Dorchester Public School

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Dorchester, Nebraska - 2 schools

An equity score of 66/100 ranks Dorchester Public School #44 of 200 districts in Nebraska (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $16,814 per pupil, Dorchester Public School ranks #123 of 244 Nebraska districts by per-pupil spending (Nebraska districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

235
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$16,814
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Dorchester Public School operates 2 public schools serving 235 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Nebraska. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 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 Saline County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,814 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 244 Nebraska districts by per-pupil spending. See how Nebraska compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 68.5% local, 21.4% state, and 10.1% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 66/100, ranked #44 of 200 in Nebraska against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 101.8:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 21.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 61.6% White, 36.0% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Dorchester Elementary School, enrolling 141 students (61% of the district's total enrollment).

Dorchester Elementary School accounts for 60.0% of all Dorchester Public School student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Dorchester Public School a distant remainder — means Dorchester Public School-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

Dorchester Public School student-counselor ratio is 102:1 — 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.

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

Dorchester Public School chronic absenteeism rate is 21.1% — 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 Dorchester Public School is typically wider than the Dorchester Public School-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

10.1%
Federal
21.4%
State
68.5%
Local

Funding Equity

66
Equity Score
44 / 200
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Dorchester Public School.

White 61.6%
Hispanic or Latino 36.0%
Multiracial 1.8%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

101.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
21.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Dorchester Public School

School Enrollment
Dorchester Elementary School
141
Dorchester High School
89

How Dorchester Public School Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Nebraska districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Diller-Odell Public Schools Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Wilcox-Hildreth Public Schools Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Rock County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Isanti Community School Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Wauneta-Palisade Public Schs Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Dorchester Public School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Nebraska

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

Omaha Public Schools
51,754 students · 111 schools · $14,202/pupil
Compare vs Dorchester Public School →
Lincoln Public Schools
41,850 students · 76 schools · $12,831/pupil
Compare vs Dorchester Public School →
Millard Public Schools
23,637 students · 36 schools · $11,075/pupil
Compare vs Dorchester Public School →
Papillion La Vista Community Schools
12,031 students · 22 schools · $11,412/pupil
Compare vs Dorchester Public School →
Elkhorn Public Schools
11,319 students · 20 schools · $11,003/pupil
Compare vs Dorchester Public School →

Compare Dorchester Public School

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

Compare vs Omaha Public Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Dorchester Public School?

Dorchester Public School has 2 schools, including 2 combined. Total enrollment is 235 students.

How much does Dorchester Public School spend per student?

Dorchester Public School spends $16,814 per student. The district has an equity score of 66/100, ranking #44 in Nebraska.

What is the demographic composition of Dorchester Public School?

Dorchester Public School students are 61.6% White, 36.0% Hispanic or Latino, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Dorchester Public School?

Dorchester Public School has an equity score of 66/100, ranking #44 out of 200 districts in Nebraska.