Fort Osage R-i, MO - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Fort Osage R-i

Fort Osage R-I is a mid-sized public school district in Jackson County, Missouri, serving students from prekindergarten through twelfth grade. It operates a dozen schools, including elementary buildings, two middle schools, a high school, a career and technical center, and an early childhood center. The district draws students from a number of communities, including parts of Independence, Buckner, and other nearby areas, and the housing market across those ZIP codes ranges from more affordable to moderately priced, with typical home values sitting somewhat below the national average and rents that are manageable relative to area incomes.

Academically, the district’s performance on Missouri’s state assessments falls in a modest range. Across math, English language arts, and science in grades three through eight, proficiency rates cluster roughly between a quarter and two-fifths of students meeting the state’s benchmark. When the district’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades is averaged, that figure places Fort Osage R-I above the midpoint among the thirty-one districts in Jackson County. That is a meaningful distinction: while the numbers are not high in absolute terms, they are stronger than many of the district’s county peers. Still, a parent may want to look into how individual schools and grade levels compare, because some grades show notably lower results than others.

The student body is majority white, with a Hispanic population and a Black population each making up a substantial share, as well as smaller Asian, Native American, and multiracial groups. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available in the current profile, so it is not possible to assess how the district supports those populations from this reporting alone. Similarly, the district’s graduation rate was not reported in the data provided; for a PK-through-12 district, that is an important figure for families with older students, and its absence is a gap worth noting.

Chronic absenteeism is a notable concern. More than a quarter of students are chronically absent, and that rate sits above the midpoint among Jackson County districts, meaning it is higher than the typical district in the county. Parents who place a high priority on daily attendance and school engagement may want to ask the district about its attendance initiatives and how it supports students who miss substantial school time.

On the spending side, per-pupil current expenditures are in the lower range among county districts. That could reflect efficiencies or leaner operations, but it also may translate into differences in staffing, building conditions, or program breadth compared to districts that invest more per student. No recent district-level changes of lasting parent relevance such as referendums, curriculum shifts, or property-tax adjustments were found in publicly reported sources; for better or worse, the district appears to have been in a period of relative stability.

For families considering Fort Osage R-I, the overall picture is one of a district that performs a bit better than many of its Jackson County neighbors on state tests, but that also faces challenges with attendance and operates with comparatively lower per-pupil funding. The housing in the area is reasonably affordable for the region, and the district serves a mix of suburban and more rural communities. Without a graduation rate or data on special populations, some key pieces of the picture are incomplete, and a family would likely want to supplement this profile with information directly from the district office and the individual schools their children would attend.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

4,796

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 13%

Black 10%

White 67%

Asian 1%

Two+ 7%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 2%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

26%

47%

Gr 4

27%

57%

Gr 5

30%

42%

Gr 6

22%

36%

Gr 7

24%

47%

Gr 8

28%

41%

Math

Gr 3

28%

46%

Gr 4

31%

55%

Gr 5

25%

43%

Gr 6

25%

51%

Gr 7

28%

55%

Gr 8

20%

31%

Science

Gr 5

27%

39%

Gr 8

22%

41%

Schools in this District

11 schools are officially reported under this district.

CAR. TECH. CTR. AT FT. OSAGE

LEWIS AND CLARK LEARNING CTR.

INDIAN TRAILS ELEM.

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

36%

Grade 3

40%

Grade 4

32%

Grade 5

36%

Grade 6

41%

Grade 7

25%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

36%

Grade 3

39%

Grade 4

35%

Grade 5

28%

Grade 6

35%

Grade 7

35%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

32%

Grade 5

32%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$273,842

Year-over-year change+3.4%

Range across 8 ZIP codes$176K to $339K

vs. state typical1.03x

vs. national typical0.74x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (8 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
64058	Independence	$255K	+1.6%	28.8%
64088		$339K	+5.2%	26.6%
64016	Buckner	$254K	+3.5%	26.6%
64056	Independence	$231K	+3.9%	10.6%
64050	Independence	$176K	+4.7%	3.4%
64029	Grain Valley	$334K	-1.6%	1.4%
64057	Independence	$294K	+1.7%	1.2%
64075	Oak Grove	$304K	+3.6%	0.5%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,603/mo

Year-over-year change+4.2%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$1,211 to $1,891/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
64056	Independence	$1,707	+4.5%	10.6%
64050	Independence	$1,211	+3.1%	3.4%
64029	Grain Valley	$1,891	+4.4%	1.4%
64057	Independence	$1,454	+4.0%	1.2%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,382/mo

Home price / national median income3.3x

Annual rent / national median income23.0%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$221/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$265,398 (+2.8% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.