Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 31 schools in district

VAN HORN HIGH

1109 S ARLINGTON AVE, INDEPENDNCE, MO 64053INDEPENDENCE 30 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
1,047
Students
Total enrolled
85%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
~avg
$16,029
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 12% vs nat'l
17.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 12% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,047 students in grades 09–12 in INDEPENDNCE, Missouri.
12% above average funding
District spends $16,029 per pupil, 12% more than the national average of $14,347.
17.3 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

VAN HORN HIGH is a very large high in INDEPENDNCE, Missouri, serving grades 09–12 with 1,047 students. The district invests $16,029 per student — 12% above the national average of $14,347, with a 17.3:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 72% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at VAN HORN HIGH

1,047
Total Students
17.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
72%
Free Lunch
61
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution525 male · 522 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility72%
National avg 52% · 754 students
Student Composition
37%
38%
15%
9%
Asian1%
White37%
Hispanic / Latino38%
Black15%
Multiracial9%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 291548003096

Academic Outcomes at VAN HORN HIGH

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
85
Near avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
85%
State avg
88%
National avg
87%

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
  • 85% graduation rate — near the national average of 87%
  • 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.
+16 more
↓
Middle
CLIFFORD H. NOWLIN MIDDLEPIONEER RIDGE MIDDLEBINGHAM MIDDLEBRIDGER MIDDLE
↓
High School
TRUMAN HIGHWILLIAM CHRISMAN HIGHINDEPENDENCE ACADEMY
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyJackson County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictINDEPENDENCE 30 →
Phone: (816)521-5360
NCES ID: 291548003096
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in INDEPENDNCE seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing a diverse, community-focused learning environment. 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
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
Elem
GLENDALE ELEM.
458 students · PK–05
● 43 opp69% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1109 S ARLINGTON AVE, INDEPENDNCE, MO 64053
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.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
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.