Public schools in Nebraska

The NCES directory lists 1,097 public schools operating in Nebraska in 2024-25; 993 of them reported 325,187 students, averaging 13.1 students per teacher, the 36th highest of the 50 jurisdictions (states and D.C.) that reported 2024-25 teacher counts (the mean of its schools' ratios); Tennessee did not. Its largest district is Omaha Public Schools, with 51,630 students in 2024-25.

NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23 · method

Schools993527 elementary, 132 middle, 268 high, 66 other
Students325,1870.7% of U.S. public-school students
Students per teacher13.1U.S. 15.3

Nebraska has fewer students per teacher than the U.S. average

Nebraska ranks 36th of the 50 jurisdictions (states and D.C.) that reported 2024-25 teacher counts, counting from the most students per teacher; below, it is shown with the states ranked just above and below it. The full ranking of all 51 is on the states page.

  1. South Dakota13.3
  2. West Virginia13.3
  3. Rhode Island13.2
  4. Nebraska13.1
  5. Kansas12.9
  6. New Mexico12.7
  7. Missouri12.3

Eight in ten larger Nebraska districts spent between $11,616 and $15,573 per student

Among the 43 Nebraska districts with at least 1,000 students, one in ten spent less than $11,616 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 and one in ten spent more than $15,573; the median was $13,425. Each tick below is one district: the spread shows how far apart the state's districts are, which a statewide average hides.

Current spending per student, Nebraska districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-2343 values from $11,340 to $16,585; ; state median $13,425.$11,616$15,573the middle eight in ten$10k$15k$20kcurrent spending per studentstate median $13,425
Current spending per student, Nebraska districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-2343 values from $11,340 to $16,585; ; state median $13,425.$11,616$15,573the middle eight in ten$10k$15k$20kcurrent spending per studentstate median $13,425
Current spending per student, Nebraska districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-2343 values from $11,340 to $16,585; ; state median $13,425.$11,616$15,573the middle eight in ten$10k$15k$20kcurrent spending per studentstate median $13,425
Current spending per student, Nebraska districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-2343 values from $11,340 to $16,585; ; state median $13,425.$11,616$15,573the middle eight in ten$10k$15k$20kcurrent spending per studentstate median $13,425

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: mean of school ratios from 3 to 99, schools open that year; NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures over fall membership, districts with at least 1,000 students.

State test results, 2022-23

In 2022-23, 56.4% of the Nebraska students tested met the state's reading standard and 58.4% its math standard. Nebraska writes its own tests and sets its own standard, so these compare Nebraska's districts and schools with each other, not with other states; each district and school page gives its own results beside these. Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 87.3% of 24,336 students.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2022-23 and four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students.

In the Nebraska almanac

  1. 01Every school district

    Directory, 2024-25

  2. 02Largest schools

    Largest: Grand Island Senior High School, 2,696 students (By 2024-25 enrollment)

  3. 03Fewest students per teacher

    Fewest: Umo N Ho N Nation High School, 6.6 students per teacher (Schools, 2024-25)

  4. 04Highest-spending districts

    Highest: Umo N Ho N Nation Public Schs, $32,260 per student (F-33 fiscal year 2022-23)

  5. 05Teacher salary spending by district

    Highest: Umo N Ho N Nation Public Schs, $90,446 of salary spending per teacher (F-33 fiscal year 2022-23)

  6. 06Chronic absenteeism

    Lowest: South Ward Elementary School, 0.6% chronically absent (EDFacts 2022-23)

  7. 07Schools by resource index

    Highest index: Diller-Odell Elementary School, 75 of 100 (CCD and CRDC)

  8. 08Districts by resource index

    Highest index: Hershey Public Schools, 65.5 of 100 on average (CCD and CRDC)

Largest districts in Nebraska

  1. Omaha Public Schools51,630
  2. Lincoln Public Schools41,649
  3. Millard Public Schools23,253
  4. Papillion La Vista Community Schools12,069
  5. Elkhorn Public Schools11,653
  6. Grand Island Public Schools9,983
  7. Bellevue Public Schools9,502
  8. Westside Community Schools6,330

Every Nebraska school district, with a find box →

Source: Largest districts: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25, students in the district's schools open that year.

Cities with the most public schools

  1. Omaha88,106 students155 schools
  2. Lincoln41,814 students66 schools
  3. Bellevue11,265 students29 schools
  4. Grand Island11,267 students23 schools
  5. Papillion9,222 students17 schools
  6. Kearney6,129 students15 schools
  7. Fremont5,357 students12 schools
  8. Scottsbluff3,402 students11 schools
  9. North Platte3,730 students11 schools
  10. Norfolk4,543 students11 schools
  11. Hastings4,769 students11 schools
  12. Elkhorn5,879 students11 schools

All cities →

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: a school counts under the city in its mailing address, so a large city's count takes in suburbs that share its postal name.

Questions about Nebraska's public schools

  1. How many public schools are in Nebraska?
    The NCES directory lists 1,097 operating in 2024-25; 993 of them reported students: 527 elementary, 132 middle, 268 high and 66 other, enrolling 325,187 students (NCES Common Core of Data).
  2. What is the average student-teacher ratio in Nebraska?
    13.1 students per full-time teacher in 2024-25, against 15.3 for the U.S.; the mean of school ratios for schools open that year.
  3. What is the largest school district in Nebraska?
    Omaha Public Schools, with 51,630 students in its schools in 2024-25 (NCES Common Core of Data).
  4. How much does Nebraska spend per public-school student?
    $14,795 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, summed over its districts (NCES F-33).

Sources

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership and staff files · 2024-25

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District membership and spending · FY 2022-23

Compiled from official source data by .