Newton

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.

Newton, Kansas - 9 schools

An equity score of 60/100 ranks Newton #84 of 250 districts in Kansas (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $15,402 per pupil, Newton ranks #108 of 285 Kansas districts by per-pupil spending (Kansas districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,215
Total Enrollment
9
Schools
$15,402
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Newton operates 9 public schools serving 3,215 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Kansas. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 elementary, 3 combined, 1 high, 1 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Harvey County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,402 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 285 Kansas districts by per-pupil spending. See how Kansas compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 28.9% local, 63.5% state, and 7.6% 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 60/100, ranked #84 of 250 in Kansas against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 9 schools offering Advanced Placement (8 AP courses district-wide), a 165.7:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 35.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 60.0% White, 28.4% Hispanic or Latino, 2.3% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is South Breeze Elementary, with a diversity index of 60.8/100.

Its largest campus is Newton Sr High, enrolling 932 students (30% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Opportunity Academy, at 53 students, a 18x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Newton Sr High accounts for 29.0% of all Newton student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Newton-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. 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

Newton school enrollment varies 18× across entities

Newton school enrollment ranges from 53 students (lowest) to 932 students (highest), a spread of 879 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.

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

Newton has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 53.3% 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

Newton student-counselor ratio is 166:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

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

Newton chronic absenteeism rate is 35.0% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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

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

Where does the funding come from?

7.6%
Federal
63.5%
State
28.9%
Local

Funding Equity

60
Equity Score
84 / 250
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 9 schools in Newton.

White 60.0%
Hispanic or Latino 28.4%
African American 2.3%
Asian 1.1%
Multiracial 7.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 54.7/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Newton's schools, above the Kansas average of 39.4.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 South Breeze Elementary 60.8
  2. 2 Slate Creek Elementary 58.1
  3. 3 Northridge Elementary 56.5
  4. 4 Chisholm Middle School 55.4
  5. 5 Newton Sr High 54.8

Programs & Resources

1 / 9
Schools with AP
8 AP courses total
165.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
35.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Newton

School Enrollment
Newton Sr High
932
Santa Fe 5/6 Center
440
Chisholm Middle School
422
Northridge Elementary
345
South Breeze Elementary
316
Slate Creek Elementary
236
Sunset Elementary
199
Walton Rural Life Center
Charter
132
Opportunity Academy
53

How Newton Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Kansas districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Valley Center Pub Sch Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Basehor-Linwood Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Pittsburg Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Hays Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Great Bend Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

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

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 · $15,361/pupil
Compare vs Newton →
Olathe
29,034 students · 51 schools · $14,650/pupil
Compare vs Newton →
Shawnee Mission Pub Sch
26,618 students · 45 schools · $12,112/pupil
Compare vs Newton →
Blue Valley
22,384 students · 36 schools · $12,217/pupil
Compare vs Newton →
Kansas City
22,015 students · 43 schools · $16,610/pupil
Compare vs Newton →

Compare Newton

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

Compare vs Wichita →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Newton?

Newton has 9 schools, including 1 high, 4 elementary, 1 middle, 3 combined. Total enrollment is 3,215 students.

How much does Newton spend per student?

Newton spends $15,402 per student. The district has an equity score of 60/100, ranking #84 in Kansas.

What is the demographic composition of Newton?

Newton students are 60.0% White, 28.4% Hispanic or Latino, 2.3% African American, 1.1% Asian, averaged across 9 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Newton?

Newton has an equity score of 60/100, ranking #84 out of 250 districts in Kansas.