15 public K-12 schools in Kearney from NCES Common Core of Data: enrollment, grade span, demographics, and Civil Rights Data Collection statistics for every active campus.
15 public schools ranked by quality score. NCES CCD 2024-25 data.
The highest-ranked of Kearney's 15 public schools is Kearney High School, scoring 24/100, against a city average of 38.7/100. Computed live across every Kearney campus reporting to NCES.
How the Kearney Public-School Landscape Breaks Down
Kearney, NE enrolls 6,129 students across 15 public schools reporting to the National Center for Education Statistics. The average student-teacher ratio across the city is 15.9:1, and the composite quality score, derived from student-teacher ratio, counselor access, gifted-program availability, and CRDC attendance data, averages 38.7/100. 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 Kearney on this index is Kearney High School, at 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index with 1,663 enrolled students. What the index does and doesn't measure; click any school below for its full component breakdown.
Kearney 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.
Kearney High School accounts for 27.1% of all Kearney public-school enrollment
That dominant concentration means Kearney-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.
Kearney school enrollment varies 26× across entities
Kearney school enrollment ranges from 65 students (lowest) to 1,663 students (highest), a spread of 1,598 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.
Kearney student-teacher ratio is 15.9:1 — near the typical range (US average ~15.7) — aligned with the U.S. average of approximately 15.7:1
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 Variation between sub-units within Kearney is typically wider than the Kearney-aggregate figure suggests.
Most racially and ethnically mixed schools in Kearney
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.
The highest-ranked school in Kearney is Kearney High School with a quality score of 24/100. There are 15 public schools in Kearney with 6,129 total students.
How many schools are in Kearney, NE? ▼
Kearney has 15 public schools with a total enrollment of 6,129 students. Average student-teacher ratio: 15.9:1.
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.
Read our methodology, which explains how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
