State profile · NE

Nebraska Public Schools

Every public school, district, and the headline NCES measures for Nebraska — 251 districts, drawn straight from federal records.

1,010
Schools
327,234
Students
13.6:1
Avg ratio
30.9%
Free lunch

The state in one line

Nebraska runs 1,010 public schools across 251 districts, with a 13.6:1 average classroom and 30.9% of students on subsidized lunch.

1,010
public schools
251
school districts
13.6:1
avg student–teacher
30.9%
free/reduced lunch

What the NCES Data Says About Nebraska Schools

Nebraska operates 1,010 public K-12 schools organised into 251 independent school districts serving 327,234 students, per the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data 2024-25. The largest district, Omaha Public Schools, enrolls 51,754 pupils across 111 schools at $14,202 per student, while smaller rural districts can run fewer than a dozen campuses. This fragmentation — inherited from century-old township governance patterns in many states — is why per-pupil spending, class sizes, and programme availability vary dramatically inside a single state boundary.

Statewide, the average student-teacher ratio is 13.6:1, a useful benchmark for comparing any individual district or school on PlainSchools. Free-lunch eligibility averages 30.9% across Nebraska public schools, a federal indicator of economic need that drives Title I funding allocations. The district table below is sortable by enrollment, school count, and per-pupil expenditure — the three fields that best predict a district's financial and demographic profile. For schools specifically, use the rankings links above to view per-category leaderboards covering spending, class size, best schools by composite quality score, chronic absenteeism, and funding-equity distribution within the state.

Every district figure here pulls from two distinct federal surveys: enrollment and demographic data come from the NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (school membership and directory), while per-pupil spending, teacher salaries, and federal/state/local revenue shares originate in the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey (typically FY 2021-22). Civil-rights indicators — gifted enrollment, AP course counts, counselor staffing, chronic absenteeism, in- and out-of-school suspensions — come from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Cross-referencing these three sources is what lets PlainSchools produce composite scores and equity rankings that single-source tools cannot.

Nebraska's average class size vs. every US state

Average students per teacher, state by state (lower means smaller classes)

14 Among the smallest classes smaller classes than 65% of 51 US states

11–12: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 12–13: 4 US states (8%). Below this entry. 13–14: 8 US states (16%). This entry sits in this band. 14–15: 10 US states (20%). Above this entry. 15–16: 5 US states (10%). Above this entry. 16–17: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 17–18: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 18–19: 5 US states (10%). Above this entry. 20–21: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. 21–22: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. 22–23: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. 23–24: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. This state 11 24 every US state, by average class size, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education — NCES Common Core of Data · 2024-25

Or browse all Nebraska schools

Federal data — no proprietary formula. PlainSchools publishes the actual federal survey data — enrollment, staffing, finance, and demographics from NCES — without a composite rating on top. The insights below are computed directly from those datasets; every number traces to a cited source.

Omaha Public Schools accounts for 15.8% of all Nebraska K-12 enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-district share — means state-level averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant district. Omaha Public Schools operates 111 schools serving 51,754 students, spending $14,202 per pupil. When one district dominates a state's K-12 footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the state's students.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data Local Education Agency (District) Universe Survey · 2024-25

Nebraska per-pupil spending varies 3.6× across districts

Per-pupil spending in Nebraska ranges from $9,704 (lowest district) to $35,158 (highest), a spread of $25,454. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually equalised funding system — most states have wider gaps. High-spending districts typically draw on higher property tax bases, a structural feature of state education finance under the federal Title I framework that sets the floor but not the ceiling.

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Local Education Agency Finance Survey (F-33) · FY 2021-22

Average Nebraska student-teacher ratio is 13.6:1 — low (typically associated with smaller schools or state-funded class-size reduction)

Student-teacher ratio is the simplest staffing metric reported on NCES Common Core of Data, but it does not capture push-in specialists, intervention staff, English Language Learner aides, special education co-teachers, or counseling and support staff. Lower ratios in this state often correlate with smaller per-school enrollments and rural geography rather than higher staffing budgets per se. Class-load comparisons are most meaningful at the district or school level, not the state aggregate.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data — Public School Universe School-level enrollment and staffing · 2024-25

School Spending

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Schools ranked by per-pupil expenditure

