Lafayette County Schools & Education
Lafayette County, Missouri
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
56/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
95.5%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
95.5%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 91.3%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,291
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,334
School Score
56/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 43/100
State Score Position
#15
of 115 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Lafayette County
Measured School Summary
Lafayette County performs at an average level with a school score of 56/100 and a solid graduation rate of 95.5%.
Funding Context
At $6,291 per pupil, Lafayette County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 30% above the Missouri average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 4.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 1% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Lafayette 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
19 public schools and 6 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
56/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #15 of 115 Missouri counties with school score data.
Completion
95.5%
4.2 pts above the state average
Funding context
$6,291
roughly matches the state average
School coverage
19
6 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
Lafayette County has 19 public schools across 6 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 Lafayette 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
Lafayette 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
#15
of 115 Missouri counties with school score data. The county score is 13 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.
ODESSA R-VII
Elementary to high school visible
2,041 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
LEXINGTON R-V
Elementary to high school visible
997 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
LAFAYETTE CO. C-1
Elementary to high school visible
980 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
CONCORDIA R-II
Elementary and high visible
467 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
LEXINGTON R-V 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 Lafayette County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Lafayette 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 Lafayette 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 Broad Spectrum of Lafayette County Districts
Lafayette County hosts 19 public schools serving 5,242 students across six distinct districts. The education landscape includes seven elementary schools and eight high schools, reflecting a commitment to maintaining local high schools in smaller towns. This distributed system ensures that students stay connected to their local communities throughout their education.
Odessa R-VII Leads Local Enrollment
Odessa R-VII is the largest district in the county, educating 2,041 students in four schools. Other significant districts include Lexington R-V and Lafayette Co. C-1, each serving nearly 1,000 students. There are no charter schools in the county, focusing all local public resources into these established community districts.
Classic Town and Rural Learning Environments
The county features 10 schools in town settings and 9 in rural areas, offering a classic midwestern educational feel. Odessa High is the largest school with 664 students, while the countywide average school size is relatively small at 291 students. This small-to-midsize scale allows for manageable class sizes and strong community involvement.
School Overview
Total Schools
19
in Lafayette County
Reported Enrollment
5,242
19 schools reporting
School Districts
6
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
6 School Districts in Lafayette County
ODESSA R-VII
LEXINGTON R-V
LAFAYETTE CO. C-1
CONCORDIA R-II
WELLINGTON-NAPOLEON R-IX
SANTA FE R-X
19 Public Schools in Lafayette 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 19 of 19 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODESSA HIGH | Record | ODESSA R-VII | ODESSA, 64076Town: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 664 |
| ODESSA MIDDLE | Record | ODESSA R-VII | ODESSA, 64076Town: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 494 |
| MCQUERRY ELEMENTARY | Record | ODESSA R-VII | ODESSA, 64076Town: Fringe | PK–2 | Primary | 461 |
| GRANDVIEW ELEM. | Record | LAFAYETTE CO. C-1 | HIGGINSVILLE, 64037Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 457 |
| ODESSA UPPER ELEMENTARY | Record | ODESSA R-VII | ODESSA, 64076Rural: Fringe | 3–5 | Primary | 422 |
| LESLIE BELL ELEM. | Record | LEXINGTON R-V | LEXINGTON, 64067Town: Distant | PK–4 | Primary | 405 |
| LEXINGTON HIGH | Record | LEXINGTON R-V | LEXINGTON, 64067Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 328 |
| LAFAYETTE CO. HIGH | Record | LAFAYETTE CO. C-1 | HIGGINSVILLE, 64037Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 310 |
| CONCORDIA ELEM. | Record | CONCORDIA R-II | CONCORDIA, 64020Rural: Distant | PK–6 | Primary | 276 |
| LEXINGTON MIDDLE | Record | LEXINGTON R-V | LEXINGTON, 64067Town: Distant | 5–8 | Middle | 264 |
| LAFAYETTE CO. MIDDLE | Record | LAFAYETTE CO. C-1 | HIGGINSVILLE, 64037Town: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 213 |
| WELLINGTON-NAPOLEON HIGH | Record | WELLINGTON-NAPOLEON R-IX | WELLINGTON, 64097Rural: Distant | 6–12 | High | 208 |
| CONCORDIA HIGH | Record | CONCORDIA R-II | CONCORDIA, 64020Rural: Distant | 7–12 | High | 191 |
| WELLINGTON-NAPOLEON ELEM. | Record | WELLINGTON-NAPOLEON R-IX | WELLINGTON, 64097Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 174 |
| SANTA FE HIGH | Record | SANTA FE R-X | ALMA, 64001Rural: Distant | 7–12 | High | 172 |
| SANTA FE ELEM. | Record | SANTA FE R-X | WAVERLY, 64096Rural: Distant | PK–6 | Primary | 162 |
| WAVERLY REGIONAL YOUTH CTR. | Record | DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICE | WAVERLY, 64096Rural: Distant | 6–12 | High | 34 |
| ROLLING MEADOW SCHOOL | Record | MO SCHLS FOR THE SEV DISABLED | HIGGINSVILLE, 64037Rural: Fringe | KG–12 | Special Education | 7 |
| LEX LA-RAY TECHNICAL CTR. | Record | LEXINGTON R-V | LEXINGTON, 64067Town: Distant | 9–12 | Vocational | 0 |
WELLINGTON-NAPOLEON HIGH
WELLINGTON-NAPOLEON R-IX
WELLINGTON, 64097 / Rural: Distant
WELLINGTON-NAPOLEON ELEM.
WELLINGTON-NAPOLEON R-IX
WELLINGTON, 64097 / Rural: Distant
WAVERLY REGIONAL YOUTH CTR.
DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICE
WAVERLY, 64096 / Rural: Distant
ROLLING MEADOW SCHOOL
MO SCHLS FOR THE SEV DISABLED
HIGGINSVILLE, 64037 / Rural: Fringe
LEX LA-RAY TECHNICAL CTR.
LEXINGTON R-V
LEXINGTON, 64067 / Town: Distant
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,291
State avg $6,334
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Lafayette 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 Lafayette County?
What is the graduation rate in Lafayette County?
How much does Lafayette County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Lafayette County, Missouri — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Lafayette County, Missouri?
Lafayette County hosts 19 public schools serving 5,242 students across six distinct districts. The education landscape includes seven elementary schools and eight high schools, reflecting a commitment to maintaining local high schools in smaller towns. This distributed system ensures that students stay connected to their local communities throughout their education.
What are the major school districts in Lafayette County, Missouri?
Odessa R-VII is the largest district in the county, educating 2,041 students in four schools. Other significant districts include Lexington R-V and Lafayette Co. C-1, each serving nearly 1,000 students. There are no charter schools in the county, focusing all local public resources into these established community districts.
What is the school experience like in Lafayette County?
The county features 10 schools in town settings and 9 in rural areas, offering a classic midwestern educational feel. Odessa High is the largest school with 664 students, while the countywide average school size is relatively small at 291 students. This small-to-midsize scale allows for manageable class sizes and strong community involvement.
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.