Public schools in Cape Girardeau, MO
12 open public schools with an address in Cape Girardeau, operated by 4 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
12
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
4,608
12 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
10.5:1
Missouri median 12.3:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Cape Girardeau public schools
The federal directory lists 12 public schools in Cape Girardeau, MO: 6 elementary, 2 middle, 3 high, 1 combined or other. The 12 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 4,608 students, an average of 384 per school. The largest campus is Central High (1,278 students), and the largest elementary school is Jefferson Elem. (494).
Cape Girardeau 63 operates the most schools here (9), and 2 regular districts have at least one Cape Girardeau campus, plus 2 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 10.5:1, lower than the statewide school median of 12.3:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
Among 3 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 1 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 96% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau 63
Public school district
9 schools in Cape Girardeau
Division of Youth Service
State operated agency
1 school in Cape Girardeau · 30 total
Mo Schls for the Sev Disabled
State operated agency
1 school in Cape Girardeau · 35 total
Nell Holcomb R-IV
Public school district
1 school in Cape Girardeau
Elementary schools in Cape Girardeau
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alma Schrader Elem. Cape Girardeau 63 | KG–04 | 332 | 10.7:1 | |
| Blanchard Elem. Cape Girardeau 63 | KG–04 | 326 | 11.7:1 | |
| Clippard Elem. Cape Girardeau 63 | KG–04 | 383 | 10.2:1 | |
| Franklin Elem. Cape Girardeau 63 | KG–04 | 241 | 9.4:1 | |
| Jefferson Elem. Cape Girardeau 63 | KG–04 | 494 | 10.8:1 | |
| Nell Holcomb Elem. Nell Holcomb R-IV | PK–08 | 249 | 8.6:1 |
Middle schools in Cape Girardeau
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Jr. High Cape Girardeau 63 | 07–08 | 633 | 11.7:1 | |
| Central Middle Cape Girardeau 63 | 05–06 | 623 | 13.2:1 |
High schools in Cape Girardeau
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Girardeau Car Tech Ctr. Cape Girardeau 63 · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Central High Cape Girardeau 63 | 09–12 | 1,278 | 14.3:1 | |
| Girardot Center for Youth Division of Youth Service | 05–12 | 24 | 6:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Cape Girardeau
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parkview School Mo Schls for the Sev Disabled · Special Education School | KG–12 | 25 | 5:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White45.1%
- Hispanic8.2%
- Black32%
- Asian1.8%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial12.6%
Enrollment-weighted across 11 Cape Girardeau schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (4,608 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Cape Girardeau
How many public schools are in Cape Girardeau, MO?
The current NCES directory lists 12 open public schools with a location address in Cape Girardeau: 6 elementary, 2 middle, 3 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 4,608 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Cape Girardeau?
Schools with an address in Cape Girardeau belong to 4 education agencies, led by Cape Girardeau 63 (9 schools), Division of Youth Service (1 school), Mo Schls for the Sev Disabled (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Cape Girardeau?
Central High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Cape Girardeau, with 1,278 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Cape Girardeau?
No school with an address in Cape Girardeau is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Missouri.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Cape Girardeau schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Cape Girardeau public schools is 10.5:1, lower than the Missouri school median of 12.3:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Cape Girardeau guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Missouri cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Missouri cities