Adair County Schools & Education
Adair County, Missouri
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
54/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
93.5%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
93.5%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 91.3%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,626
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,334
School Score
54/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 43/100
State Score Position
#25
of 115 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Adair County
Measured School Summary
Adair County performs at an average level with a school score of 54/100 and a solid graduation rate of 93.5%.
Funding Context
At $6,626 per pupil, Adair County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 25% above the Missouri average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 5% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Adair County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
9 public schools and 3 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
54/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #25 of 115 Missouri counties with school score data.
Completion
93.5%
2.2 pts above the state average
Funding context
$6,626
$292 above the state average
School coverage
9
3 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Adair County has 9 public schools across 3 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Adair County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Mixed school landscape
Adair County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.
State position
#25
of 115 Missouri counties with school score data. The county score is 11 points above the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
KIRKSVILLE R-III
Elementary to high school visible
2,506 students
5 listed schools in this county slice.
ADAIR CO. R-I
Elementary and high visible
232 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
ADAIR CO. R-II
Elementary and high visible
140 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
KIRKSVILLE R-III is the largest listed district slice, with 5 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Adair County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Adair County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Adair County, Missouri
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
A Small but Specialized Education Network
Adair County maintains a focused education infrastructure with nine public schools serving 2,878 students across three districts. The network includes four elementary schools, one middle school, and four high schools. This compact system ensures that resources are concentrated within a handful of key local institutions.
Kirksville R-III Leads the County
The Kirksville R-III district serves as the educational hub, enrolling 2,506 students across five schools. Smaller districts like Adair Co. R-I and R-II manage the remaining enrollment with a few hundred students each. Currently, there are no charter schools operating within the county's boundaries.
Rural Roots with Centralized Hubs
Education here is primarily rural, with seven of the nine schools located in rural settings and two in town. The average school size is 360 students, though Kirksville Sr. High is significantly larger with 808 students. In contrast, smaller schools like Adair Co. High serve just 117 students, offering a more intimate learning environment.
School Overview
Total Schools
9
in Adair County
Reported Enrollment
2,878
9 schools reporting
School Districts
3
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
3 School Districts in Adair County
KIRKSVILLE R-III
ADAIR CO. R-I
ADAIR CO. R-II
9 Public Schools in Adair County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 9 of 9 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KIRKSVILLE SR. HIGH | Record | KIRKSVILLE R-III | KIRKSVILLE, 63501Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 808 |
| KIRKSVILLE PRIMARY | Record | KIRKSVILLE R-III | KIRKSVILLE, 63501Rural: Fringe | PK–2 | Primary | 703 |
| RAY MILLER ELEM. | Record | KIRKSVILLE R-III | KIRKSVILLE, 63501Town: Remote | 3–5 | Primary | 502 |
| WILLIAM MATTHEW MIDDLE SCHOOL | Record | KIRKSVILLE R-III | KIRKSVILLE, 63501Town: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 493 |
| ADAIR CO. HIGH | Record | ADAIR CO. R-I | NOVINGER, 63559Rural: Distant | 7–12 | High | 117 |
| ADAIR CO. ELEM. | Record | ADAIR CO. R-I | NOVINGER, 63559Rural: Distant | PK–6 | Primary | 115 |
| ADAIR CO. ELEM. | Record | ADAIR CO. R-II | BRASHEAR, 63533Rural: Distant | KG–6 | Primary | 74 |
| ADAIR CO. HIGH | Record | ADAIR CO. R-II | BRASHEAR, 63533Rural: Distant | 7–12 | High | 66 |
| KIRKSVILLE AREA TECH. CTR. | Record | KIRKSVILLE R-III | KIRKSVILLE, 63501Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | Vocational | 0 |
WILLIAM MATTHEW MIDDLE SCHOOL
KIRKSVILLE R-III
KIRKSVILLE, 63501 / Town: Remote
KIRKSVILLE AREA TECH. CTR.
KIRKSVILLE R-III
KIRKSVILLE, 63501 / Rural: Fringe
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,626
State avg $6,334
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Adair County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Missouri counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Missouri?
How should I read the school score in Adair County?
What is the graduation rate in Adair County?
How much does Adair County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Adair County, Missouri — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Adair County, Missouri?
Adair County maintains a focused education infrastructure with nine public schools serving 2,878 students across three districts. The network includes four elementary schools, one middle school, and four high schools. This compact system ensures that resources are concentrated within a handful of key local institutions.
What are the major school districts in Adair County, Missouri?
The Kirksville R-III district serves as the educational hub, enrolling 2,506 students across five schools. Smaller districts like Adair Co. R-I and R-II manage the remaining enrollment with a few hundred students each. Currently, there are no charter schools operating within the county's boundaries.
What is the school experience like in Adair County?
Education here is primarily rural, with seven of the nine schools located in rural settings and two in town. The average school size is 360 students, though Kirksville Sr. High is significantly larger with 808 students. In contrast, smaller schools like Adair Co. High serve just 117 students, offering a more intimate learning environment.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.