Best Schools in West Plains, Missouri
10 schools · 7 Elementary · 1 Middle · 1 High · 1 Other
Choosing a school in West Plains?
Use this page to compare every school in West Plains by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Glenwood Elem.
Elementary · Glenwood R-viii. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Richards Elem.
Elementary · Richards R-v. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Howell Valley Elem.
Elementary · Howell Valley R-i. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in West Plains for 2026 are Glenwood Elem. (8.5/10), Richards Elem. (8.5/10), and Howell Valley Elem. (8.3/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 9 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
10
in this city
Avg Score
7.2
out of 10
Median Home
$177,700
home value · ACS
Districts
7
serving the city
Schools
10
in this city
Avg Score
7.2
out of 10
Median Home
$177,700
home value · ACS
Districts
7
serving the city
Rates 8.5/10 despite 64% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.6 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among West Plains schools.
Top-Rated Schools in West Plains
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (9 of 10). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glenwood Elem. | 8.5 / 10 |
| 2 | Richards Elem. | 8.5 / 10 |
| 3 | Howell Valley Elem. | 8.3 / 10 |
| 4 | Fairview Elem. | 8.2 / 10 |
| 5 | South Fork Elem. | 7.3 / 10 |
| 6 | West Plains Elem. | 7.1 / 10 |
| 7 | West Plains Sr. High | 6.3 / 10 |
| 8 | West Plains Middle | 5.7 / 10 |
| 9 | Junction Hill Elem. | 5.3 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 7.2/10
- Median household income
- $48,854
- Median home value
- $177,700
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 19%
- Avg commute
- 20 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 66%
67% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How West Plains compares
Missouri rank
#31 of 258
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+1.0
above Missouri avg (6.3)
Median household income
$49k
74% of Missouri median
Schools in this city
9
About Schools in West Plains, Missouri
West Plains, Missouri offers families a compact public school system of 9 ranked schools, with an average score of 6.5 out of 10. That average sits in solid mid-range territory, but the distribution tells the real story: only 2 of the 9 schools — 22% — score 7 or above. Parents doing serious comparisons should pay close attention to which specific school their address feeds into.
The clear standout is South Fork Elementary, scoring 8.9 out of 10 — the highest mark in the city and a significant gap above the local average. Howell Valley Elementary follows at 8.2, making these two the district's strongest performers by a wide margin. Together they represent the upper tier, and families with flexibility in where they live will find those attendance boundaries worth investigating before signing a lease or closing on a home.
The middle tier clusters tightly. Junction Hill Elementary (6.4) and Fairview Elementary (6.3) both land near the city average, suggesting performance that is consistent but not exceptional. West Plains Middle School scores 6.1, which means students transitioning out of the top elementary schools will move into a middle school that tracks closer to the district mean. That gap between feeder elementary quality and middle school performance is a practical consideration for families planning beyond the early grades.
For parents researching West Plains, the practical takeaway is straightforward: school quality here varies meaningfully by address. South Fork and Howell Valley represent genuinely strong options at the elementary level, both well above the city's 6.5 average. The remaining schools cluster in the mid-range, with nothing in the dataset falling dramatically below average. If elementary school performance is the priority, focusing your home search around South Fork's attendance zone gives your child access to the city's highest-rated school. If you're planning for the middle school years, factor in that West Plains Middle scores in line with — not above — the district as a whole.
Elementary Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 245 students · Pre-K–8th | 8.5 |
| 2 | 385 students · Pre-K–8th | 8.5 |
| 3 | 206 students · Pre-K–8th | 8.3 |
| 4 | 487 students · Pre-K–8th | 8.2 |
| 5 | 183 students · Pre-K–6th | 7.3 |
| 6 | 776 students · Pre-K–4th | 7.1 |
| 7 | 181 students · Pre-K–8th | 5.3 |
Middle Schools
1 school| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 564 students · 5th–8th | 5.7 |
High Schools
1 school| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,145 students · 9th–12th | 6.3 |
Other Schools
1 school| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 students · Kindergarten–12th | — |
Schools in West Plains
West Plains, Missouri · 10 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code
Median Income
$48,854
Median Home Value
$177,700
Median Rent
$776/mo
Population
24,950
College Educated
19%
Homeownership
66%
Avg Commute
20 min
Poverty Rate
21.3%
Community Profile
West Plains has a median household income of $48,854. It is a community where 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $177,700, with a median rent of $776/month. The area has a poverty rate of 21.3%, indicating some economic challenges in the community. The average commute for residents is 20 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Missouri
- Elementary
- 7
- Middle
- 1
- High
- 1
- Other
- 1
Resources
School Districts (7)
MO SCHLS FOR THE SEV DISABLED
35 schools · 692 students
FAIRVIEW R-XI
1 school · 487 students
JUNCTION HILL C-12
1 school · 181 students
GLENWOOD R-VIII
1 school · 245 students
HOWELL VALLEY R-I
1 school · 206 students
RICHARDS R-V
1 school · 385 students
WEST PLAINS R-VII
5 schools · 2,668 students
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Missouri
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in West Plains, Missouri
How many schools are in West Plains, Missouri?
West Plains has 10 schools, including 10 public and 0 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in West Plains, Missouri?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in West Plains is 7.2 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in West Plains, Missouri?
The top-ranked school in West Plains on MySchoolScout is Glenwood Elem. with a composite score of 8.5/10.
What is the best elementary school in West Plains, Missouri?
The top-ranked elementary school in West Plains on MySchoolScout is Glenwood Elem. with a composite score of 8.5/10.
What is the best middle school in West Plains, Missouri?
The top-ranked middle school in West Plains on MySchoolScout is West Plains Middle with a composite score of 5.7/10.
What is the best high school in West Plains, Missouri?
The top-ranked high school in West Plains on MySchoolScout is West Plains Sr. High with a composite score of 6.3/10.
How many school districts serve West Plains, Missouri?
West Plains is served by 7 school districts: Mo Schls for the Sev Disabled, Fairview R-xi, Junction Hill C-12, Glenwood R-viii, Howell Valley R-i, Richards R-v, West Plains R-vii.
What is the education level in West Plains, Missouri?
According to Census data, 19% of adults in West Plains have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in West Plains, Missouri?
The median household income in West Plains is approximately $48,854 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
What is the student-teacher ratio in West Plains, Missouri?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in West Plains is 12.3:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in West Plains, Missouri?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Missouri Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.