1. Home
  2. Missouri
  3. West Plains
  4. West Plains R-Vii
  5. West Plains Middle

West Plains Middle

Summary:

West Plains Middle is a public middle school in West Plains, Missouri, serving 611 students in grades 5-8. The school is part of the West Plains R-VII District, which is ranked 192 out of 386 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

West Plains Middle faces several key challenges, including consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 24.1% to 32.8% in recent years, which are significantly higher than the state average and the rates of nearby schools like Liberty Middle (17.7%) and Willow Springs Middle (17.1%). The school's test scores are also generally below the state and district averages across various subjects and grade levels, with 5th-grade math proficiency at 22%, compared to the state average of 38.4% and the district average of 28%. Additionally, the school's performance on state assessments varies significantly across different student subgroups, with relatively low rankings for special education and gifted and talented students.

Over the past several years, West Plains Middle's statewide ranking has fluctuated but generally trended downward, from a high of 117 out of 435 Missouri middle schools in 2015-2016 to a current ranking of 226 out of 451 in 2023-2024. This suggests a need for the school to address underlying issues and implement strategies to improve student outcomes. With a high percentage of students (over 55%) qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, West Plains Middle faces challenges associated with serving a population with lower socioeconomic status, which may contribute to the school's lower academic performance and higher chronic absenteeism rates.


Detail:

Public 5-8

 730 E Olden
       West Plains, MO  65775-3348

(417) 256-6150

District: West Plains R-Vii

SchoolDigger Rank:
226th of 451 Missouri Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,029 Help


Students who attend West Plains Middle usually attend:

High:    West Plains Senior High

Feeder schools for West Plains Middle:

Elementary:    South Fork Elementary
    West Plains Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  14.2 Help
Number of students:  611

Racial breakdown:

White:
91.3%
Two or more races:
3.3%
Hispanic:
2.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  58.3% Help


 See top rated Missouri middle schools

 Compare West Plains Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details West Plains Middle ranks worse than 50.1% of middle schools in Missouri. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 50.09. (See more...)
Help
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
Teachers
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at West Plains Middle is $10,029.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

West Plains Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks West Plains Middle 226th of 451 Missouri public middle schools. (See West Plains Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
White students:


West Plains R-Vii:

SchoolDigger ranks West Plains R-Vii 192nd of 386 Missouri school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for West Plains Middle?

Rank History for West Plains Middle

Help
Compare

Rank History for all students at West Plains Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 49.79 298th 619 51.9%
2007 61.64 193rd 624 69.1%
2008 68.54 135th 624 78.4%
2009 63.94 186th 601 69.1%
2010 62.97 210th 614 65.8%
2011 67.15 176th 625 71.8%
2012 64.35 201st 623 67.7%
2013 63.11 211th 649 67.5%
2014 54.96 291st 633 54.0%
2015 56.86 230th 585 60.7%
2016 67.24 117th 435 73.1%
2017 58.11 221st 568 61.1%
2018 60.93 179th 552 67.6%
2019 52.88 259th 587 55.9%
2021 58.00 188th 454 58.6%
2022 48.70 238th 459 48.1%
2023 45.06 258th 459 43.8%
2024 50.09 226th 451 49.9%
See the entire list of Missouri Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at West Plains Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 42.03 105th 192 45.3%
2024 31.15 141st 194 27.3%
See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at West Plains Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.73 73rd 422 82.7%
2019 57.81 161st 482 66.6%
2021 75.37 53rd 371 85.7%
2022 61.59 108th 365 70.4%
2023 50.44 181st 382 52.6%
2024 60.05 115th 378 69.6%
See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at West Plains Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.73 108th 162 33.3%
2021 19.37 178th 195 8.7%
2022 39.59 111th 187 40.6%
See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at West Plains Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.78 73rd 104 29.8%
2019 35.03 102nd 121 15.7%
See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for White students at West Plains Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.43 187th 479 61.0%
2019 45.69 271st 527 48.6%
2021 45.69 198th 376 47.3%
2022 35.13 260th 381 31.8%
2023 37.29 244th 385 36.6%
2024 41.27 221st 379 41.7%
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.

