Cape Girardeau County Schools & Education
Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
38/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
91.4%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
91.4%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 91.3%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,017
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,334
School Score
38/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 43/100
State Score Position
#81
of 115 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Cape Girardeau County
Measured School Summary
Despite a lower school score of 38/100, Cape Girardeau County maintains a strong graduation rate of 91.4%, suggesting effective student support systems.
Funding Context
At $6,017 per pupil, Cape Girardeau County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 12% below the Missouri average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 0.1 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 5% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Cape Girardeau 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
27 public schools and 5 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
38/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #81 of 115 Missouri counties with school score data.
Completion
91.4%
0.1 pts above the state average
Funding context
$6,017
$317 below the state average
School coverage
27
5 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Cape Girardeau County has 27 public schools across 5 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 Cape Girardeau 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.
Review-carefully county
Cape Girardeau County has a lower measured county-level school signal. Use the school table to look for specific districts or grade bands that may differ from the county average.
State position
#81
of 115 Missouri counties with school score data. The county score is 5 points below 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.
JACKSON R-II
Elementary to high school visible
5,713 students
10 listed schools in this county slice.
CAPE GIRARDEAU 63
Elementary to high school visible
4,380 students
9 listed schools in this county slice.
OAK RIDGE R-VI
Elementary and high visible
360 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
NELL HOLCOMB R-IV
Elementary school only in this slice
244 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
District reality check
JACKSON R-II is the largest listed district slice, with 10 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 Cape Girardeau County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Cape Girardeau 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 Cape Girardeau 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 Major Regional Education Hub
Cape Girardeau County hosts 10,967 students in 27 public schools managed by five school districts. The infrastructure is robust, featuring 15 elementary schools, four middle schools, and seven high schools.
Steady Growth and Consistent Results
The county maintains a graduation rate of 91.4%, effectively matching the Missouri state average. Schools spend an average of $6,017 per pupil, providing a solid return on investment compared to the national average of $13,000.
Jackson and Cape Girardeau Lead
Jackson R-II is the largest district with 5,713 students, followed closely by Cape Girardeau 63 with 4,380 learners. Jackson Senior High is the largest school in the county, educating 1,764 students across its campus.
A Dynamic Mix of Urban and Suburban
The county offers the most diverse school settings in the region, with 11 city schools, 7 suburban schools, and 9 rural schools. This variety leads to a healthy average school size of 439 students, ranging from large high schools to smaller rural elementary campuses.
School Overview
Total Schools
27
in Cape Girardeau County
Reported Enrollment
10,967
27 schools reporting
School Districts
5
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
5 School Districts in Cape Girardeau County
JACKSON R-II
GuideCAPE GIRARDEAU 63
GuideOAK RIDGE R-VI
NELL HOLCOMB R-IV
DELTA R-V
27 Public Schools in Cape Girardeau County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 2 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 27 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JACKSON SR. HIGH | Profile | JACKSON R-II | JACKSON, 63755Suburb: Small | 9–12 | High | 1,764 |
| CENTRAL HIGH | Profile | CAPE GIRARDEAU 63 | CAPE GIRARDEAU, 63703City: Small | 9–12 | High | 1,341 |
| RUSSELL HAWKINS JR. HIGH | Record | JACKSON R-II | JACKSON, 63755Suburb: Small | 7–8 | Middle | 872 |
| JACKSON MIDDLE | Record | JACKSON R-II | JACKSON, 63755Suburb: Small | 5–6 | Middle | 815 |
| EAST ELEMENTARY | Record | JACKSON R-II | JACKSON, 63755Suburb: Small | PK–4 | Primary | 717 |
| CENTRAL JR. HIGH | Record | CAPE GIRARDEAU 63 | CAPE GIRARDEAU, 63701City: Small | 7–8 | Middle | 618 |
| CENTRAL MIDDLE | Record | CAPE GIRARDEAU 63 | CAPE GIRARDEAU, 63701City: Small | 5–6 | Middle | 604 |
| JEFFERSON ELEM. | Record | CAPE GIRARDEAU 63 | CAPE GIRARDEAU, 63703City: Small | PK–5 | Primary | 483 |
| CLIPPARD ELEM. | Record | CAPE GIRARDEAU 63 | CAPE GIRARDEAU, 63701City: Small | PK–4 | Primary | 470 |
| SOUTH ELEM. | Record | JACKSON R-II | JACKSON, 63755Suburb: Small | KG–4 | Primary | 409 |
| ORCHARD DRIVE ELEM. | Record | JACKSON R-II | JACKSON, 63755Suburb: Small | KG–4 | Primary | 388 |
| WEST LANE ELEM. | Record | JACKSON R-II | JACKSON, 63755Suburb: Small | KG–4 | Primary | 385 |
| ALMA SCHRADER ELEM. | Record | CAPE GIRARDEAU 63 | CAPE GIRARDEAU, 63701City: Small | KG–4 | Primary | 351 |
| BLANCHARD ELEM. | Record | CAPE GIRARDEAU 63 | CAPE GIRARDEAU, 63701City: Small | PK–4 | Primary | 296 |
| NORTH ELEM. | Record | JACKSON R-II | JACKSON, 63755Rural: Fringe | KG–4 | Primary | 265 |
| NELL HOLCOMB ELEM. | Record | NELL HOLCOMB R-IV | CAPE GIRARDEAU, 63701Rural: Fringe | PK–8 | Primary | 244 |
| FRANKLIN ELEM. | Record | CAPE GIRARDEAU 63 | CAPE GIRARDEAU, 63701City: Small | PK–4 | Primary | 217 |
| OAK RIDGE HIGH | Record | OAK RIDGE R-VI | OAK RIDGE, 63769Rural: Distant | 6–12 | High | 193 |
| OAK RIDGE ELEM. | Record | OAK RIDGE R-VI | OAK RIDGE, 63769Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 167 |
| DELTA HIGH | Record | DELTA R-V | DELTA, 63744Rural: Distant | 6–12 | High | 119 |
JACKSON SR. HIGH
JACKSON R-II
JACKSON, 63755 / Suburb: Small
CENTRAL HIGH
CAPE GIRARDEAU 63
CAPE GIRARDEAU, 63703 / City: Small
ALMA SCHRADER ELEM.
CAPE GIRARDEAU 63
CAPE GIRARDEAU, 63701 / City: Small
NELL HOLCOMB ELEM.
NELL HOLCOMB R-IV
CAPE GIRARDEAU, 63701 / Rural: Fringe
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,017
State avg $6,334
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Cape Girardeau 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 Cape Girardeau County?
What is the graduation rate in Cape Girardeau County?
How much does Cape Girardeau County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri?
Cape Girardeau County hosts 10,967 students in 27 public schools managed by five school districts. The infrastructure is robust, featuring 15 elementary schools, four middle schools, and seven high schools.
How do schools in Cape Girardeau County perform academically?
The county maintains a graduation rate of 91.4%, effectively matching the Missouri state average. Schools spend an average of $6,017 per pupil, providing a solid return on investment compared to the national average of $13,000.
What are the major school districts in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri?
Jackson R-II is the largest district with 5,713 students, followed closely by Cape Girardeau 63 with 4,380 learners. Jackson Senior High is the largest school in the county, educating 1,764 students across its campus.
What is the school experience like in Cape Girardeau County?
The county offers the most diverse school settings in the region, with 11 city schools, 7 suburban schools, and 9 rural schools. This variety leads to a healthy average school size of 439 students, ranging from large high schools to smaller rural elementary campuses.
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.