junior High

Rank History for Special Education students at Poplar Bluff Junior High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Poplar Bluff Junior High

Rank History for Disabled students at Poplar Bluff Junior High

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Poplar Bluff Junior High

Rank History for African American students at Poplar Bluff Junior High

Rank History for White students at Poplar Bluff Junior High

Review counts

Enrollment information for Poplar Bluff Junior High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Poplar Bluff Junior High

Student/Teacher Ratio Poplar Bluff Junior High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Poplar Bluff Junior High

Impact of COVID-19 on Poplar Bluff Junior High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Poplar Bluff Junior High

Poplar Bluff Junior High

Poplar Bluff Middle School

Qulin Middle

Puxico Junior High

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