West Plains Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
Help







Data source: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for West Plains Middle.

If you have first-hand knowledge about West Plains Middle, submit a rating!


Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for West Plains Middle

Help
Compare
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 539 539
1992 512 3 3 4 1 n/a n/a 0 523
1993 541 3 5 4 1 n/a n/a 0 554
1994 591 4 5 3 0 n/a n/a 0 603
1995 616 5 10 1 4 n/a n/a 0 636
1996 616 5 10 1 4 n/a n/a 0 636
1997 628 8 7 3 2 n/a n/a 0 648
1998 620 11 6 6 0 n/a n/a 0 643
1999 562 9 5 7 1 n/a n/a 0 584
2000 560 11 4 6 2 n/a n/a 0 583
2001 560 7 1 7 4 n/a n/a 0 579
2002 548 9 5 7 3 n/a n/a 0 572
2003 548 9 5 7 3 n/a n/a 0 572
2004 544 5 6 9 4 n/a n/a 0 568
2005 531 6 7 7 2 n/a n/a 0 553
2006 522 5 7 9 2 n/a n/a 0 545
2007 502 8 7 10 4 n/a n/a 0 531
2008 496 6 6 17 3 n/a n/a 0 528
2009 513 11 6 19 3 n/a n/a 0 552
2010 510 10 7 15 5 n/a n/a 0 547
2011 523 10 4 12 5 0 5 0 559
2012 515 14 3 13 6 0 0 0 551
2013 531 13 2 12 6 0 1 0 565
2014 512 8 1 15 3 0 2 0 541
2015 498 8 1 13 3 0 3 0 526
2016 499 10 2 14 4 0 4 0 533
2017 510 3 1 18 1 0 10 0 543
2018 547 4 4 22 1 0 8 0 586
2019 535 7 5 19 3 0 11 0 580
2020 599 6 4 20 5 0 13 0 647
2021 576 5 5 17 2 0 20 0 625
2022 548 9 5 21 3 1 25 0 612
2023 558 8 7 15 2 1 20 0 611

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 West Plains Middle

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1991 539 30.9 17.4 29.3
1992 523 29.0 18.0 32.1
1993 554 32.2 17.2 33.2
1994 603 32.2 18.7 40.3
1995 636 34.8 18.3 40.3
1996 636 34.8 18.3 40.3
1997 648 36.4 17.8 45.4
1998 643 37.3 17.2 47.7
1999 584 37.2 15.7 51.2
2000 583 36.9 15.8 52
2001 579 36.6 15.8 58
2002 572 37.2 15.4 67
2003 572 37.2 15.4 67
2004 568 35.1 16.2 69
2005 553 34.3 16.1 60.9
2006 545 35.4 15.4 60.9
2007 531 34.4 15.4 55.7
2008 528 36.3 14.5 59.1
2009 552 36.5 15.1 55.3
2010 547 34.9 15.6 65.8
2011 559 35.6 15.6 60.8
2012 551 37.2 14.7 63.7
2013 565 38.0 14.8 65.8
2014 541 37.1 14.5 72.3
2015 526 38.0 13.8 74.5
2016 533 36.0 14.8 63.6
2017 543 36.7 14.7 73.3
2018 586 37.2 15.7 64.2
2019 580 40.2 14.4 62.6
2020 647 44.7 14.4 61.8
2021 625 36.4 17.1 58.1
2022 612 43.7 13.9 55.7
2023 611 42.9 14.2 58.3

