Caldwell County Schools & Education
Caldwell County, Missouri
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
72/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Higher Signal
Graduation Rate
95.3%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
95.3%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 91.3%
Per-Pupil Spending
$7,544
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,334
School Score
72/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 43/100
State Score Position
#1
of 115 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Caldwell County
Measured School Summary
Caldwell County has a higher measured school signal with a school score of 72/100 and a graduation rate of 95.3%, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-score inputs.
Funding Context
At $7,544 per pupil, Caldwell County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 66% above the Missouri average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 4.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 19% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Caldwell 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
14 public schools and 8 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
72/100
Higher measured signal. Ranks #1 of 115 Missouri counties with school score data.
Completion
95.3%
4.0 pts above the state average
Funding context
$7,544
$1,210 above the state average
School coverage
14
8 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county screens well on the combined school metrics available here. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Caldwell County has 14 public schools across 8 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 Caldwell 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.
Higher-signal county
Caldwell County screens well on the measured county-level school signal. The next check is whether that strength is broad across districts or concentrated in a few school pathways.
State position
#1
of 115 Missouri counties with school score data. The county score is 29 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.
HAMILTON R-II
Elementary to high school visible
641 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
POLO R-VII
Elementary to high school visible
405 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
BRAYMER C-4
Elementary and high visible
251 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
BRECKENRIDGE R-I
Elementary and high visible
59 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
HAMILTON R-II is the largest listed district slice, with 3 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 Caldwell County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Caldwell 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 Caldwell 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.
Small Districts, Big Academic Results
Caldwell County operates a unique landscape of 14 public schools split among eight different districts. Despite only serving 1,496 total students, the county maintains a diverse split of eight elementary and four high schools.
Leading the State in Performance
The county boasts an exceptional 95.3% graduation rate, far surpassing the state average of 91.3%. This success is supported by a high per-pupil expenditure of $7,544, which is significantly more than both the Missouri average and neighboring counties.
Hamilton R-II Sets the Standard
Hamilton R-II is the largest district, serving 641 students across three schools including Hamilton Elementary and Penney High. There are no charter schools in the county, emphasizing the importance of these local public districts.
Intimate Rural Learning Environments
All 14 schools are in rural settings, with a tiny average school size of only 107 students. This creates a very personal atmosphere where the largest school, Hamilton Elementary, has only 289 students and some schools have even fewer.
School Overview
Total Schools
14
in Caldwell County
Reported Enrollment
1,496
14 schools reporting
School Districts
8
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
8 School Districts in Caldwell County
HAMILTON R-II
POLO R-VII
BRAYMER C-4
BRECKENRIDGE R-I
COWGILL R-VI
MIRABILE C-1
KINGSTON 42
NEW YORK R-IV
14 Public Schools in Caldwell 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 14 of 14 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HAMILTON ELEM. | Record | HAMILTON R-II | HAMILTON, 64644Rural: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 289 |
| PENNEY HIGH | Record | HAMILTON R-II | HAMILTON, 64644Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 203 |
| POLO HIGH | Record | POLO R-VII | POLO, 64671Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 156 |
| HAMILTON MIDDLE | Record | HAMILTON R-II | HAMILTON, 64644Rural: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 149 |
| POLO ELEM. | Record | POLO R-VII | POLO, 64671Rural: Distant | PK–4 | Primary | 142 |
| BRAYMER HIGH | Record | BRAYMER C-4 | BRAYMER, 64624Rural: Remote | 7–12 | High | 136 |
| BRAYMER ELEM. | Record | BRAYMER C-4 | BRAYMER, 64624Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 115 |
| POLO MIDDLE | Record | POLO R-VII | POLO, 64671Rural: Distant | 5–8 | Middle | 107 |
| COWGILL ELEM. | Record | COWGILL R-VI | COWGILL, 64637Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 45 |
| MIRABILE ELEM. | Record | MIRABILE C-1 | POLO, 64671Rural: Distant | PK–8 | Primary | 39 |
| KINGSTON ELEM. | Record | KINGSTON 42 | KINGSTON, 64650Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 33 |
| BRECKENRIDGE ELEM. | Record | BRECKENRIDGE R-I | BRECKENRIDGE, 64625Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 32 |
| BRECKENRIDGE HIGH | Record | BRECKENRIDGE R-I | BRECKENRIDGE, 64625Rural: Remote | 7–12 | High | 27 |
| NEW YORK ELEM. | Record | NEW YORK R-IV | HAMILTON, 64644Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 23 |
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$7,544
State avg $6,334
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Caldwell 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 Caldwell County?
What is the graduation rate in Caldwell County?
How much does Caldwell County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Caldwell County, Missouri — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Caldwell County, Missouri?
Caldwell County operates a unique landscape of 14 public schools split among eight different districts. Despite only serving 1,496 total students, the county maintains a diverse split of eight elementary and four high schools.
How do schools in Caldwell County perform academically?
The county boasts an exceptional 95.3% graduation rate, far surpassing the state average of 91.3%. This success is supported by a high per-pupil expenditure of $7,544, which is significantly more than both the Missouri average and neighboring counties.
What are the major school districts in Caldwell County, Missouri?
Hamilton R-II is the largest district, serving 641 students across three schools including Hamilton Elementary and Penney High. There are no charter schools in the county, emphasizing the importance of these local public districts.
What is the school experience like in Caldwell County?
All 14 schools are in rural settings, with a tiny average school size of only 107 students. This creates a very personal atmosphere where the largest school, Hamilton Elementary, has only 289 students and some schools have even fewer.
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.