United StatesMOIndependence 30

School district or education agency · NCES 2915480

Independence 30

Sugar Creek, MO

Students14,168

Student membership reported by NCES for 2023–24.

Schools31

operational schools · 2023–24

Students14,168

students in linked records

Latest attendance year2022–23

federal comparable series

Latest finance record$12,302

per student

Student outcomes

How are students doing?

Four views answer different questions. State test percentages show grade-level expectations; the national research trend shows change over time; graduation and dropout measures describe high-school outcomes.

Nationally comparable trend · 2019–2025

Are results improving over time?

33rdlatest estimated national standing
20192022202320242025

9 percentile points lower than 2019.

Annual dropout · 2023–24

How many high-school students left during the year?

1.4%of students enrolled in grades 9–12
District1.4%
MO1.8%
U.S.2.6%

Lower is better. This annual rate is not the opposite of the graduation rate because the measures use different students and time periods.

State proficiency standards differ and should not be used for cross-state rankings. Graduation ranges and privacy protections are preserved exactly. The academic trend uses Stanford Education Data Archive estimates and is not a state proficiency percentage.

Graduation · 2022–23

How many students graduated within four years?

Loading the district's official graduation record…

What has changed?

The district’s recent direction

Each card uses its own clearly labeled period. Measures from different sources are never blended.

Academic standing9 percentile points

Lower than the first comparable year.

2019–2025 · Stanford research estimate
Chronic absence16.5 points

Higher than the first year. More students were chronically absent.

2020–21–2022–23
Enrollment-1.6%

Student enrollment declined.

2021–22 to 2023–24 · NCES
Operating spending+2.9%

Spending per student increased before adjusting for inflation.

FY 2022 to FY 2023 · NCES F-33
Enrollment 2023–24Finance 2022–23Attendance 2022–23State tests 2024–25 where published

Enrollment · 2023–24

Who attends this district?

Pre-K535 students
3.8%
Kindergarten–grade 56,222 students
43.9%
Grades 6–83,157 students
22.3%
Grades 9–124,254 students
30.0%
See enrollment for every grade
Pre-Kindergarten535
Kindergarten1,014
Grade 11,014
Grade 21,033
Grade 31,092
Grade 41,020
Grade 51,049
Grade 61,011
Grade 71,064
Grade 81,082
Grade 91,106
Grade 101,121
Grade 111,055
Grade 12972

Students by race and ethnicity

White7,179 (50.7%)
Hispanic/Latino3,627 (25.6%)
Black or African American2,120 (15.0%)
Two or more races950 (6.7%)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander137 (1.0%)
Asian104 (0.7%)
American Indian or Alaska Native51 (0.4%)

Final NCES Common Core of Data membership file, 2023–24. Suppressed or missing cells are not estimated.

Early learning · 2023–24

How much public pre-K is reported?

535Students enrolled in pre-K
19.8Pre-K teachers, full-time equivalent
27.1:1Reported pre-K students per pre-K teacher

Pre-K students as a share of district enrollment

District3.8%
MO4.0%
United States2.9%

Final NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2023–24. Enrollment shows children attending district-run public pre-K. It does not show open seats, waitlists, private providers, program hours, eligibility or the cost to families.

Current staffing · 2023–24

How many staff members support students?

1,394.4All district staff, full-time equivalent
939Teachers, full-time equivalent
38.4School counselors, full-time equivalent
6School psychologists, full-time equivalent
130.6Instructional aides, full-time equivalent
25.9Librarians and media specialists, full-time equivalent
59School administrators, full-time equivalent
150.5Student support staff, full-time equivalent
See detailed staffing
Pre-K teachers19.8 FTE
Kindergarten teachers28.5 FTE
Elementary teachers418.1 FTE
Secondary teachers472.7 FTE
Elementary school counselors18.4 FTE
Secondary school counselors9 FTE
Instructional coordinators22 FTE
District administrators10 FTE
Other support staff13 FTE

Final NCES Common Core of Data staff file, 2023–24. These are full-time-equivalent positions, not employee headcounts, vacancies or caseloads.

High-school outcomes · 2023–24

How many students completed school or dropped out?

875Total completers
875Regular diplomas
60Reported dropouts, grades 9–12

Regular diplomas among completers

District100.0%
MO100.0%
United States99.0%

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–12

District1.4%
MO1.8%
United States2.6%

Final NCES Common Core of Data completer and dropout files, 2023–24. The dropout rate divides the reported annual grades 9–12 dropout count by complete grades 9–12 enrollment. It is not a cohort graduation rate. The diploma share describes credentials among completers and should not be read as a graduation rate.

Teachers and staff

Teacher workforce

Loading the district’s workforce comparison…

Community context · 2024

How many school-age children live in poverty?

This Census estimate provides context about families in the district. It does not measure school quality or describe every student enrolled in the district.

15,999children ages 5 to 17
2,873estimated to live in families below the poverty line
18.0%about 1 in 6 school-age children
District18.0%
MO13.9%
United States14.4%

U.S. Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. The estimate covers related children ages 5 to 17 in families in poverty and uses 2024–25 district boundaries.

