schoolsbycounty

Dallas County Schools & Education

School Score

54/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

97.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

97.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 91.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$5,890

National avg $13,239

State avg $6,334

School Score

54/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 43/100

State Score Position

#22

of 115 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Dallas County

Measured School Summary

Dallas County performs at an average level with a school score of 54/100 and a solid graduation rate of 97.0%.

Funding Context

At $5,890 per pupil, Dallas County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 26% above the Missouri average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 5.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 7% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Dallas 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

4 public schools and 1 district 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 #22 of 115 Missouri counties with school score data.

Completion

97.0%

5.7 pts above the state average

Funding context

$5,890

$444 below the state average

School coverage

4

1 district 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

Dallas County has 4 public schools across 1 district, 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.

Parent decision brief

What Dallas 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.

Small-system county

Dallas County has a compact public-school footprint. A single school change, boundary rule, or district update can move the lived experience more than the county score suggests.

State position

#22

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.

DALLAS CO. R-I

Elementary to high school visible

1,782 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 2Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

DALLAS CO. R-I is the largest listed district slice, with 4 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 Dallas County?

Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?

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 Dallas 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 Unified County-Wide District

Dallas County operates under a single school district, Dallas Co. R-I, which manages four public schools. This streamlined system serves 1,782 students through one elementary, one middle, and two high schools.

Single District Strategy

The Dallas Co. R-I district centralizes all resources for the county's 1,782 students. Without any charter schools, the district provides a consistent educational experience from kindergarten through graduation for every resident.

Large Schools in a Town Setting

Most students attend school in a town locale, where three of the four county schools are situated. Mallory Elementary is the largest campus with 715 students, contributing to a high average school size of 594.

School Overview

Total Schools

4

in Dallas County

Reported Enrollment

1,782

4 schools reporting

School Districts

1

district

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary1
Middle1
High2
Other0

1 School District in Dallas County

DALLAS CO. R-I

4 schools
1,782 students enrolled

4 Public Schools in Dallas 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 data

Level

Showing 4 of 4 matching schools

MALLORY ELEM.

DALLAS CO. R-I

BUFFALO, 65622 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary715 students

BUFFALO HIGH

DALLAS CO. R-I

BUFFALO, 65622 / Town: Distant

Record9–12High568 students

BUFFALO MIDDLE

DALLAS CO. R-I

BUFFALO, 65622 / Rural: Fringe

Record5–8Middle499 students

DALLAS COUNTY TECHNICAL CENTER

DALLAS CO. R-I

Buffalo, 65622 / Town: Distant

Record11–12Vocational0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$5,890

State avg $6,334

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Dallas County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Missouri counties have the highest graduation rates?
Dallas County (97.0%), Dent County (97.0%), and Howell County (97.0%) currently lead Missouri among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Missouri?
Across Missouri counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $6,334. The highest current county values are St. Louis County ($9,027), Chariton County ($8,427), and Holt County ($8,173). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Dallas County?
Dallas County has a school score of 54/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Dallas County?
The high school graduation rate in Dallas County is 97.0%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Dallas County spend per student?
Dallas County spends $5,890 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Dallas County, Missouri — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Dallas County, Missouri?

Dallas County operates under a single school district, Dallas Co. R-I, which manages four public schools. This streamlined system serves 1,782 students through one elementary, one middle, and two high schools.

What are the major school districts in Dallas County, Missouri?

The Dallas Co. R-I district centralizes all resources for the county's 1,782 students. Without any charter schools, the district provides a consistent educational experience from kindergarten through graduation for every resident.

What is the school experience like in Dallas County?

Most students attend school in a town locale, where three of the four county schools are situated. Mallory Elementary is the largest campus with 715 students, contributing to a high average school size of 594.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

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.