The brief
The top-rated middle schools in Kansas City for 2026 are Frontier Schl of Innovation-M (8.9/10), University Academy-Middle (8.8/10), and Walden Middle (8.6/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of 27 middle schools with real test data included in this ranking. Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Kansas City's middle school landscape spans 27 ranked schools, with performance ranging widely across the metro. At the top, Frontier School of Innovation-M and Lakeview Middle share the highest composite score at 8.6/10 — a strong mark in a field where the average sits at 6.5/10. That gap signals real differentiation between schools, making it worth looking beyond name recognition when choosing. Ten schools — 37% of those ranked — clear the 7/10 threshold, giving families a solid pool of higher-performing options to consider. Walden Middle, Congress Middle, and Kansas City Girls Prep Middle round out the top five, each bringing distinct programming to the table. The table below lets you sort by score, school type, and other key metrics to find the right fit. Use it to cut through the noise and focus on the schools that match what matters most to your family.
Ranked by composite score; the tick is the score on the 1–10 axis.
- 18.9
- 28.8
- 38.6
- 47.7
- 57.6
- 67.5
- 77.4
- 86.8
- 96.8
- 106.7
All 27 ranked
Every ranked school on the axis, then the ledger.Top 25 of 27
Rating · students · student-teacher ratio · grades- 1Frontier Schl of Innovation-McharterFrontier Schoolsstudents 302student-teacher ratio 10.1:1grades 6th–8th
- 2University Academy-MiddlecharterUniversity Academystudents 277student-teacher ratio 13.8:1grades 6th–8th
- 3Walden MiddlePark Hillstudents 745student-teacher ratio 13.5:1grades 6th–8th
- 4Lincoln College Academy MiddleKansas City 33students 578student-teacher ratio 17.5:1grades 6th–8th
- 5Kansas City Girls Prep MiddlecharterKansas City Girls Prep Academystudents 135student-teacher ratio 6.4:1grades 5th–8th
- 6Gateway 6th Grade CenterNorth Kansas City 74students 869student-teacher ratio 14.5:1grades 6th–6th
- 7Northgate MiddleNorth Kansas City 74students 686student-teacher ratio 12.7:1grades 7th–8th
- 8Guadalupe Centers MiddlecharterGuadalupe Centers Schoolsstudents 354student-teacher ratio 10.7:1grades 6th–8th
- 9Maple Park MiddleNorth Kansas City 74students 602student-teacher ratio 10.6:1grades 7th–8th
- 10Lakeview MiddlePark Hillstudents 651student-teacher ratio 11.4:1grades 6th–8th
- 11Allen Village Junior AcademycharterAllen Villagestudents 101student-teacher ratio 14.4:1grades 6th–8th
- 12Hickman Mills 6th 7th Gr CtrHickman Mills C-1students 652student-teacher ratio 11.4:1grades 6th–8th
- 13Center MiddleCenter 58students 524student-teacher ratio 10.9:1grades 6th–8th
- 14Middle SchoolcharterCitizens of the World Charterstudents 135student-teacher ratio 13.5:1grades 5th–8th
- 15Ewing Marion Kauffman MiddlecharterEwing Marion Kauffman Schoolstudents 510student-teacher ratio 10.6:1grades 5th–8th
- 16Academie Lafayette Armour ImscharterAcademie Lafayettestudents 273student-teacher ratio 21.0:1grades 6th–8th
- 17Brookside Charter Middle SchlcharterBrookside Charter Sch.students 205student-teacher ratio 9.3:1grades 6th–8th
- 18Eastgate 6th Grade CenterNorth Kansas City 74students 639student-teacher ratio 12.8:1grades 6th–6th
- 19Raytown MiddleRaytown C-2students 737student-teacher ratio 17.5:1grades 6th–8th
- 20Plaza MiddlePark Hillstudents 676student-teacher ratio 12.5:1grades 6th–8th
- 21Congress MiddlePark Hillstudents 623student-teacher ratio 12.0:1grades 6th–8th
- 22New Mark MiddleNorth Kansas City 74students 1,029student-teacher ratio 16.6:1grades 7th–8th
- 23Frontier Schl of Excellence-McharterFrontier Schoolsstudents 73student-teacher ratio 5.6:1grades 6th–8th
- 24Central Middle SchoolKansas City 33students 410student-teacher ratio 11.7:1grades 7th–8th
- 25Northeast Middle SchoolKansas City 33students 557student-teacher ratio 13.0:1grades 7th–8th
Scores are based on 2024-25 data from the NCES Common Core of Data and Missouri education department. Rankings are relative to all public middle schools in Missouri. Learn about our methodology.
