Colby Public Schools

Colby, Kansas — 3 schools

964
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$14,279
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Colby Public Schools operates 3 public schools serving 964 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Kansas. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 other, 1 high, 1 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 958 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Thomas County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,279 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 35.6% local, 58.1% state, and 6.3% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $62,533 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 15/100, ranked #250 of 252 in Kansas against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

a 390.7:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 16.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 78.4% White, 17.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% Asian across the district's schools.

Colby Elem accounts for 38.5% of all Colby Public Schools student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Colby Public Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: other. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. 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

Colby Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 391:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Colby Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 16.7% — 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 Colby Public Schools is typically wider than the Colby Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

6.3%
Federal
58.1%
State
35.6%
Local

Funding Equity

15
Equity Score
250 / 252
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Thomas County county, where this district is located.

$643
Studio/mo
$688
1 BR/mo
$877
2 BR/mo
$1,116
3 BR/mo
$1,276
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$62,533
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Colby Public Schools.

White 78.4%
Hispanic or Latino 17.0%
African American 0.6%
Asian 0.8%
Multiracial 3.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

390.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
16.7%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Colby Public Schools

School Enrollment
Colby Elem
369
Colby Senior High
296
Colby Middle School
293

Nearby Districts in Kansas

Top districts in the same state — compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Wichita
46,796 students · 88 schools · $17,357/pupil
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Olathe
29,034 students · 51 schools · $15,538/pupil
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Shawnee Mission Pub Sch
26,618 students · 45 schools · $15,904/pupil
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Blue Valley
22,384 students · 36 schools · $16,186/pupil
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Kansas City
22,015 students · 43 schools · $17,507/pupil
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Compare Colby Public Schools

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Colby Public Schools?

Colby Public Schools has 3 schools, including 1 other, 1 high, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 964 students.

How much does Colby Public Schools spend per student?

Colby Public Schools spends $14,279 per student. The district has an equity score of 15/100, ranking #250 in Kansas.

What is the average teacher salary in Colby Public Schools?

The average teacher salary in Colby Public Schools is $62,533 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Colby Public Schools?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Thomas County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Colby Public Schools?

Colby Public Schools students are 78.4% White, 17.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% Asian, 0.6% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Colby Public Schools?

Colby Public Schools has an equity score of 15/100, ranking #250 out of 252 districts in Kansas. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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Full national footprint

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Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

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Federal

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