Kirksville, MO
atiedemann@kirksvillecity.com
(660) 665-2003

Education

Education is important to the continued growth of any community, however in Kirksville, Missouri, education is a way of life. Kirksville boasts that a child can go from Pre-Kindergarten through a Doctorate degree without ever leaving town! Our educational institutions include:

A.T. Still University
800 W. Jefferson
Kirksville, MO
www.atsu.edu

A.T. Still University was founded in Kirksville, Missouri, in 1892 by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, MD and is the founding school of osteopathic medicine in the world. Osteopathic physicians are devoted to a holistic philosophy of medicine and are educated, tested and licensed almost identically to those earning M.D.s, however they take an additional 200 hours in osteopathic manipulative medicine. ATSU is one university with six schools on two campuses with a total enrollment of over 3,200 students:

  • Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCOM)
  • School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (SOMA)
  • Arizona School of Health Sciences (ASHS)
  • School of Health Management (SHM)
  • Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ASDOH)
  • Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health (MOSDOH)

The Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine boasts a 97% graduation rate. Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health will only be the second dental school in the state of Missouri and will use a hybrid curriculum similar to the Arizona school.

Truman State University
100 E. Normal
Kirksville, MO
www.truman.edu

Truman State University was founded in 1867 in Kirksville, Missouri. And while it has undergone various name changes over its 145 year history, the quality of the education has remained. In 1985, the Missouri Legislature gave Truman a statewide liberal arts and sciences mission, and became Missouri’s only highly selective public university. Enrollment for the university is approximately 6,100 students.

  • According the Missouri Department of Higher Education, Truman has the highest overall graduation rate among Missouri’s public colleges and universities.
  • The student to faculty ratio is 16:1.
  • Students have the opportunity to get involved with research and undergraduates.
  • Approximately 20% of Truman students have been awarded Missouri Bright Flight; and the average freshman ACT is a 27.
  • Truman was ranked #1 among the Top 50 Values for Public Colleges and Universities in 2011 by Consumer Digest.

Moberly Area Community College
2105 E. Normal
Kirksville, MO
www.macc.edu

The MACC – Kirksville Higher Education Center is a 28,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility that provides a modern educational facility for the College’s programs in northeast Missouri. The building houses various classrooms, computer labs, and science labs as well as, the Missouri Career Center-Kirksville. MACC is committed to providing accessible educational opportunities in northeast Missouri. The Missouri A+ program is accepted by MACC.

MACC offers the following degree and certificate programs at the Kirksville site:

  • Associate of Arts – Transfer Degree
  • Associate of Arts in Teaching
  • Associate of Applied Science – Drafting Design Technology
  • Associate of Applied Science – Computer Information Technology
  • Associate of Applied Science – Early Childhood
  • Associate of Applied Science – Graphic Arts
  • Accelerated Associate Degree Nursing


The average Kirksville enrollment is approximately 300 students.

Kirksville R-III School District
1901 E. Hamilton St.
Kirksville, MO
www.kirksville.k12.mo.us

The entire school district sits on one campus comprising approximately 105 acres, and educates approximately 2,650 students a year Pre-K through 12th grade. The school district has been accredited with Distinction by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for more than 10 years! The district’s annual budget is more than $25 million. The average student to teacher ratio is 19:1. Select schools within the district include:

Early Childhood Learning Center: The District’s Early Childhood Learning Center serves children from 6 weeks to Kindergarten eligibility in a licensed and accredited facility on the Kirksville Schools campus (and is one of the few in the state of Missouri). Children are served in one or more of the following programs: Missouri Preschool Project, Early Head Start, Early Childhood Special Education, Head Start, Half Day Preschool and/or Full Day Preschool. In addition to child care and preschool programming, the Early Childhood Learning Center provides extended care for working families, develop-mental screenings, personalized home visits, parent education and a network of community resources.

