An equity score of 33/100 ranks Central Plains #204 of 252 districts in Kansas (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $5,276 per pupil, Central Plains ranks #286 of 286 Kansas districts by per-pupil spending (Kansas districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
1,719
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$5,276
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Central Plains operates 5 public schools serving 1,719 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Kansas. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Barton County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $5,276 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 29 of 286 Kansas districts by per-pupil spending. See how Kansas compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 25.6% local, 68.4% state, and 6.0% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 33/100, ranked #204 of 252 in Kansas against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.
a 148.7:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 19.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 80.4% White, 8.3% Hispanic or Latino, 5.7% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Central Plains Adult Diploma Program, with a diversity index of 61.2/100.
Central Plains Adult Diploma Program accounts for 44.8% of all Central Plains student enrollment
That dominant concentration means Central Plains-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.
Central Plains school enrollment varies 11× across entities
Central Plains school enrollment ranges from 73 students (lowest) to 770 students (highest), a spread of 697 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Central Plains student-counselor ratio is 149:1 — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)
student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Values this far below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.
Central Plains chronic absenteeism rate is 19.6% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism
chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Central Plains is typically wider than the Central Plains-aggregate figure suggests.
Central Plains has 5 schools, including 5 combined. Total enrollment is 1,719 students.
How much does Central Plains spend per student?
Central Plains spends $5,276 per student. The district has an equity score of 33/100, ranking #204 in Kansas.
What is the demographic composition of Central Plains?
Central Plains students are 80.4% White, 8.3% Hispanic or Latino, 5.7% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Central Plains?
Central Plains has an equity score of 33/100, ranking #204 out of 252 districts in Kansas.