Topeka Public Schools operates 26 public schools serving 12,858 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Kansas. The school portfolio breaks down into 15 other, 6 middle, 4 high, 1 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 11,795 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Shawnee County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,260 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 13.8% local, 72.4% state, and 13.8% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $99,650 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 75/100, ranked #18 of 252 in Kansas against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 26 schools offering Advanced Placement (23 AP courses district-wide), a 259.8:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 37.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 37.2% Hispanic or Latino, 32.3% White, 14.4% African American across the district's schools.
Topeka Public Schools school enrollment varies 69× across entities
Topeka Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 23 students (lowest) to 1,578 students (highest), a spread of 1,555 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Topeka Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 70.2% 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.
Topeka Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 260:1 — 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 Topeka Public Schools is typically wider than the Topeka Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Topeka Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 37.5% — 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.
Topeka Public Schools has 26 schools, including 4 high, 15 other, 6 middle, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 12,858 students.
How much does Topeka Public Schools spend per student?
Topeka Public Schools spends $17,260 per student. The district has an equity score of 75/100, ranking #18 in Kansas.
What is the average teacher salary in Topeka Public Schools?
The average teacher salary in Topeka Public Schools is $99,650 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Topeka Public Schools?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Shawnee County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Topeka Public Schools?
Topeka Public Schools students are 37.2% Hispanic or Latino, 32.3% White, 14.4% African American, 0.5% Asian, averaged across 26 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Topeka Public Schools?
Topeka Public Schools has an equity score of 75/100, ranking #18 out of 252 districts in Kansas. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.