District geography · 2024–25

What area does this district cover?

NCES publishes a geographic boundary for traditional school districts. Charter agencies and some special-purpose agencies may not have one.

Loading the official district boundary…

Source: NCES EDGE School District Boundaries, school year 2024–25.

Comparable districts

Districts serving a similar student population

These peers are matched using enrollment and available student population measures. Districts in MO receive geographic preference, but a closer national match may appear when it is more comparable. Open any profile for a full comparison.

District, state and country

How does this district compare?

State and national figures use the same measure and reporting period. They are weighted by students or staffing whenever the source provides a denominator.

MeasureDistrictMOUnited States
Academic standing2025
33rd percentile41st percentile45th percentile

This district is 8 percentile points lower than the state figure and 12 percentile points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students chronically absent2022–23
29.8%20.5%27.8%

This district is 9.3 percentage points higher than the state figure and 2.0 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Revenue per studentFY 2023
$15,947$17,108$19,509

This district is $1,161 per student lower than the state figure and $3,562 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Spending per studentFY 2023
$12,302$13,588$15,859

This district is $1,286 per student lower than the state figure and $3,557 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Capital outlay per studentFY 2023
$2,123$2,157$1,964

This district is $34 per student lower than the state figure and $159 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Equipment spending per studentFY 2023
$101$394$336

This district is $293 per student lower than the state figure and $235 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Special-education spending per studentFY 2023
$770$1,960$1,793

This district is $1,190 per student lower than the state figure and $1,023 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Salaries per studentFY 2023
$7,467$8,117$8,742

This district is $650 per student lower than the state figure and $1,275 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Benefits per studentFY 2023
$2,550$2,573$3,769

This district is $23 per student lower than the state figure and $1,219 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Debt outstanding per studentFY 2023
$10,746$10,323$11,715

This district is $423 per student higher than the state figure and $969 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Debt retired per studentFY 2023
$558$961$869

This district is $403 per student lower than the state figure and $311 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Students per teacher2023–24
15:113:115:1

This district is 2.0 students per teacher higher than the state figure and about the same as the U.S. figure.

Students per counselor2023–24
369:1296:1376:1

This district is 73 students per counselor higher than the state figure and 7 students per counselor lower than the U.S. figure.

District staff per 1,000 students2023–24
98.4144.6138.9

This district is 46.2 staff per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 40.5 staff per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

Instructional aides per 1,000 students2023–24
9.216.818.5

This district is 7.6 aides per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 9.3 aides per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

School psychologists per 1,000 students2023–24
0.40.50.9

This district is 0.1 psychologists per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 0.5 psychologists per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

Regular diplomas among completers2023–24
100.0%100.0%99.0%

This district is about the same as the state figure and 1.0 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–122023–24
1.4%1.8%2.6%

This district is 0.4 percentage points lower than the state figure and 1.2 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Pre-K students as a share of enrollment2023–24
3.8%4.0%2.9%

This district is 0.2 percentage points lower than the state figure and 0.9 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students learning English2021–22 · reporting schools
9.7%5.9%12.0%

This district is 3.8 percentage points higher than the state figure and 2.3 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · reporting schools
11.8%13.3%14.0%

This district is 1.6 percentage points lower than the state figure and 2.2 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · reporting schools
0.8%3.4%3.9%

This district is 2.6 percentage points lower than the state figure and 3.1 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Teachers reported as certified2021–22 · reporting schools
98.4%97.3%95.8%

This district is 1.1 percentage points higher than the state figure and 2.6 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment change2021–22 to 2023–24
-1.6%+0.5%+0.5%

This district is 2.1 percentage points lower than the state figure and 2.1 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals2021–22 · valid district records
65.7%44.1%50.6%

This district is 21.6 percentage points higher than the state figure and 15.1 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students without disabilities2021–22 · matched enrollment
13.7%5.1%4.5%

This district is 8.6 percentage points higher than the state figure and 9.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · matched enrollment
18.1%11.0%9.0%

This district is 7.1 percentage points higher than the state figure and 9.1 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · matched enrollment
9.1%5.8%6.7%

This district is 3.3 percentage points higher than the state figure and 2.4 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

School-age children in poverty2024 Census estimate
18.0%13.9%14.4%

This district is 4.1 percentage points higher than the state figure and 3.6 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Learning support · 2021–22 federal snapshot

How many students may need specialized support?

Counts and shares use only schools with a usable value for that measure. The reporting-school denominator prevents missing schools from being counted as zero.

9.7%Students learning English1,192 students · 27 of 27 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
District9.7%
MO5.9%
U.S.12.0%
11.8%Students receiving IDEA special-education services1,445 students · 27 of 27 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
District11.8%
MO13.3%
U.S.14.0%
0.8%Students with Section 504 plans44 students · 6 of 27 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
District0.8%
MO3.4%
U.S.3.9%
1.1%English learners also receiving IDEA services131 students · 27 of 27 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
District1.1%
MO0.5%
U.S.1.7%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Public-use counts are privacy-protected. These figures describe the reporting year, not current enrollment, diagnoses, service quality or unmet need.

