Knob Noster Public Schools Tops Knob Noster/Whiteman AFB Region on Annual Performance Report
November 26, 2024 – Knob Noster Missouri
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released its Annual Performance Reports (APR’s) today, which are the department’s comprehensive annual scorecards for all public school districts in the state. Knob Noster Public Schools' (KNPS) 2024 APR score ranked highest across the Knob Noster/Whiteman Air Force Base Region, topped the Missouri River Valley Conference, and ranked among the top 30 K-12 schools in Missouri.
Along with six straight years of Knob Noster High School ranking as Missouri’s Number One rural high school for career and college readiness by U.S. News and World Report, the 2024 Annual Performance Report score highlights strong academic performance at KNHS and across all district schools, including performance metrics for the district’s Little Wingmen Preschool. Notable exemplary performance at Whiteman Elementary anchored the district’s overall high performance.
As the resident school district of Whiteman Air Force Base, KNPS serves a student population that is nearly 70% military connected, making it one of only a handful of heavily military impacted schools across the nation. The district offers a robust Advanced Placement college prep program, expansive STEM pathways in aviation, advanced manufacturing, computer science, cybersecurity, and robotics, a diverse world languages program, and a variety of traditional career pathway programs. Through its ongoing exceptional performance and expansive partnerships, the district has become an award-winning model school district for the Department of Defense and multiple military service organizations.
Last month, the district broke ground on an all-new 140,000 square foot polytechnic high school, which will open its doors in August of 2026. This facility will address the district’s rapidly growing student population while ensuring the district is prepared to serve the influx of students and families associated with the arrival of the B-21 Raider Mission at Whiteman Air Force Base in the near future.
Over the last decade, KNPS has been the recipient of over $15 million in unique grantmaking to support its academic programing. The district sends a very special thank you to its closest partner, the Department of Defense Education Activity, who has helped create this ongoing trajectory of success over the last decade.
The reputation of academic excellence in Knob Noster Public Schools has resulted in over a 50% increase in student enrollment since 2015. The district has emerged as the educational choice within the Knob Noster/Whiteman AFB region and looks forward to the exciting months ahead as the district executes its strategic plan. With one of the lowest school tax rates in the region (35% below the regional average), the district’s ongoing high performance represents an exceptional return on investment for Knob Noster taxpayers.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jerrod Wheeler shared, “I am incredibly proud of our students, our families, and our team in Knob Noster Schools. Year after year, our students and teachers continue to prove that when opportunities are placed in front of them, they rise to the challenge and produce remarkable results. Our Board of Education continues to provide steady but aggressive leadership for our school district, our community, and the nearly 2,500 students and educators in their care. These results reflect our Board’s unwavering commitment to excellence, which is embodied throughout the KNPS team every day.”