2023 Best Schools in 65202

• Columbia, MO•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.35 out of 5  48 reviews

Parent: We started going to CIS in JK. At first, I have to admit, I was a little skeptical when my parents voiced for their grandchild to attend the school. After being there for 2 years, I truly can’t see us anywhere us. I love the smaller class sizes. I love how all the staff really get to know each and every kid. There academics program and the standard they hold the kids to is top notch. I also love how supportive and patient they are with the kids in helping them learn. We LOVE CIS!... Read 48 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 400

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• PK, 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.19 out of 5  429 reviews

Junior: Rock Bridge is an extremely accepting school. There are clubs for every kind of belief and hobby, including: poetry, LGBTQ, democrats, republicans, Christians, and even a D&D club! The councilors and teachers have always been an open ear to me. Each student is treated with kindness and respect when regarding their needs, no matter how small. Our motto is: “freedom with responsibility”, meaning that as long as we are smart with our time and studies, we get an entire 1.5 hour period of free time called an AUT. Rock Bridge has helped me to become confident in myself and my capability to manage my time. I would recommend this school to anyone who feels ready to take charge of their grades and make life long connections.... Read 429 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,971

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Columbia, MO•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.5 out of 5  38 reviews

Parent: We love this school! Our kids are thriving in the small class environment where they get the required attention to grow both academically and in developing positive character traits. We are so glad we made this choice. The teachers are awesome, the environment is so positive and loving, like a healthy family environment. It is not one of those tiny private schools where they have no students or activities, they have a great sports program and plenty of fine arts opportunities. Plus the high school is also able to take advantage of the Career Center in Columbia as well. It is the best of both worlds! Even though our kids are 5 school years apart, they attend the same building from Pre-K to 12th grade. This was a nice bonus for us as well. If you're looking for a great school with top notch academics to send your kids to, definitely check this out!... Read 38 reviews

• grade A

• Students 419

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• PK, 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.87 out of 5  502 reviews

Sophomore: I'm a sophomore here at Hickman. One thing I like about Hickman is how warm and friendly the staff here are. A lot of the teachers I've had have been phenomenal. However, the students here can be very disruptive and rude, to both teachers and peers. Though there are some very nice students. Another thing I like about Hickman is how unique our mascot, the Kewpie, is, people here like to embrace its uniqueness. Another aspect that I like about Hickman is how historical the school is, and how people here like to embrace the historical side of HHS, keeping artifacts sprinkled throughout the school. The fine arts community here is big, yet everyone is really nice (especially in the theatre community). A complaint I have is the sanitary factor of the bathrooms. They can be very dirty and people vandalize on the stalls (but that's a already well known fact). The events are okay, but the events (specifically dances) can get very wild. Overall, my experience here has been above average.... Read 502 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,920

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• PK, K-5

• grade A

• Students 214

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• PK, K-5

• grade A minus

• Students 620

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• K-5

• grade A minus

• Students 664

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Columbia, MO•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.76 out of 5  37 reviews

Senior: I have really enjoyed my experience at Father Tolton, because of the people who are around me. The staff is very welcoming and helpful, and the community that the students build is like no other school. Everyone is always willing to lend a helping hand, and this school has brought me closer with my friends and in my faith. One thing that I would like to see changed is the number of whole school activities we do. I think we should be doing whole school activites a lot more often, so we can strengthen our school's community, and have the students build better friendships.... Read 37 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 325

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• 6-8

• grade A minus

• Students 617

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3 out of 5  1 review

• grade A minus

• Students 510

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• K-5

• grade A minus

• Students 236

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Columbia, MO•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.15 out of 5  26 reviews

Alum: I attended Heritage Academy from 2008 to 2012 (8th grade to graduation), and looking back at my time there it has been one of the best decisions my parents ever made to have me go there. Heritage was a challenging yet fun atmosphere where I was blessed by having amazing teachers throughout my time there who taught a Christian worldview through every subject. My time at Heritage also served to prepare me for a rigorous college experience. Currently working at my Alma mater at Central Methodist University, I see a lot of freshmen who enter their first year and have a tough time transitioning to the college setting. When I first came to CMU, it just felt like another semester because I was prepared for what a classwork felt like and what was expected of me. This is what makes Heritage unique. It's essentially a college liberal arts education and puts students in a position to succeed at a high level after high school. I wouldn't trade my experience there for anything.... Read 26 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 117

