The top reported proficiency rate is 37% in English language arts. The lowest is 29% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Maple Park Middle
Maple Park Middle is a regular public school in the North Kansas City 74 district, serving seventh and eighth graders in a northern portion of Kansas City. It sits within Clay County, part of a large, sprawling city that blends historic commercial districts, extensive residential neighborhoods, and a downtown core that has seen recent residential and entertainment development. The school itself is a conventional middle school with a straightforward grade configuration, not a magnet or charter, and its governance and academic structure follow the wider district model.
The student body is racially and economically diverse. White students make up a substantial share, followed by Black and Hispanic students in roughly equal proportion, with a notable presence of multiracial students and a small Asian population. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a signal that the school serves a community where many families face financial strain. The school’s size is typical for a middle school serving two grades, with enrollment split roughly evenly between seventh and eighth grade.
On state assessments, the school’s results show a pattern that warrants attention. In seventh-grade English language arts, a bit under half of students scored proficient or above, a figure that dropped by a noticeable margin in eighth-grade ELA. Math results followed a similar grade-level slide, with seventh-grade proficiency higher than eighth-grade, and both grades well below what most families would consider a strong outcome. Science results for eighth graders, the only tested grade for that subject, also landed below the midpoint of the proficiency scale. When compared to other districts within Clay County, Maple Park Middle’s overall proficiency index sits in the bottom quartile, a position that underscores the academic challenges present. A single year of data was available, so no trend line exists to show whether the school is improving or declining. A parent considering this school would want to investigate what academic supports and interventions are in place, particularly for students who enter below grade level, and how the school approaches eighth-grade performance, which appears weaker than seventh.
The school offers two grades, so measures common to high schools, such as graduation rate and college and career pathways, do not apply. No data was available on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, or course access, so a family would need to ask the school directly about attendance patterns, school climate, and whether advanced coursework or intervention programs exist. No information about staffing, including student-to-teacher ratios or teacher experience, was provided either.
Housing in the school’s zip code is moderately priced relative to the rest of the country, with home values and rents that are broadly in line with the Kansas City metro area. The typical mortgage payment on a median-valued home, assuming a conventional down payment, would come in well under the national median household income, though that calculation does not account for local income variation or other costs of homeownership. Rent is a somewhat smaller share of income than the national average, suggesting the rental market here does not impose the same burden seen in pricier metros.
The district itself, North Kansas City 74, did not have any recent major changes publicly reported, such as bond measures, boundary adjustments, or curriculum overhauls, so a family would need to consult the district directly for its current priorities and upcoming plans.
For a family weighing Maple Park Middle, the main takeaway is a school in a large, diverse urban district where the student population faces significant economic need and where academic proficiency falls below the county average. The school’s size and two-grade span mean a focused peer group, but the test results raise questions about whether the core instruction and support systems are closing gaps, especially by the time students reach eighth grade. A visit and a conversation with the principal about academic programming and how the school addresses its weaker performance areas would be essential.
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