Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 31 schools in district

BLACKBURN ELEM.

17302 E R D MIZE RD, INDEPENDENCE, MO 64057INDEPENDENCE 30 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
372
Students
Total enrolled
$16,029
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 12% vs nat'l
12.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 16% vs nat'l
44/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 12% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 372 students in grades PK–05 in INDEPENDENCE, Missouri.
12% above average funding
District spends $16,029 per pupil, 12% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 44th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

BLACKBURN ELEM. is a mid-sized elementary in INDEPENDENCE, Missouri, serving grades PK–05 with 372 students. The district invests $16,029 per student — 12% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 44% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at BLACKBURN ELEM.

372
Total Students
12.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
44%
Free Lunch
29
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution181 male · 191 female
49%
51%
Male 49%Female 51%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility44%
National avg 52% · 163 students
Student Composition
58%
16%
16%
8%
Asian1%
White58%
Hispanic / Latino16%
Black16%
Multiracial8%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 291548000708

Academic Outcomes at BLACKBURN ELEM.

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
44
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 44th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 52th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 64057

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$16,029Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$16,029
State avg
$15,564
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,053
Student Support$3,046
Administration$1,924
Operations$2,404
Other$1,603
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $16,029 spent per student, an estimated $7,101 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
35%
43%
State government
35.4%
Local (property tax)
42.9%
Federal programs
21.8%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
SYCAMORE HILLS ELEM.GLENDALE ELEM.KORTE ELEM.WILLIAM SOUTHERN ELEM.
+15 more
↓
Middle
CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLEPIONEER RIDGE MIDDLEBINGHAM MIDDLEBRIDGER MIDDLE
↓
High School
TRUMAN HIGHWILLIAM CHRISMAN HIGHVAN HORN HIGHINDEPENDENCE ACADEMY
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyJackson County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictINDEPENDENCE 30 →
Phone: (816)521-5395
NCES ID: 291548000708
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in INDEPENDENCE seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in INDEPENDENCE 30
High
TRUMAN HIGH
1,662 students · 09–12
● 43 opp52% FRL
High
WILLIAM CHRISMAN HIGH
1,406 students · 09–12
● 44 opp66% FRL
High
VAN HORN HIGH
1,047 students · 09–12
72% FRL
Mid
CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLE
875 students · 06–08
● 39 opp80% FRL
Mid
PIONEER RIDGE MIDDLE
806 students · 07–08
● 44 opp61% FRL
Mid
BINGHAM MIDDLE
774 students · 07–08
● 44 opp69% FRL
Mid
BRIDGER MIDDLE
770 students · 06–06
● 44 opp65% FRL
Elem
SYCAMORE HILLS ELEM.
543 students · PK–05
● 43 opp55% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
17302 E R D MIZE RD, INDEPENDENCE, MO 64057
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.