Enrollment
332
Nebraska · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Kearney, NE
Kearney Education Center
Federal NCES profile for Kearney Education Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 317239002253
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Kearney Education Center earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Nebraska schools.
- #12 of 12
- schools in Kearney · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 30.2:1
- large classes for Nebraska
- 35.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Kearney Education Center has class sizes larger than 98% of Nebraska schools. Computed live against every Nebraska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Kearney Education Center ranks #12 of 12 schools in Kearney, NE.
School address
District: Kearney Public Schools · Nebraska
NCES ID 317239002253 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
11.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
30.2:1
vs 13.5:1 Nebraska avg
+124% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.1%
vs 30.9% Nebraska avg
+14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Kearney Education Center compares with Nebraska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Kearney Education Center
Kearney Education Center is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Kearney, Nebraska, enrolling 332 students.
Class loads run heavy: 30.2:1 is larger than about 98% of Nebraska schools and 124% above the 13.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 35.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 332 puts it in the larger third of Nebraska schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 99% of the 1,003 Nebraska schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 181 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Nebraska schools statewide, it ranks #180, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (77%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%) (diversity index 37/100).
The surrounding Kearney Public Schools spends $11,003 per pupil, 38% below the Nebraska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Kearney Public Schools also operates Kearney High School (1,663 students) and Horizon Middle School (648 students) alongside Kearney Education Center.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Kearney Education Center compares
Kearney Education Center on the metrics families compare, against Nebraska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nebraska | Nebraska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 30.2:1 | ▲ 124% | 13.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.1% | ▲ 14% | 30.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 332 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
30.2:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
332
Bigger than 37% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% above the Nebraska average of 30.9%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
30.2:1
students per teacher
- 124% above state mean
Top 98% in Nebraska - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$11,003
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nebraska avg of $17,680
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 77.1%
Hispanic or Latino 17.8%
African American 2.1%
Two or More 1.8%
Asian 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: White at 77.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.3, Kearney Education Center is more mixed than the Nebraska school average of 34.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Kearney Public Schools, which includes Kearney Education Center.
$11,003
Per student
-38%
vs Nebraska
Avg $17,680
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 67.2%
State 22.5%
Federal 10.2%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Kearney Education Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kearney High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Horizon Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sunrise Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Meadowlark Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Kenwood Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Kearney Education Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,663
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 648
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 536
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 417
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 398
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nebraska, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~332 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~30.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Kearney Education Center's federal record.
- Compare Kearney Education Center against another school. Compare schools
- Kearney Public Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Kearney Education Center
How many students attend Kearney Education Center?
Kearney Education Center has 332 students enrolled. It is a public school in Kearney, NE.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Kearney Education Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Kearney Education Center is 30.2:1, which is 124% higher than the Nebraska average of 13.5:1 and 92% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Kearney Education Center?
35.1% of students at Kearney Education Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nebraska average of 30.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Kearney Education Center?
The largest demographic group at Kearney Education Center is White at 77.1% of enrollment, in Kearney, NE.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Kearney Education Center?
Kearney Education Center has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Kearney Education Center rank among schools in Kearney?
By Resource Investment Index, Kearney Education Center ranks #12 of 12 schools in Kearney, NE. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Kearney on the city page.
Is Kearney Education Center a good school?
Kearney Education Center earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Nebraska schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Kearney Public Schools?
Besides Kearney Education Center, Kearney Public Schools also operates Kearney High School (1,663 students), Horizon Middle School (648 students), and Sunrise Middle School (536 students). See the Kearney Public Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.