NCES CCD 2024-25 14 schools KS

Best-Resourced Schools in Salina, KS

14 public K-12 schools in Salina from NCES Common Core of Data: enrollment, grade span, demographics, and Civil Rights Data Collection statistics for every active campus.

14 public schools ranked by quality score. NCES CCD 2024-25 data.

The highest-ranked of Salina's 14 public schools is Salina High South, scoring 43/100, against a city average of 44.1/100. Computed live across every Salina campus reporting to NCES.

Every public school in Salina, KS, ranked by Resource Investment Index.

14
Schools
6,678
Students
44.1/100
Avg Quality
12.7:1
Avg Student-Teacher Ratio

How the Salina Public-School Landscape Breaks Down

Salina, KS enrolls 6,678 students across 14 public schools reporting to the National Center for Education Statistics. The average student-teacher ratio across the city is 12.7:1, and the composite quality score, derived from student-teacher ratio, counselor access, gifted-program availability, and CRDC attendance data, averages 44.1/100. Schools must report at least five campuses in a city to appear in this listing, which is why very small towns may redirect to the broader county or state view.

The most-resourced campus in Salina on this index is Salina High South, at 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index with 1,046 enrolled students. What the index does and doesn't measure; click any school below for its full component breakdown.

Salina spans 2 districts, each filing its own NCES F-33 return, per-pupil spending can vary between neighbouring campuses. Sort the table below by enrollment, level, or district; click any school for its full profile.

Salina High South accounts for 15.7% of all Salina public-school enrollment

That concentration means Salina-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade level: High. A dominant campus often anchors a city's program landscape and absorbs a disproportionate share of district capital and staffing decisions. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Salina school enrollment varies 21× across entities

Salina school enrollment ranges from 50 students (lowest) to 1,046 students (highest), a spread of 996 students. That spread is wider than typical and predicts noticeable gaps in service quality between the highest and lowest areas. Per-school staffing, programme depth, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same city based on enrollment shape, a 200-student magnet runs a different operational model than a 2,000-student comprehensive high school.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Salina has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 51.9% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Salina student-teacher ratio is 12.7:1 — low (typically associated with smaller schools or per-school staffing investment that often correlates with stronger per-student supports)

student-teacher ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE classroom teachers against total enrollment, push-in specialists, English-language aides, special-education co-teachers, and counselors are not included in most reporting Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data, Public School Universe NCES Common Core of Data, Public School Universe

# School Score
1. Salina High South 43
2. Salina High Central 44
3. Salina South Middle 45
4. Lakewood Middle School 45
5. Meadowlark Ridge Elem 46
6. Stewart Elem 47
7. Heusner Elem 34
8. Coronado Elem 50
9. Sunset Elem 37
10. Schilling Elem 31
11. Cottonwood Elementary School 41
12. Oakdale Elem 44
13. Ell-Saline Elementary 45
14. Salina Virtual Innovation Academy 65

Most racially and ethnically mixed schools in Salina

Ranked by the Simpson student-body diversity index (0-100) from NCES race and ethnicity data, where higher means a more evenly mixed student body. It measures mix, not quality.

  1. 1 Cottonwood Elementary School 64.9/100
  2. 2 Sunset Elem 64.6/100
  3. 3 Oakdale Elem 63.6/100
  4. 4 Schilling Elem 62.6/100
  5. 5 Salina High South 61.6/100

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best schools in Salina, KS?

The highest-ranked school in Salina is Salina High South with a quality score of 43/100. There are 14 public schools in Salina with 6,678 total students.

How many schools are in Salina, KS?

Salina has 14 public schools with a total enrollment of 6,678 students. Average student-teacher ratio: 12.7:1.

Other Cities in Kansas

Side-by-side: Compare any two schools or districts in Kansas →

Explore PlainSchools

Related Guides

Data from NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 and Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22. Quality scores based on student-teacher ratio, counselor access, gifted programs, and attendance. Schools must have 5+ in the city to be listed.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.