Seward 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.

Seward, Nebraska - 3 schools

An equity score of 20/100 ranks Seward Public Schools #191 of 200 districts in Nebraska (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,694 per pupil, Seward Public Schools ranks #220 of 244 Nebraska districts by per-pupil spending (Nebraska districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,496
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$12,694
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Seward Public Schools operates 3 public schools serving 1,496 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Nebraska. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 high, 1 elementary 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 Seward County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,694 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 25 of 244 Nebraska districts by per-pupil spending. See how Nebraska compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 75.0% local, 14.3% state, and 10.7% 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 20/100, ranked #191 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 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (1 AP courses district-wide), a 409.8:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 13.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 90.9% White, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Seward Middle School, with a diversity index of 18.3/100.

Its largest campus is Seward Elementary School, enrolling 558 students (38% of the district's total enrollment).

Seward Elementary School accounts for 37.3% of all Seward Public Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Seward Public Schools-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

Seward Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 410:1 — 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

Seward Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 13.8% — 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?

10.7%
Federal
14.3%
State
75.0%
Local

Funding Equity

20
Equity Score
191 / 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 3 schools in Seward Public Schools.

White 90.9%
Hispanic or Latino 5.8%
Multiracial 1.9%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 16.9/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Seward Middle School 18.3
  2. 2 Seward Elementary School 17.9
  3. 3 Seward High School 14.4

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
1 AP courses total
409.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
13.8%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Seward Public Schools

School Enrollment
Seward Elementary School
558
Seward High School
511
Seward Middle School
416

How Seward Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Nebraska districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Plattsmouth Community Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Northwest Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Nebraska City Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Mc Cook Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
York Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Seward 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 Seward Public Schools?

Seward Public Schools has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 1,496 students.

How much does Seward Public Schools spend per student?

Seward Public Schools spends $12,694 per student. The district has an equity score of 20/100, ranking #191 in Nebraska.

What is the demographic composition of Seward Public Schools?

Seward Public Schools students are 90.9% White, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% African American, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Seward Public Schools?

Seward Public Schools has an equity score of 20/100, ranking #191 out of 200 districts in Nebraska.