District Spending

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Districts ranked by per-pupil expenditure

Largest Schools

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Schools ranked by student enrollment

Funding Equity

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Districts ranked by funding equity score

Best Student-Teacher Ratios

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Schools with the smallest class sizes

Best Schools

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Top-rated schools by quality score

Best Districts

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Top-ranked districts by quality score

Chronic Absenteeism

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Schools ranked by absenteeism rates

Largest districts in Nebraska

By total K-12 enrollment — NCES Common Core 2024-25

Top district = 16% of enrollment
Omaha Public Schools51,754Lincoln Public Schools41,850Millard Public Schools23,637Papillion La Vista Community S…12,031Elkhorn Public Schools11,319Grand Island Public Schools9,990Bellevue Public Schools9,498Gretna Public Schools6,529Westside Community Schools6,271Kearney Public Schools6,152
# District Enrollment
1 Omaha Public Schools Omaha 51,754
2 Lincoln Public Schools Lincoln 41,850
3 Millard Public Schools Omaha 23,637
4 Papillion La Vista Community Schools Papillion 12,031
5 Elkhorn Public Schools Elkhorn 11,319
6 Grand Island Public Schools Grand Island 9,990
7 Bellevue Public Schools Bellevue 9,498
8 Gretna Public Schools Gretna 6,529
9 Westside Community Schools Omaha 6,271
10 Kearney Public Schools Kearney 6,152
11 Fremont Public Schools Fremont 5,217
12 Norfolk Public Schools Norfolk 4,518
13 Bennington Public Schools Bennington 4,154
14 Columbus Public Schools Columbus 4,111
15 So Sioux City Community Schs So Sioux City 3,783
16 North Platte Public Schools North Platte 3,782
17 Hastings Public Schools Hastings 3,644
18 Scottsbluff Public Schools Scottsbluff 3,519
19 Ralston Public Schools Ralston 3,352
20 Lexington Public Schools Lexington 3,221
21 Norris School Dist 160 Firth 2,483
22 Blair Community Schools Blair 2,274
23 Crete Public Schools Crete 2,230
24 Waverly School District 145 Waverly 2,165
25 Beatrice Public Schools Beatrice 2,090
26 Gering Public Schools Gering 2,023
27 Schuyler Community Schools Schuyler 1,984
28 York Public Schools York 1,620
29 Plattsmouth Community Schools Plattsmouth 1,504
30 Seward Public Schools Seward 1,496
31 Northwest Public Schools Grand Island 1,465
32 Nebraska City Public Schools Nebraska City 1,428
33 Mc Cook Public Schools Mc Cook 1,376
34 Alliance Public Schools Alliance 1,345
35 Sidney Public Schools Sidney 1,276
36 Aurora Public Schools Aurora 1,226
37 Springfield Platteview Community Schools Springfield 1,203
38 Ashland-Greenwood Public Schs Ashland 1,099
39 Wahoo Public Schools Wahoo 1,085
40 Douglas Co West Community Schs Valley 1,053
41 Auburn Public Schools Auburn 1,051
42 Holdrege Public Schools Holdrege 1,014
43 Adams Central Public Schools Hastings 1,004
44 Wayne Community Schools Wayne 997
45 Lakeview Community Schools Columbus 952
46 Cozad Community Schools Cozad 949
47 Chadron Public Schools Chadron 941
48 Fairbury Public Schools Fairbury 909
49 Broken Bow Public Schools Broken Bow 890
50 Falls City Public Schools Falls City 880
51 Gothenburg Public Schools Gothenburg 847
52 Ogallala Public Schools Ogallala 845
53 O'neill Public Schools O'neill 829
54 Fort Calhoun Community Schs Fort Calhoun 825
55 Minden Public Schools Minden 820
56 Milford Public Schools Milford 819
57 Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Schools Syracuse 793
58 Central City Public Schools Central City 767
59 Raymond Central Public Schools Raymond 742
60 West Point Public Schools West Point 728
61 South Central Nebraska Unified 5 Fairfield 714
62 Palmyra District O R 1 Palmyra 711
63 Conestoga Public Schools Murray 709
64 St Paul Public Schools St. Paul 705
65 Louisville Public Schools Louisville 702
66 Arlington Public Schools Arlington 691
67 Pierce Public Schools Pierce 690
68 David City Public Schools David City 676
69 Boone Central Schools Albion 649
70 Malcolm Public Schools Malcolm 644
71 Umo N Ho N Nation Public Schs Macy 631
72 Winnebago Public Schools District 17 Winnebago 629
73 Chase County Schools Imperial 625
74 Wilber-Clatonia Public Schools Wilber 624
75 Valentine Community Schools Valentine 623
76 Mitchell Public Schools Mitchell 620
77 Fillmore Central Public Schs Geneva 609
78 Logan View Public Schools Hooper 590
79 North Bend Central Public Schs North Bend 586
80 Wakefield Public Schools Wakefield 567
81 Battle Creek Public Schools Battle Creek 566
82 Ord Public Schools Ord 562
83 Hershey Public Schools Hershey 557
84 Gibbon Public Schools Gibbon 554
85 Gordon-Rushville Public Schs Gordon 550
86 Madison Public Schools Madison 543
87 Tekamah-Herman Community Schs Tekamah 527
88 Wood River Rural Schools Wood River 510
89 Bridgeport Public Schools Bridgeport 506
90 Yutan Public Schools Yutan 506
91 Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools Murdock 498
92 Johnson Co Central Public Schs Tecumseh 497
93 Centennial Public Schools Utica 496
94 Centura Public Schools Cairo 481
95 Freeman Public Schools Adams 477
96 Cedar Bluffs Public Schools Cedar Bluffs 469
97 West Holt Public Schools Atkinson 459
98 Doniphan-Trumbull Public Schs Doniphan 450
99 Elkhorn Valley Schools Tilden 446
100 Pender Public Schools Pender 443

