Liberty 53 operates in Clay County, Missouri as a suburban district serving 12,123 students across 18 schools with a teaching staff of 863. The district experienced a 2.5 percent enrollment decline from the prior year, indicating modest demographic shifts in its service area. The school configuration includes 12 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 2 high schools, supporting a student-teacher ratio of 14.0:1.
Financially, Liberty 53 operates with a total budget of $183.4 million and per-pupil spending of $6,255, which falls below the Missouri state average of $7,465. This represents approximately 16 percent lower per-pupil expenditure than the state average. The district's revenue composition relies heavily on local funding at 59 percent of total revenue, with state contributions accounting for 36 percent and federal funding providing 5 percent. This funding structure indicates significant dependence on local property tax resources.
The district's financial position reflects reliance on local revenue sources to maintain operations with reduced per-pupil spending compared to state benchmarks. The modest enrollment decline and existing school configuration suggest the district is positioned in a stable suburban market, though the lower spending levels relative to state averages may warrant consideration when evaluating resource allocation for educational programs and services.
This summary was generated by AI from public data sources. Last updated May 5, 2026.
This data is aggregated from state and federal public datasets. While we believe it is accurate, we always recommend confirming it on the corresponding state or federal site. See Data Notes for more.
Total Students
12,123
Schools
18
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,255
Data Sources: NCES Common Core of Data, NCES F-33 Finance Survey, EDFacts
Federal Data Year: 2022-23
State Data Year: 2024-25
Note: Some data may be unavailable for certain districts or years. Proficiency rates reflect state-specific assessment standards.
Math Proficiency
N/AThis data is either not available at a state or per-district level, or will be added in the future.
Staff counts are Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) from NCES 2024-25 data.
MPI (Missouri Performance Index) measures student achievement on MAP assessments. Higher scores indicate better performance. Performance designations include: Meets/Exceeds Expectations, On Track, Approaching, and Needs Improvement.
About MSIP 6 Accountability
Missouri uses the Missouri School Improvement Program version 6 (MSIP 6) for district accountability. The APR (Annual Performance Report) score ranges from 0-100% and combines Performance metrics (70% weight) with Continuous Improvement metrics (30% weight). Performance metrics include Academic Achievement, Academic Growth, and Success-Ready Students. Continuous Improvement includes Attendance, Kindergarten Readiness, and Data Compliance.