Kansas is famous for many amazing things, from its great plains to stellar college sports teams, as well as being a great state for education. There are many quality schools across the state, and today, we’ll talk about many of them as we discuss the largest school districts in Kansas. We’ll tell you which districts dominate the state, how they rank when it comes to reading and math proficiency, and other interesting facts that you might consider if you decide to enroll your kids.
Wichita Public Schools USD259
The most massive of the largest school districts in Kansas is the Wichita Public Schools USD259 district that is located in Wichita, KS. Overall, this district, which has 88 schools, is rated as an above-average district with a B- score when academics, clubs, diversity, administration, and college prep is considered. The school is rated #3 in the state for diversity and #21 out of 281 for athletics.
There are currently 46,657 students in this huge district in grades pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. There’s an 81% graduation rate, which is good. However, the district has a 20% reading proficiency and 12% math proficiency, so it could be better. This district has a 10:1 student-to-teacher ratio, which is typically quite good. It means the kids get more personal attention. The school’s claim to fame is its A+ diversity score, which is based on the racial and economic diversity of the schools.
The town of Wichita is generally considered a good town due to its decent cost of living, housing options, and for being family friendly. The median income is about $56,000, and the median home value is $145,000. The highest-quality schools in the district include:
- Bostic Traditional Magnet Elementary School
- McCollom Elementary School
- Robinson Middle School
- Allison Traditional Magnet Middle School
- Northeast Magnet High School
- Wichita High School East
Olathe Public Schools
The next largest district is the Olathe public school district, which has 52 schools and 29,305 students at this time. This district generally earns a better reputation and better reviews than the Wichita district, but to be fair, it is smaller. Considering categories like academics, teachers, clubs, college prep, and administration, the district generally earns an A rating. The district also gets high marks for its sports programs.
This district has schools for kids in PK-12th grade. There’s currently an average student-to-teacher ratio of 12 to 1, and though that’s a bit higher than Wichita, the district does boast a higher 44% reading proficiency and a 37% math proficiency. There’s also a higher 92% graduation rate. The district is rated #3 on the list of best schools in Kansas on the Niche Best Schools List. It’s also rates as #6 for athletics and #21 for the best places to teach.
The residents of the town of Olathe are very proud of where they live, and they regularly give the town high marks for housing, for being good for families, and for the cost of living. The median household income is higher, at $100,000, and the average home value is $273,000. There are several highly-rated schools in this district, including:
- Regency Place Elementary School
- Brougham Elementary School
- Bentwood Elementary School
- Madison Place Elementary School
- California Trail Middle School
- Prairie Trail Middle School
- Olathe North High School
- Olathe Northwest High School
Shawnee Mission School District
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Shawnee Mission School District is next on our list of the largest school districts in Kansas, as it has 45 schools and about 26,462 students. Like the Olathe district, this area also gets high marks in a variety of categories. The district is generally viewed favorably when it comes to academics, diversity, teachers, college prep, and sports. The students in this district are in grades ranging from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade.
Schools in Shawnee Mission generally have a student-to-teacher ratio of 14 to 1, which is not ideal, but it’s higher average. Currently, 38% of the students in the district are proficient in math and 46% in reading. The schools currently have a 92% graduation rate. Students who take the SAT receive an average score of 1270, and the average ACT score is 27. The district rates as #6 for the best school districts and #16 for the athletics programs.
Technically, many of the schools in this district are in Milburn West, which is a neighborhood in Overland Park, KS, which is often considered to be one of the best places to live in the state. Although the population is still under 1,000, it’s a nice place to live with great houses and a good cost of living. A select list of the highest-rated schools in this district includes:
- Roesland Elementary School
- Ray Marsh Elementary School
- Indian Hills Middle School
- Hocker Grove Middle School
- Shawnee Mission East High School
- Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
Blue Valley Unified School District
Technically located in Overland Park, the Blue Valley Unified school district is home to 35 schools and 22,376 students. This is one of the highest-rated districts in the entire state. Teachers and parents who reviewed the district gave it an A+ when they considered academics, teachers, extracurricular activities, college prep, and administration. All of the students are within grades pre-kindergarten to 12th.
Similar to many other districts, the student-to-teacher ratio here is an average of 14 to 1, so the students get a fairly personalized experience. The end result of their efforts is a 47% math proficiency and a 57% reading proficiency across the district. This district is #1 on the Niche Best Schools list for the best district for teachers and #1 for the best overall school district in the state. These statistics show why the district has a strong 97% graduation rate and high SAT and ACT testing scores.
As opposed to the last district, the Blue Valley Unified school district is in the major city of Overland Park, KS, with a population of 195,000. The city boasts great housing, family-friendly neighborhoods, and solid diversity scores.
There are many very highly-rated schools in this district, including:
- Sunset Ridge Elementary School
- Lakewood Elementary School
- Oak Hill Elementary School
- Lakewood Middle School
- Prairie Star Middle School
- Harmony Middle School
- Blue Valley North High School
- Blue Valley High School
Kansas City Kansas Public Schools
The final entry of the largest school districts in Kansas is the one in Kansas City, which has 43 schools that have close to 21,600 students in grades PK-12. This district is not as highly-rated as some of the others. It has generally low reviews when it comes to academics, teachers, college prep, and administration. It does get some higher marks for diversity and sports.
This district has an average student-to-teacher ratio of 14 to 1. However, though the ratio is similar to other districts, the results are not as great. Currently, the district shows that 8% of students have math proficiency and 15% have reading proficiency. There’s currently a 69% graduation rate. Students who then take the SAT have an average score of 940, and kids that take the ACT have an average score of 20.
Out of the 281 schools, the district rates as #51 for athletics, and its claim to fame is that it’s the #10 most diverse district in the state. The city of Kansas City does get high marks, and it’s generally considered a good place to raise families, and it has a decent housing market. If your kids attend this district, then consider these higher-rated schools:
- Emerson Elementary School
- Stony Point South Elementary School
- Hazel Grove Elementary School
- Arrowhead Middle School
- Argentine Middle School
- Sumner Academy of Arts & Science (Best Reviewed)
Conclusion
These are the largest school districts in Kansas, and there’s a good variety here as far as the quality and services offered. Though the districts are quite expansive, they’re not all equal, so remember to research before choosing a district and a school. Call a school and ask for a tour if you find one you like.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©iStock.com/Tory Garcia.