Showing top 100 of 251 districts by enrollment.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data As of 2024-25 Local Education Agency Universe Federal universe survey of all U.S. school districts

Largest Schools in Nebraska

Grand Island Senior High School
Grand Island — high
2,696
students
Central High School
Omaha — high
2,587
students
Millard North High School
Omaha — high
2,572
students
Millard South High School
Omaha — high
2,526
students
South High School
Omaha — high
2,412
students
Millard West High School
Omaha — high
2,344
students
Westside High School
Omaha — high
2,145
students
Southwest High School
Lincoln — high
2,110
students
Lincoln High School
Lincoln — high
2,086
students
Papillion La Vista South Hs
Papillion — high
2,038
students

Other States

Mississippi
MS public schools
Missouri
MO public schools
Montana
MT public schools
Nevada
NV public schools
New Hampshire
NH public schools
New Jersey
NJ public schools

Side-by-side: Compare Omaha Public Schools vs Lincoln Public Schools → · Compare any two districts

Data sourced from NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25, NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, and Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Using the Nebraska data

Nebraska's 1,010 schools sit inside 251 districts — compare at the district level first.

  • District boundaries decide enrollment: shortlist 2-3 districts on spending, ratio, and size before comparing individual schools. Compare districts
  • Check how Nebraska distributes money across its districts — funding equity varies more within states than between them. Funding equity
  • Verify any school's federal record (enrollment, staffing, CRDC flags) before a visit or enrollment decision. Look up a school

Figures are the federal record (CCD 2024-25, F-33 FY 2021-22, CRDC 2021-22) — they lag the current school year and describe reported data, not school quality. PlainSchools does not rate or rank schools.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many public schools are in Nebraska?

Nebraska has 1,010 public schools across 251 school districts, serving 327,234 students.

What is the average student-teacher ratio in Nebraska?

The average student-teacher ratio in Nebraska public schools is 13.6:1. This varies by district — use the district table below to compare.

What percentage of Nebraska students qualify for free lunch?

30.9% of students in Nebraska qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, an indicator of economic need used for Title I funding.

What is the largest school district in Nebraska?

The largest school district in Nebraska is Omaha Public Schools with 51,754 students across 111 schools.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Top schools in Nebraska by enrollment

Largest K-12 public schools by total students enrolled

students

What this shows The largest public schools in Nebraska by enrollment — often statewide virtual academies or large consolidated campuses, so size here reflects reach, not quality.

Source NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) As of 2024-25

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data (CCD) — Public school universe · 2023-2024 Public K-12 school enrollment, demographics, and operational data; collected annually by NCES from state education agencies.