Primary and Elementary School: Both schools together serve Kindergarten through 5th grade. Gifted classes as well as special education classes are offered to give an individualized experience to students as well as a classroom learning environment. Curriculum can be found online at the school’s website and many teachers keep a classroom website as well. Choir is offered for students as an extracurricular activity and 5th graders play parent-sponsored sports.

Middle School: The middle school serves students in grades 6th-8th grade. Gifted classes and special education classes exist here as well. Band is offered for the first time where students learn how to play and march. Elective classes students can take include: family and consumer science, art, agriculture, current events, and more. School sponsored athletics also begin at this level and include softball, football, volleyball, track and cheer-leading.

High School: The Kirksville High School serves students in grades 9-12 and was recognized as one of “America’s Best High Schools” by US News and World Report magazine. It also participates in the Missouri A+ program. Multiple electives, extracurricular activities, clubs and sports exist at the high school. The graduation rate for 2016 was 90%, while the drop-out rate was 1.9%. Kirksville graduates who enter a four year college/university is 33.5%; enter a two year college is 36%; and entering a technical school is 1%. The composite score of all students taking the ACT is 22.7.

Kirksville Area Technical Center: The following programs are offered at the Kirksville Area Technical Center (KATC): Administrative Office Assistant, Computer Applications, Digital Design & Graphics, Automotive Collision Repair, Automotive Technology, Construction Trades, Early Childhood Careers, Medical Administrative Assistant, Health Services Assistant, Agriculture, Emergency Medical Technician, and Academic Credit Recovery. The Practical Nursing and Paramedic programs are available to high school graduates. In addition to the instructional programs listed, KATC offers career assessment and regional coordination of support services for non-traditional students. Federally approved financial aid programs are available to adult students who qualify and placement services are provided to all individuals completing programs.

Private Primary and Secondary Schools

Faith Lutheran Church School:
1820 S. Baltimore St.
Kirksville, MO
www.faithlutheranschoolkv.org

The Faith Lutheran School began as a private religious school in 1972 and currently offers services to:

  • First year Preschool – 3 yr. olds (Full and Part Time)
  • Second year Preschool – 4 yr. olds (Full and Part Time)
  • Kindergarten through Fifth Grade (Before and after school care available)
  • Summer Enrichment Program – 3 years old through Fifth grade


Mary Immaculate Catholic School:

716 E. Washington
Kirksville, MO
www.miparish.org

Mary Immaculate Catholic school began as a private religious school in the 1950s and currently serves approximately 70 students in grades K-8th. Some sports and extracurricular activities are available.

Life Church School:
112 W. Potter Ave
Kirksville, MO
www.lifechurchkv.org

Life Church School was founded in the early 1990s as a private religious school. It has a Fun Factory Preschool and Daycare which serves approximately 20 children ages two-five. The school has students in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade.

Northeast Christian Highschool:
1702 N. Elson St
Kirksville, MO
www.northeastchs.org

Northeast Christian is a non-denominational private high school located in Kirksville, Missouri. The school is currently located in the Cornerstone Christian Church, but is a separate entity. They employ certified educators who love their subject areas. We are provisionally accredited by ACSI, a national accrediting body, and anticipate full accreditation in the near future.

Prairie Song Academy:
26078 Eagle Ln.
Kirksville, MO
www.prairiesongacademy.com

Prairie Song Academy is a Montessori-based school, teaching children at exactly their level in all subject areas, regardless of age. They informally assess student knowledge, meet them where they are, and move forward. Their mixed-age classrooms facilitate friendships among children of a wide range of ages. They offer a unique blend of three days of on-site learning and two days of off-site learning each week.

Adair County Schools

Adair County R-1:
600 Rombauer Ave
Novinger, MO
www.novinger.k12.mo.us

The Novinger school district is located ten miles west of Kirksville and educates approximately 275 rural students K-12th grade. They offer a quality education with small class sizes, including a variety of extra-curricular activities. The school offers fall/spring baseball, softball, basketball and track. A strong FFA chapter also exists.

Adair County R-2:
205 W Dewey St.
Brashear, MO
www.brashear.k12.mo.us