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 West Plains Middle

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1991 539 30.9 17.4 29.3
1992 523 29.0 18.0 32.1
1993 554 32.2 17.2 33.2
1994 603 32.2 18.7 40.3
1995 636 34.8 18.3 40.3
1996 636 34.8 18.3 40.3
1997 648 36.4 17.8 45.4
1998 643 37.3 17.2 47.7
1999 584 37.2 15.7 51.2
2000 583 36.9 15.8 52
2001 579 36.6 15.8 58
2002 572 37.2 15.4 67
2003 572 37.2 15.4 67
2004 568 35.1 16.2 69
2005 553 34.3 16.1 60.9
2006 545 35.4 15.4 60.9
2007 531 34.4 15.4 55.7
2008 528 36.3 14.5 59.1
2009 552 36.5 15.1 55.3
2010 547 34.9 15.6 65.8
2011 559 35.6 15.6 60.8
2012 551 37.2 14.7 63.7
2013 565 38.0 14.8 65.8
2014 541 37.1 14.5 72.3
2015 526 38.0 13.8 74.5
2016 533 36.0 14.8 63.6
2017 543 36.7 14.7 73.3
2018 586 37.2 15.7 64.2
2019 580 40.2 14.4 62.6
2020 647 44.7 14.4 61.8
2021 625 36.4 17.1 58.1
2022 612 43.7 13.9 55.7
2023 611 42.9 14.2 58.3

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 West Plains Middle

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $689 (7.9%) $8,034 (92.1%) $8,723
2020 $897 (10.6%) $7,576 (89.4%) $8,474
2021 $1,180 (13.8%) $7,353 (86.2%) $8,533
2022 $1,269 (12.7%) $8,760 (87.3%) $10,029

Data source: Missouri Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on West Plains 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 259th of 587 Middle schoolsRanks 258th of 459 Middle schools
 12.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
5th Grade Mathematics (West Plains Middle)25.731
 5.3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (West Plains R-Vii)30.935.3
 4.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)40.339.1
 1.2%
5th Grade Science (West Plains Middle)34.138.1
 4%
   5th Grade Science (West Plains R-Vii)38.943.4
 4.5%
   5th Grade Science (Missouri)42.540.9
 1.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (West Plains Middle)38.933.4
 5.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (West Plains R-Vii)43.236.1
 7.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)47.144.1
 3%
6th Grade Mathematics (West Plains Middle)51.360.7
 9.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (West Plains R-Vii)51.862
 10.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)42.543.7
 1.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (West Plains Middle)46.136
 10.1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (West Plains R-Vii)45.338.5
 6.8%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)45.937.5
 8.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (West Plains Middle)42.232.9
 9.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (West Plains R-Vii)42.232.9
 9.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)3839.5
 1.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (West Plains Middle)40.240.6
 0.4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (West Plains R-Vii)40.240.6
 0.4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)43.637.3
 6.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (West Plains Middle)31.712.3
 19.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (West Plains R-Vii)31.712.3
 19.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)2930
 1%
8th Grade Science (West Plains Middle)40.221.5
 18.7%
   8th Grade Science (West Plains R-Vii)40.221.5
 18.7%
   8th Grade Science (Missouri)43.737.8
 5.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (West Plains Middle)4332.8
 10.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (West Plains R-Vii)4332.8
 10.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)47.342.7
 4.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students580611
 5.3%
African American78
 14.3%
American Indian32
 33.3%
Asian57
 40%
Hispanic1915
 21.1%
Pacific Islander01
White535558
 4.3%
Two or More Races1120
 81.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients62.6%58.3%
 4.3%

Schools Near West Plains Middle








Frequently Asked Questions about West Plains Middle

Students who attend West Plains Middle usually go on to attend West Plains Senior High

Students at West Plains Middle are 91% White, 3% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic, 1% African American, 1% Asian.

West Plains Middle ranks 226th of 451 Missouri middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 611 students attended West Plains Middle.


Rate West Plains Middle!



Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...


Compare to nearby schools

MOMissouri Middle School Rankings

MOMissouri District Rankings

Schools in West Plains, MO

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for West Plains Middle!




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.




Diagnostics

None retrieved from Database in 42 milliseconds.