Parsons

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.

Parsons, Kansas - 5 schools

An equity score of 68/100 ranks Parsons #48 of 250 districts in Kansas (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,829 per pupil, Parsons ranks #186 of 285 Kansas districts by per-pupil spending (Kansas districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,352
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$13,829
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Parsons operates 5 public schools serving 1,352 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Kansas. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 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 Labette County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,829 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 285 Kansas districts by per-pupil spending. See how Kansas compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 10.3% local, 80.6% state, and 9.1% 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 68/100, ranked #48 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.

a 333.4:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 30.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 54.9% White, 13.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Garfield School, with a diversity index of 67.7/100.

Its largest campus is Parsons Sr High, enrolling 399 students (30% of the district's total enrollment).

Parsons Sr High accounts for 29.5% of all Parsons student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Parsons-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

Parsons school enrollment varies 2.3× across entities

Parsons school enrollment ranges from 176 students (lowest) to 399 students (highest), a spread of 223 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

Parsons has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 69.3% 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). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. 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

Parsons student-counselor ratio is 333:1 — 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 Parsons is typically wider than the Parsons-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Parsons chronic absenteeism rate is 30.3% — 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?

9.1%
Federal
80.6%
State
10.3%
Local

Funding Equity

68
Equity Score
48 / 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 5 schools in Parsons.

White 54.9%
Hispanic or Latino 13.7%
African American 9.1%
Asian 0.6%
Multiracial 19.2%
Other 2.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 63.1/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Garfield School 67.7
  2. 2 Lincoln School 64.5
  3. 3 Guthridge School 62.2
  4. 4 Parsons Middle School 60.8
  5. 5 Parsons Sr High 60.1

Programs & Resources

333.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
30.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Parsons

School Enrollment
Parsons Sr High
399
Parsons Middle School
273
Lincoln School
262
Guthridge School
203
Garfield School
176

How Parsons Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Kansas districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Rock Creek Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Clay County Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Baldwin City Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Pratt Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Iola Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Parsons

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 Parsons?

Parsons has 5 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined, 2 elementary. Total enrollment is 1,352 students.

How much does Parsons spend per student?

Parsons spends $13,829 per student. The district has an equity score of 68/100, ranking #48 in Kansas.

What is the demographic composition of Parsons?

Parsons students are 54.9% White, 13.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% African American, 0.6% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Parsons?

Parsons has an equity score of 68/100, ranking #48 out of 250 districts in Kansas.