The map
The top 25 pinned; open a pin for the campus.Campus by campus
What each of the top ten reports.- 1
Frontier Schl of Innovation-M
Frontier Schools
302 students · 10.1:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 2% in Missouri · charter
- Academics
- 8.2
- Growth
- 9.7
- Environment
- 8.5
- 2
University Academy-Middle
University Academy
277 students · 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 3% in Missouri · charter
- Academics
- 8.4
- Growth
- 9.5
- Environment
- 8.3
- 3
Walden Middle
Park Hill
745 students · 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 5% in Missouri
- Academics
- 8.2
- Growth
- 9.2
- Environment
- 8.2
- 4
Lincoln College Academy Middle
Kansas City 33
578 students · 17.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 19% in Missouri
- Academics
- 9.3
- Growth
- 6.9
- Environment
- 6.7
- 5
Kansas City Girls Prep Middle
Kansas City Girls Prep Academy
135 students · 6.4:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 5th–8th
Top 20% in Missouri · charter
- Academics
- 3.8
- Growth
- 9.5
- Environment
- 10.0
- 6
Gateway 6th Grade Center
North Kansas City 74
869 students · 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–6th
Top 24% in Missouri
- Academics
- 8.9
- Growth
- 8.7
- Environment
- 3.8
- 7
Northgate Middle
North Kansas City 74
686 students · 12.7:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 7th–8th
Top 26% in Missouri
- Academics
- 7.1
- Growth
- 8.8
- Environment
- 5.6
- 8
Guadalupe Centers Middle
Guadalupe Centers Schools
354 students · 10.7:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 40% in Missouri · charter
- Academics
- 4.8
- Growth
- 8.7
- Environment
- 6.7
- 9
Maple Park Middle
North Kansas City 74
602 students · 10.6:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 7th–8th
Top 41% in Missouri
- Academics
- 5.4
- Growth
- 9.5
- Environment
- 4.4
- 10
Lakeview Middle
Park Hill
651 students · 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 43% in Missouri
- Academics
- 7.8
- Growth
- 4.4
- Environment
- 9.0
Questions
What is the best middle school in Kansas City, Missouri?
According to MySchoolScout's 2026 rankings, Frontier Schl of Innovation-M is the top-rated middle school in Kansas City with a composite score of 8.9/10. The score blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools — with equity shown as context, not scored.
How many middle schools are in Kansas City, Missouri?
Kansas City has 27 middle schools, including 11 charter schools. Of these, 27 have enough data for a full composite rating on MySchoolScout.
What is the average middle school rating in Kansas City?
Among 27 Kansas City middle schools with a composite score, the average is 6.2/10. Scores range from 1.0 (bottom of the state) to 10.0 (top 1% in Missouri).
How does MySchoolScout rate middle schools?
Schools with enough data receive a 1-10 composite score that blends Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, with growth counting most in elementary and middle grades. Equity data is shown for context but not scored. All scores are computed within Missouri, so schools are compared to peers in the same state. Data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments.
What is a good school rating on MySchoolScout?
A score of 7 or above means a school is in roughly the top 30% of its state. A 5 is average. Anything above 8 is exceptional. Our ratings are relative to other schools in Missouri, not a national comparison, because each state has different testing standards.
Are charter schools included in the Kansas City middle school rankings?
Kansas City has 11 charter middle schools in its directory. Charter schools that meet this ranking's data requirements are included alongside traditional public schools using the same composite scoring methodology.
How should I use this ranking?
Consider your child's learning style. Some children thrive in smaller settings (look for student-teacher ratios under 14:1), while others do well in larger, more social environments. The schools on this list range widely in size and approach.
Look beyond the composite score. A school ranked #15 might be the best fit if it excels in growth (improving student outcomes year over year) even if its raw academic score is lower. Click into individual school profiles to see the breakdown.
Visit your top choices. Walk the hallways during a school day. Watch how teachers interact with students. Ask about before- and after-school care, transportation, and parent involvement. These details matter more than any dataset.
Explore more
- Best elementary schools in Kansas City2026 rankings and ratings
- Best high schools in Kansas City2026 rankings and ratings
- All 197 schools in Kansas CityElementary, middle and high
- Missouri schoolsStatewide rankings and city comparisons
- Our methodologyHow we calculate school ratings