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 2 out of 5  3 reviews

Middle School Student: Been awhile but I spent all of 6-8th grade at Smithton and the teachers were good, the friends and people were great, and it was a good experience as any middle school.... Read 3 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 601

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Centralia, MO•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.15 out of 5  46 reviews

Senior: From the outside we might look like a cult. Many times we have outdoor events. Driving in the country on a well used highway and seeing a bunch of kids run around wearing the same thing or walk the square can seem a little unsettling. But, we are the farthest thing from a cult. We choose. Who we want to be. What we want to do. Our teachers are great teachers, unbiased and willing to help. I struggle junior year solely due to the curriculums but when I say these teachers picked me up I MEAN IT! The students are super chill as well. Coming from all different backgrounds. I think that’s what makes me most proud of Sunnydale. We appreciate each other’s cultures with no discrimination. I mean, racists are the minority at our school. And so far, I have only seen 1 or 2, maybe it’s because we’re in the country side I don’t know. Check out Sunnydale, we’re thriving and very spontaneous. Our schedule changes so much. :) Shaka... Read 46 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 118

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• K-5

• grade B

• Students 360

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Hallsville R-IV School District, MO•

• 3-5

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: Hallsville is an excellent school district. Our family actually moved to Hallsville for the schools. The admin, the teachers and the coaches are all caring and professional educators.... Read 1 review

• grade B

• Students 326

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• PK, 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.87 out of 5  104 reviews

Sophomore: I think that overall it is a great school. But, I also think some things could change. One of those is discipline. There is some punishment, iss and such, but there is little to no lasting. The students I feel don't have a fear of getting in trouble, they want to test the administrators. Like a game. This isn't fun as a student because the teachers are more focused on being an interferer than an actual teacher. There aren't many fights like the city says there are, but overall there needs to be something lasting that makes them feel intimidated to stop otherwise they never will and will continue. There needs to be less leniency on the punishment especially when it comes to interactions with teachers. If a kid yells at and hit a teacher, they need to know that the can't do that. I've have many times where students will be "play wrestling" and teacher doesn't do anything, I thought that we had a no-play fight rule. I think that is the only issue with the school. Otherwise it is amazing!... Read 104 reviews

• grade B

• Students 1,608

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• K-5

• grade B

• Students 147

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• Hallsville R-IV School District, MO•

• 6-8

• grade B

• Students 345

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• PK, K-5

• grade B

• Students 488

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Hallsville R-IV School District, MO•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.39 out of 5  44 reviews

Senior: The teachers and community really boost Hallsville High School to make it the good education system it is. The biggest downfall is the lack of diversity and class options. However the classes that students are able to take are taught by very knowledgeable and helpful teachers that enjoy being around the students. Our football team is the most funded sports program, which is expected; however, the other sports and their facilities could use a lot more care and attention.... Read 44 reviews

• grade B minus

• Students 407

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• PK, K-5

• grade B minus

• Students 404

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• PK, K-5

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  1 review

Alum: As a former student my experience was decent. The staff were excellent. They were accommodating to disabilities and the teachers were passionate.... Read 1 review

• grade B minus

• Students 464

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Harrisburg R-VIII School District, MO•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.64 out of 5  22 reviews

Alum: Very dedicated teachers. Students have the opportunity to participate in multiple student organizations and sports. This school has the mindset that everyone should be involved in some school activities so there is not cutting athletes from teams. The music director is dedicated and enthusiastic. This school operates on a limited budget. It would be nice to see more electives and increased use of technology with more devices available to students and teachers.... Read 22 reviews

• grade B minus

• Students 170

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 1.8 out of 5  5 reviews

Parent: Great music programs, fierce sports, and tough academics. Thank You Teachers for your efforts put forth towards this generation.... Read 5 reviews

• grade B minus

• Students 638

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1