Norfolk Public Schools

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.

Norfolk, Nebraska - 11 schools

An equity score of 36/100 ranks Norfolk Public Schools #146 of 200 districts in Nebraska (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,172 per pupil, Norfolk Public Schools ranks #210 of 244 Nebraska districts by per-pupil spending (Nebraska districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

4,518
Total Enrollment
11
Schools
$13,172
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Norfolk Public Schools operates 11 public schools serving 4,518 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Nebraska. The school portfolio breaks down into 8 combined, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 elementary 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 Madison County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,172 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 59.4% local, 27.0% state, and 13.6% 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 36/100, ranked #146 of 200 in Nebraska against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 11 schools offering Advanced Placement (7 AP courses district-wide), a 313.4:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 11.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 57.8% White, 32.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.6% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Westside Elementary School, with a diversity index of 61.4/100.

Its largest campus is Norfolk Senior High School, enrolling 1,359 students (30% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Woodland Park Elementary Sch, at 182 students, a 7x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Norfolk Senior High School accounts for 29.9% of all Norfolk Public Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Norfolk Public Schools-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

Norfolk Public Schools school enrollment varies 7.5× across entities

Norfolk Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 182 students (lowest) to 1,359 students (highest), a spread of 1,177 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. 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

Norfolk Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 313:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

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 Variation between sub-units within Norfolk Public Schools is typically wider than the Norfolk Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Norfolk Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 11.1% — low (typically associated with lower-than-average attendance disruption; districts in this range often have attendance interventions, robust transportation, or smaller catchments that reduce barriers)

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

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

Where does the funding come from?

13.6%
Federal
27.0%
State
59.4%
Local

Funding Equity

36
Equity Score
146 / 200
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 11 schools in Norfolk Public Schools.

White 57.8%
Hispanic or Latino 32.6%
African American 1.6%
Asian 1.0%
Multiracial 5.3%
Other 1.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 50.8/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Norfolk Public Schools's schools, above the Nebraska average of 34.9.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Westside Elementary School 61.4
  2. 2 Jefferson Elementary School 59.6
  3. 3 Little Panthers Preschool 59.2
  4. 4 Grant Elementary School 58.7
  5. 5 Washington Elementary School 57.6

Programs & Resources

1 / 11
Schools with AP
7 AP courses total
313.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
11.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Norfolk Public Schools

School Enrollment
Norfolk Senior High School
1,359
Norfolk Jr High School
631
Norfolk Middle School
628
Bel Air Elementary School
333
Little Panthers Preschool
319
Jefferson Elementary School
256
Washington Elementary School
227
Lincoln Elementary School
220
Grant Elementary School
194
Westside Elementary School
194
Woodland Park Elementary Sch
182

How Norfolk Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Nebraska districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Bennington Public Schools Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Columbus Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Fremont Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
So Sioux City Community Schs Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
North Platte Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Norfolk Public Schools'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 Norfolk Public Schools →
Lincoln Public Schools
41,850 students · 76 schools · $12,831/pupil
Compare vs Norfolk Public Schools →
Millard Public Schools
23,637 students · 36 schools · $11,075/pupil
Compare vs Norfolk Public Schools →
Papillion La Vista Community Schools
12,031 students · 22 schools · $11,412/pupil
Compare vs Norfolk Public Schools →
Elkhorn Public Schools
11,319 students · 20 schools · $11,003/pupil
Compare vs Norfolk Public Schools →

Compare Norfolk Public Schools

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 Norfolk Public Schools?

Norfolk Public Schools has 11 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 1 elementary, 8 combined. Total enrollment is 4,518 students.

How much does Norfolk Public Schools spend per student?

Norfolk Public Schools spends $13,172 per student. The district has an equity score of 36/100, ranking #146 in Nebraska.

What is the demographic composition of Norfolk Public Schools?

Norfolk Public Schools students are 57.8% White, 32.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.6% African American, 1.0% Asian, averaged across 11 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Norfolk Public Schools?

Norfolk Public Schools has an equity score of 36/100, ranking #146 out of 200 districts in Nebraska.