The top reported proficiency rate is 45% in English language arts. The lowest is 37% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Blackburn Elem.
Blackburn Elementary is a regular public school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in the Independence School District, located in the eastern part of the city near the grain of suburban development that characterizes much of modern Independence. The school enrolls a mid-sized student body for an elementary school in this grade band. Its demographics show a student population that is majority white, with a substantial Hispanic cohort and a smaller Black cohort, along with students who identify as two or more races or Asian. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals is substantial, reflecting the economic diversity of the surrounding area.
Independence itself is the largest suburb on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metro area, a city that stretches from more urban neighborhoods in the west to rural land in the east. Housing near the school includes a mix of suburban subdivisions and newer apartments, with home values and rents that sit at a level generally comparable to the state benchmark, making this a middle-market area within the metro. The city is a major employment center in its own right, anchored by the school district, a hospital, and a defense contractor, and it offers a historic downtown with museums and civic institutions. For a family looking at Blackburn, the practical reality is that daily life in this part of Independence is car-dependent, with the school itself located on a road that runs through a residential and light-commercial corridor.
Academically, Blackburn’s state assessment results from the most recent testing year present a mixed picture that a parent will want to examine closely. In reading, the proficiency rates across grades three through five cluster in a range that is toward the higher end of what the data shows, with the fourth-grade result notably stronger than the others. In math, the pattern is more uneven: third and fifth graders performed at a similar level to their reading results, while fourth graders showed a meaningfully lower proficiency rate. Science, tested only in fifth grade, came in at a level that is closer to the math fourth-grade figure than to the higher reading marks. The comparison to other elementary schools in Jackson County places Blackburn in the top quartile of a county-wide proficiency index, a measure that averages results across subjects and grades. This is a notable strength and suggests the school is achieving better overall results than many of its county peers.
There is no information available on student discipline, chronic absenteeism, or staffing ratios. A parent may want to ask the school directly about these areas, as they shape the day-to-day environment for children. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report, and state testing for younger grades is not applicable for the prekindergarten and kindergarten students who attend. The Independence School District, which operates Blackburn, recently adopted a four-day instructional week that began in the 2023-2024 school year, a structural change families must factor into their schedules. The district offers enrichment activities on some of the non-school Mondays, but the four-day calendar is a lasting shift and not a temporary measure.
For a family considering this school, the takeaway is that Blackburn is a solid, mid-sized neighborhood elementary that is performing above the county median in proficiency, with reading as its clearer strength and math showing some variation by grade. The four-day week is a district-level reality that will shape family life. The area offers a range of housing options at prices that are not out of line with the broader state market, and the school serves a diverse community by income and background. A parent should follow up on the missing operational data, but the academic picture from the testing data is one of a school that is functional and, by the county comparison, performing respectably.
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