Teacher quality and early learning · 2021–22

What did the district report about teachers and preschool?

98.4%Teachers reported as certified
0Children ages 3–5 in district preschool

Teacher certification comparison

District98.4%
MO97.3%
United States95.8%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Certification status is district-reported and may not match current staffing. Preschool counts cover the federal reporting year and are not a measure of available seats.

Academic results · 2025

How do results differ among student groups?

Students not economically disadvantaged2,973 assessments
52 out of 100
White students5,222 assessments
42 out of 100
Economically disadvantaged students8,551 assessments
27 out of 100
Hispanic students3,084 assessments
26 out of 100
Black students1,883 assessments
21 out of 100

A score of 50 marks the national 2019 midpoint. Higher numbers indicate stronger results on the comparable Stanford research scale. This is not a state proficiency rate.

District makeup

What kinds of schools are in the district?

20Elementary schools
4Middle schools
1Other schools
2Prekindergarten schools
4High schools
29Suburb setting
2Rural setting

School levels, settings and types use the NCES 2021–22 directory matched to the federal civil-rights collection.

District finances

How is the district funded, and how does it spend?

Sources of funds

Where the money comes from

Share of district revenue supplied by each level of government.

16%Federal
36.7%State
47.3%Local
Uses of funds

Where the money goes

Annual spending for each enrolled student.

$12,302Total current spending per student
$6,156Instruction per student
$5,480Support services per student
Revenue by source: percentages and dollars
$36.9MFederal revenue16% of total revenue
$84.3MState revenue36.7% of total revenue
$108.6MLocal revenue47.3% of total revenue
How operating money was used
$6,156Instructionper student
$5,480Student and instructional supportper student
$770Special educationper student
$1,467Building operations and maintenanceper student
$616Student transportationper student
$666Food servicesper student
$563Technologyper student
People costs
$107.6MSalaries$7,467 per student
$36.7MEmployee benefits$2,550 per student
Equipment, buildings and debt
$1.5MEquipmentFY 2023
$30.6MCapital outlay$2,123 per student
$24.9MConstructionincluded in capital outlay
$154.8MDebt outstanding at year end$10,746 per student
$0New debt issuedFY 2023
$8MDebt principal retiredFY 2023
$7.3MInterest paid on debtFY 2023
Selected federal program revenue
$5.5MTitle I$385 per student
$1.1MIDEA special education$76 per student
$227KCareer and technical education$16 per student
$10MChild nutrition$693 per student
What changed since FY 2022
Operating spending per student
FY 2022$11,956
FY 2023$12,302+2.9% year over year
Capital spending per student
FY 2022$3,207
FY 2023$2,123-33.8% year over year
Debt outstanding per student
FY 2022$11,312
FY 2023$10,746-5.0% year over year

Revenue shares and spending categories answer different questions and should not be added together. Source: NCES F-33 district finance, FY 2023.

Attendance

How has chronic absence changed?

2020–2113.3%

1,821 of 13,713 students

2021–2230%

4,103 of 13,674 students

2022–2329.8%

4,078 of 13,683 students

Specialized support and security · 2021–22

What specialized roles were reported?

8Sworn law-enforcement officer FTE29 reporting schools
0Security staff FTE29 reporting schools

Staffing is reported as full-time equivalents in the 2021–22 CRDC collection.

Learning opportunities

What do district schools offer?

Algebra I3 reporting schools
100%
Calculus3 reporting schools
100%
Biology3 reporting schools
100%
Chemistry3 reporting schools
100%
Physics3 reporting schools
100%
Computer science3 reporting schools
100%
Advanced Placement3 reporting schools
100%
Dual enrollment3 reporting schools
100%
Gifted programs29 reporting schools
79%
International Baccalaureate3 reporting schools
0%
Athletics3 reporting schools
33%

Shares use only schools for which the program was applicable and reported. A districtwide percentage does not guarantee availability at every grade or campus. Source: 2021–22 CRDC.

Safety and discipline

What was reported across district schools?

Counts are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Open a measure to see the schools behind the district total.

Technology and safety · 2021–22

What access and incident data is available?

Technology and incident figures are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Device counts describe the reporting year, not current inventory.

Six questions parents ask

What the available data says

Each answer shows its reporting year and opens a deeper comparison. Missing and suppressed results are never shown as zero.

Data status

8 of 8 national data layers are matched to this NCES district ID. Identity and school counts use NCES records. Academic estimates use SEDA, attendance uses EDFacts, finance uses NCES F-33, staffing and enrollment use 2023–24 NCES CCD where available, teacher certification, preschool and policy fields use the 2021–22 CRDC, and community poverty context uses Census SAIPE. Four-year graduation rates use 2022–23 EDFacts. Every detailed view preserves its reporting year.

See all sources →