schoolsbycounty

Saline County Schools & Education

School Score

31/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

88.6%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

88.6%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 91.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,206

National avg $13,239

State avg $6,334

School Score

31/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 43/100

State Score Position

#98

of 115 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Saline County

Measured School Summary

Saline County faces educational challenges with a school score of 31/100 and a graduation rate of 88.6%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,206 per pupil, Saline County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 29% below the Missouri average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 2.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 2% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Saline 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

18 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

31/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #98 of 115 Missouri counties with school score data.

Completion

88.6%

2.7 pts below the state average

Funding context

$6,206

$128 below the state average

School coverage

18

8 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

Saline County has 18 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.

Parent decision brief

What Saline 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

Saline 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

#98

of 115 Missouri counties with school score data. The county score is 12 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.

MARSHALL

Elementary to high school visible

2,420 students

Elementary 4Middle 1High 2Other 0

7 listed schools in this county slice.

SWEET SPRINGS R-VII

Elementary and high visible

402 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

SLATER

Elementary and high visible

342 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

MIAMI R-I

Elementary school only in this slice

72 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

MARSHALL is the largest listed district slice, with 7 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 Saline County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Saline 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 Saline 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 Diverse Network of Saline Schools

Saline County operates a robust system of 18 public schools, serving a total population of 3,484 students. Eight different districts manage this diverse infrastructure, which includes 11 elementary schools and five high schools. This distributed network ensures that students across the county have local access to primary and secondary education.

Marshall District Anchors the County

The Marshall school district is the largest by far, serving 2,420 students across seven distinct schools. Other significant districts include Slater, which manages two schools for its 342 students. No charter schools exist in Saline County, meaning the vast majority of families rely on these eight established public districts.

Bridging Towns and Rural Landscapes

The county offers a mix of settings, with 11 schools in rural areas and seven located within town centers. Marshall Sr. High is the largest school with 765 students, while many rural elementary schools provide a much smaller, intimate atmosphere. This variety allows families to choose between larger town-based campuses or smaller rural environments.

School Overview

Total Schools

18

in Saline County

Reported Enrollment

3,484

18 schools reporting

School Districts

8

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary11
Middle1
High5
Other1

8 School Districts in Saline County

MARSHALL

7 schools
2,420 students

SWEET SPRINGS R-VII

2 schools
402 students

SLATER

2 schools
342 students

MIAMI R-I

1 school
72 students

MALTA BEND R-V

2 schools
70 students

HARDEMAN R-X

1 school
69 students

OREARVILLE R-IV

1 school
68 students

GILLIAM C-4

1 school
34 students

18 Public Schools in Saline 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 18 of 18 matching schools

MARSHALL SR. HIGH

MARSHALL

MARSHALL, 65340 / Town: Remote

Record9–12High765 students

BUEKER MIDDLE

MARSHALL

MARSHALL, 65340 / Town: Remote

Record5–8Middle701 students

SPAINHOWER PRIMARY SCHOOL

MARSHALL

MARSHALL, 65340 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–1Primary426 students

ALEXANDER ELEM.

SLATER

SLATER, 65349 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–8Primary211 students

SWEET SPRINGS ELEM.

SWEET SPRINGS R-VII

SWEET SPRINGS, 65351 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary210 students

BENTON ELEM.

MARSHALL

MARSHALL, 65340 / Town: Remote

Record2–4Primary206 students

EASTWOOD ELEM.

MARSHALL

MARSHALL, 65340 / Town: Remote

Record2–4Primary201 students

SWEET SPRINGS HIGH

SWEET SPRINGS R-VII

SWEET SPRINGS, 65351 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High192 students

SLATER HIGH

SLATER

SLATER, 65349 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High131 students

SOUTHEAST ELEM.

MARSHALL

MARSHALL, 65340 / Town: Remote

Record2–4Primary121 students

MIAMI ELEM.

MIAMI R-I

MIAMI, 65344 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–8Primary72 students

HARDEMAN ELEM.

HARDEMAN R-X

MARSHALL, 65340 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–8Primary69 students

OREARVILLE ELEM.

OREARVILLE R-IV

SLATER, 65349 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–8Primary68 students

Malta Bend High School

MALTA BEND R-V

Malta Bend, 65339 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High40 students

GILLIAM ELEM.

GILLIAM C-4

GILLIAM, 65330 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–8Primary34 students

Malta Bend Elementary School

MALTA BEND R-V

Malta Bend, 65339 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary30 students

PRAIRIE VIEW SCHOOL

MO SCHLS FOR THE SEV DISABLED

MARSHALL, 65340 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–12Special Education7 students

SALINE CO. CAREER CTR.

MARSHALL

MARSHALL, 65340 / Town: Remote

Record9–12Vocational0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,206

State avg $6,334

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Saline 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 Saline County?
Saline County has a school score of 31/100, which is a lower 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 Saline County?
The high school graduation rate in Saline County is 88.6%, 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 Saline County spend per student?
Saline County spends $6,206 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 Saline County, Missouri — FAQ

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

Saline County operates a robust system of 18 public schools, serving a total population of 3,484 students. Eight different districts manage this diverse infrastructure, which includes 11 elementary schools and five high schools. This distributed network ensures that students across the county have local access to primary and secondary education.

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

The Marshall school district is the largest by far, serving 2,420 students across seven distinct schools. Other significant districts include Slater, which manages two schools for its 342 students. No charter schools exist in Saline County, meaning the vast majority of families rely on these eight established public districts.

What is the school experience like in Saline County?

The county offers a mix of settings, with 11 schools in rural areas and seven located within town centers. Marshall Sr. High is the largest school with 765 students, while many rural elementary schools provide a much smaller, intimate atmosphere. This variety allows families to choose between larger town-based campuses or smaller rural environments.

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.