Missouri

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education reports there are 859,320 K-12 public school students enrolled in the state. The four-year graduation rate is 89.21%. Students in career-technical education graduate at a higher rate of 91.3%.

Missouri offers restricted open enrollment for families, meaning students can go to another traditional public school outside their district. Other public school options (not included in open enrollment) include magnet and charter schools. Missouri’s new private school choice program created in 2021 will soon make other options more affordable for families. With this new program, families receive scholarship funding that allows them to attend the school of their choice. The program will prioritize low-income students and students with an Individualized Education Program, but public school students and students who are starting school for the first time are also eligible. Homeschooling is another Missouri option; homeschool families are not required to notify the state.