Liberty 53 School District
Liberty, Missouri · Clay County · Grades Pre-K–12
Liberty 53 School District runs 18 schools (11 elementary, 4 middle, 2 high, 1 pre-k) with 11,826 students. By enrollment it is the 16th largest of 556 districts in Missouri, where the median district has 566 students. NCES classifies its area as suburb, large.
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25. Rank compares the 556 Missouri districts listed on this site.
District at a glance
| Schools | 18 |
| Students | 11,826 |
| Teachers (full-time equivalent) | 856.5 |
| Students per teacher | 13.8 (state 12.8) |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligible | 23.8% (state 49.2%) |
| County | Clay County |
| Area type | Suburb, large |
| NCES district ID | 2918540 |
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25, totals of the district's schools. Students per teacher = students ÷ full-time-equivalent teachers.
Schools in Liberty 53
| School | Level | Grades | Students | Per teacher | Free/reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Doniphan Elementary School | Elementary | K–5 | 336 | 10.7 | 25.3% |
| Discovery Middle School | Middle | 6–8 | 678 | 13.9 | 18.3% |
| Early Child. Education Center | Pre-K | Pre-K | 45 | 1.9 | 93.3% |
| Epic Elementary School | Elementary | K–5 | 293 | 15.5 | 5.5% |
| Franklin Elementary School | Elementary | K–5 | 223 | 11.4 | 35.4% |
| Heritage Middle School | Middle | 6–8 | 757 | 14.5 | 24.6% |
| Kellybrook Elementary School | Elementary | K–5 | 528 | 14.5 | 30.1% |
| Lewis and Clark Elementary School | Elementary | K–5 | 517 | 16.2 | 20.1% |
| Liberty High School | High | 9–12 | 1,842 | 15.3 | 21.7% |
| Liberty Middle School | Middle | 6–8 | 609 | 12.1 | 35.5% |
| Liberty North High School | High | 9–12 | 2,262 | 17.4 | 20.4% |
| Liberty Oaks Elementary School | Elementary | K–5 | 496 | 12.6 | 29.8% |
| Lillian Schumacher Elementary School | Elementary | K–5 | 443 | 11.8 | 37.7% |
| Manor Hill Elementary School | Elementary | K–5 | 265 | 9 | 47.5% |
| Ridgeview Elementary School | Elementary | K–5 | 331 | 9.1 | 42.9% |
| Shoal Creek Elementary School | Elementary | K–5 | 795 | 14.7 | 7.9% |
| South Valley Middle School | Middle | 6–8 | 809 | 14.2 | 19.7% |
| Warren Hills Elementary School | Elementary | K–5 | 597 | 15.2 | 22.9% |
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25.
Map of Liberty 53 schools
Locations: NCES EDGE. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Liberty 53 in context
Size
Liberty 53 School District enrolls 1.3% of Missouri's 885,129 public school students and is larger than the median district (566 students). The largest of its schools is Liberty North High School with 2,262 students, and the smallest is Early Child. Education Center with 45; the average is 657, against 386 statewide.
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25 enrollment. Share = district students ÷ all students in Missouri schools listed here; averages = students ÷ schools.
Grades
Its largest grade this year is grade 11, with 1,100 students. Grade 12 has 1,033 students and kindergarten has 671, 54% more in the later grade. Each grade is a different group of students, so this is not a dropout or growth rate. Liberty 53 enrolls 45 children in pre-K.
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25 membership by grade, all schools in the district.
Students
White students are the largest group in Liberty 53 at 73.4%, above their 66.9% share of Missouri public school students. Hispanic students make up 9.4%.
23.8% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, against 49.2% statewide. By school, the share runs from 5.5% at Epic Elementary School to 93.3% at Early Child. Education Center.
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25 membership and school lunch program data. District and state shares weight each school by its enrollment.
Staff
Its 856.5 full-time-equivalent teachers work out to 13.8 students per teacher, more than the state's 12.8. With 39.9 counselors it has 296 students per counselor; the median Missouri district has 265, and the American School Counselor Association recommends no more than 250. It reports 15.8 librarians or media specialists and 10 school psychologists.
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25 district staff file (full-time equivalents). Students per counselor = district students ÷ counselors. Benchmark: American School Counselor Association, 250 students per counselor.
Location
Liberty 53 is based in an urbanized area of 250,000 people or more, outside its principal city, an area NCES calls suburb, large. The nearest district is North Kansas City 74 School District, 5.7 miles away with 21,252 students. 42 districts are within 25 miles, and 6 of them enroll more students than Liberty 53. Clay County has 6 districts on this site.
Source: NCES EDGE locations and locale codes, 2024-25. Distances are straight lines between the average locations of each district's schools.
Staff
| Role | Full-time equivalent | Students per staff member |
|---|---|---|
| Teachers | 856.5 | 14 |
| School counselors | 39.9 | 296 |
| Librarians and media specialists | 15.8 | 748 |
| School psychologists | 10 | 1,183 |
| Instructional aides | 149.4 | 79 |
| Other student support staff | 62 | 191 |
| School administrators | 42.9 | 276 |
| District administrators | 7 | 1,689 |
| All staff | 2,019.6 |
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25 district staff file. Students per staff member = district students ÷ full-time-equivalent staff in that role. The median Missouri district has 265 students per counselor.
Students by race and ethnicity
| White | 73.4% |
| Hispanic | 9.4% |
| Two or more races | 7.6% |
| Black | 6.4% |
| Asian | 2.7% |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 0.2% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0.2% |
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25 membership, all schools in the district.
Students by grade
| Pre-K | 45 |
| Kindergarten | 671 |
| Grade 1 | 774 |
| Grade 2 | 791 |
| Grade 3 | 836 |
| Grade 4 | 865 |
| Grade 5 | 887 |
| Grade 6 | 970 |
| Grade 7 | 929 |
| Grade 8 | 954 |
| Grade 9 | 965 |
| Grade 10 | 1,006 |
| Grade 11 | 1,100 |
| Grade 12 | 1,033 |
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25 membership.
Nearby school districts
| District | Distance | Students | Per teacher | Calendar 2026–2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Kansas City 74 School District | 6 mi | 21,252 | 14.1 | – |
| Missouri City 56 School District | 8 mi | 14 | 4.2 | – |
| Kearney R-I School District | 9 mi | 3,424 | 13.6 | – |
| KC International Academy | 10 mi | 662 | 8.2 | – |
| Fort Osage R-I School District | 11 mi | 4,718 | 13.2 | – |
| Independence 30 School District | 11 mi | 14,272 | 14.7 | – |
| Scuola Vita Nuova | 11 mi | 363 | 15.1 | – |
| Park Hill School District | 11 mi | 11,937 | 13.4 | – |
Distance between the average locations of each district's schools (NCES EDGE).
Other school districts in Clay County
- North Kansas City 74 School District (21,252 students)
- Kearney R-I School District (3,424 students)
- Excelsior Springs 40 School District (2,661 students)
- Smithville R-II School District (2,514 students)
- Missouri City 56 School District (14 students)
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25, county of each district's office.
Contact
8 Victory Lane, Liberty, MO 64068
Phone: (816)736-5300
Website: lps53.org
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25 directory.