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Best Elementary Schools in Kansas City, MO (2025-26)
Every ranked elementary school in Kansas City, MO, ordered by SchoolGrade. A grade rewards actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact. Click a column heading to sort, or filter by school, city or district.
Kansas City, MO rankings: Elementary Schools
Kansas City, MO elementary schools ranked
How Kansas City, MO's elementary schools compare
A: 13B: 7C: 15D: 30F: 18
24% of the 83 ranked elementary schools in Kansas City, MO earn an A or B (13 A grades, 7 B, 15 C, 30 D, 18 F), against 46% of elementary schools nationwide. 57 schools meet or beat the proficiency projected from their student context (69% here, 70% nationally), and 30 exceed it. On average 33% of tested students meet the state bar against a projected 27% (national averages: 46% actual, 37% projected).
The biggest overperformers, by actual proficiency above projection: John T Hartman Elementary (61% against 11%, A), Compass Elementary (38% against 10%, C-), Maplewood Elementary (58% against 31%, A-), Border Star Montessori (54% against 30%, B+), Frontier School Of Innovation (35% against 13%, D+).
Districts with the most schools in the top quarter (the top 21): North Kansas City 74 (9), Park Hill (5), Kansas City 33 (3), Academie Lafayette (2).
The largest ranked elementary schools: Shoal Creek Elem (883 students, A+, #2), Guadalupe Centers Elementary (781 students, F, #77), Bell Prairie Elementary (712 students, A, #5).
Of the top 25, 2 are magnet schools and 2 are charters. Selective and specialised schools tend to post high actual scores; the projection column is the fairer comparison for a neighborhood school.
Elementary schools in Kansas City, MO that are not ranked
10 graded elementary schools are listed here rather than ranked, each for the reason given. Every one has its own page with its full SchoolGrade report.
Not yet graded (10)
Our source data has no school-level proficiency results for these schools, so they carry no SchoolGrade yet.
- Allen Village Elementary Acade, Kansas City
- Allen Village Primary Academy, Kansas City
- Faxon Elementary, Kansas City
- Gashland Elementary, Kansas City
- Genesis School Inc, Kansas City
- Gordon Parks Elem, Kansas City
- Holliday Montessori, Kansas City
- Longfellow Elementary, Kansas City
- Trailwoods Elementary, Kansas City
- Troost Elementary, Kansas City
About this ranking
- Scope: public elementary schools in Kansas City, MO, as grouped on its schools page; the Missouri ranking covers the whole state.
- Order: SchoolGrade, then actual proficiency, then name; schools with the same grade and score share a rank.
- Ranked: regular public schools that NCES lists as open, not fully online, with at least 30 students. Others are listed with the reason.
- Tags: Magnet and Charter from the NCES school directory; K-12 marks schools serving every grade that are ranked with the elementary schools.
- Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model. How SchoolGrade works
Questions about elementary schools in Kansas City, MO
What is the best elementary school in Kansas City, MO?
Rising Hill Elementary in Kansas City ranks first among the 83 ranked elementary schools in Kansas City, MO with a SchoolGrade of A+, 68% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 56%.
How are elementary schools in Kansas City, MO ranked?
By SchoolGrade, the 2025-26 model that scores each school's actual test proficiency against the level projected for its student context, then by actual proficiency to break ties. Regular public schools that are open, not fully online and have at least 30 students are ranked; the rest are listed below the table with the reason.
How many elementary schools does Kansas City, MO have?
SchoolGrade grades 93 public elementary schools in Kansas City, MO; 83 are ranked here and 10 are listed as not ranked.