Riley County

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.

Riley, Kansas - 2 schools

An equity score of 22/100 ranks Riley County #230 of 250 districts in Kansas (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,160 per pupil, Riley County ranks #217 of 285 Kansas districts by per-pupil spending (Kansas districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

708
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$13,160
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Riley County operates 2 public schools serving 708 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Kansas. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 high 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 Riley County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,160 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 32.7% local, 61.5% state, and 5.8% 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 22/100, ranked #230 of 250 in Kansas against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 373:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 15.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 86.8% White, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Riley County Grade School, enrolling 514 students (69% of the district's total enrollment).

Riley County Grade School accounts for 68.9% of all Riley County student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Riley County a distant remainder — means Riley County-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

Riley County student-counselor ratio is 373:1 — 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

Riley County chronic absenteeism rate is 15.8% — 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 Riley County is typically wider than the Riley County-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

5.8%
Federal
61.5%
State
32.7%
Local

Funding Equity

22
Equity Score
230 / 250
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 2 schools in Riley County.

White 86.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.8%
African American 1.4%
Multiracial 5.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

373:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
15.8%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Riley County

School Enrollment
Riley County Grade School
514
Riley County High School
232

How Riley County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Kansas districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Riverton Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Norton Community Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Cherryvale Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Osage City Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Silver Lake Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

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

Compare Riley County

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 Riley County?

Riley County has 2 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high. Total enrollment is 708 students.

How much does Riley County spend per student?

Riley County spends $13,160 per student. The district has an equity score of 22/100, ranking #230 in Kansas.

What is the demographic composition of Riley County?

Riley County students are 86.8% White, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Riley County?

Riley County has an equity score of 22/100, ranking #230 out of 250 districts in Kansas.