How equitable is school funding in Nebraska?

The average funding equity score for Nebraska school districts is 50 out of 100, compared to the national average of 49. This score considers per-pupil spending, need-adjusted spending, funding source diversity, and student-teacher ratios.

What does the equity score measure?

The equity score (0-100) measures four dimensions: per-pupil spending level, need-adjusted spending (rewarding districts that spend more where poverty is higher), funding diversity (less reliance on local property taxes), and resource access (lower student-teacher ratios).

Nebraska · NCES F-33 finance data

School Funding Equity in Nebraska

200 districts ranked by how equitably school funding is distributed, scored from NCES F-33 school finance data covering districts in all 50 states.

Compiled by PlainSchools, Education-data publisher · August 26, 2026

The equity picture in one line

Morrill Public Schools ranks first in Nebraska for funding equity at 94/100, in a state whose districts average 50 against a national average of 49.

94/100
top score (Morrill Public Schools): $23,270
per-pupil spending in the top district: 34
districts scoring 70 or higher: 28
districts below 30

#	District	Enrollment	$/Pupil	Free Lunch	Local Rev %	Score
1	Morrill Public Schools	330	$23,270	48.3%	53.0%	94
2	Niobrara Public Schools	214	$26,061	66.6%	23.6%	94
3	Medicine Valley Public Schools	209	$21,474	47.1%	63.9%	89
4	Humboldt Table Rock Steinauer	300	$26,157	20.9%	71.1%	88
5	Bayard Public Schools	337	$19,596	49.5%	48.2%	81
6	Deshler Public Schools	242	$21,264	27.1%	70.1%	81
7	Southwest Public Schools	294	$20,452	37.0%	74.4%	79
8	Meridian Public Schools	224	$19,746	32.4%	63.7%	79
9	Valentine Community Schools	623	$20,396	36.5%	74.7%	78
10	Weeping Water Public Schools	310	$21,252	28.0%	71.9%	78
11	Stuart Public Schools	200	$17,965	31.1%	51.9%	78
12	Pawnee City Public Schools	268	$19,731	45.7%	58.8%	77
13	Franklin Public Schools	290	$18,379	34.8%	68.6%	76
14	Emerson-Hubbard Public Schools	253	$19,735	25.8%	73.0%	76
15	Clarkson Public Schools	224	$19,924	33.1%	73.8%	76
16	Isanti Community School	239	$39,251	-	3.3%	75
17	Rock County Public Schools	238	$19,155	30.0%	71.4%	75
18	Silver Lake Public Schools	226	$24,319	27.6%	78.9%	75
19	Superior Public Schools	410	$18,588	39.4%	64.1%	74
20	Blue Hill Community Schools	318	$18,789	24.7%	66.0%	74
21	Dundy Co Stratton Public Schs	290	$21,941	44.4%	76.9%	74
22	Riverside Public Schools	242	$22,814	23.4%	77.0%	74
23	South Platte Public Schools	218	$20,702	43.1%	73.4%	74
24	Paxton Consolidated Schools	207	$19,821	29.6%	67.2%	74
25	Umo N Ho N Nation Public Schs	631	$32,260	-	3.4%	73
26	High Plains Community Schools	223	$25,300	27.4%	82.0%	73
27	Hay Springs Public Schools	201	$19,020	38.1%	47.8%	73
28	Winnebago Public Schools District 17	629	$25,245	-	8.8%	72
29	East Butler Public Schools	297	$25,909	8.9%	80.4%	72
30	Walthill Public Schools	281	$25,858	-	19.8%	72
31	Central Valley Public Schools	327	$25,101	27.4%	80.9%	71
32	Winside Public Schools	244	$17,648	26.5%	63.4%	71
33	Mc Cool Junction Public Schs	240	$19,325	23.8%	59.2%	70
34	Wauneta-Palisade Public Schs	230	$21,004	44.0%	71.8%	70
35	Laurel-Concord-Coleridge School	415	$22,793	24.6%	80.3%	69
36	Alma Public Schools	359	$18,365	26.4%	58.0%	69
37	Boyd County Schools	333	$18,793	39.8%	73.6%	69
38	Lyons-Decatur Northeast Schs	274	$21,263	41.0%	75.7%	69
39	Red Cloud Community Schools	269	$18,985	41.5%	68.4%	69
40	Neligh-Oakdale Schools	351	$17,892	35.5%	73.4%	68
41	Wood River Rural Schools	510	$19,212	38.5%	79.6%	67
42	Hemingford Public Schools	395	$18,395	27.5%	73.1%	67
43	Southern Valley Schools	383	$22,240	40.1%	80.2%	67
44	Cambridge Public Schools	288	$17,785	35.0%	62.4%	67
45	Maxwell Public Schools	258	$17,271	35.9%	53.7%	67
46	Diller-Odell Public Schools	236	$21,191	18.9%	79.8%	67
47	Overton Public Schools	277	$17,249	34.1%	68.3%	66
48	Sumner-Eddyville-Miller Schs	222	$20,581	36.2%	78.8%	66
49	Ansley Public Schools	200	$18,375	45.1%	78.0%	66
50	David City Public Schools	676	$19,003	35.8%	77.8%	65
51	Twin River Public Schools	409	$21,240	25.8%	80.4%	65
52	Dorchester Public School	235	$17,174	32.6%	68.5%	65
53	Ravenna Public Schools	413	$18,426	32.8%	75.6%	64
54	Ainsworth Community Schools	407	$20,342	27.9%	78.3%	64
55	Harvard Public Schools	207	$23,570	-	64.8%	64
56	Cedar Bluffs Public Schools	469	$15,090	35.2%	41.6%	63
57	Kimball Public Schools	394	$17,355	41.0%	72.4%	63
58	Stanton Community Schools	383	$18,864	29.1%	77.4%	63
59	Bloomfield Community Schools	271	$18,819	32.1%	74.6%	63
60	Bertrand Public Schools	243	$18,909	32.5%	78.0%	63
61	Loup City Public Schools	330	$18,418	37.1%	78.8%	62
62	Hartington Newcastle Public Schools	400	$17,745	28.3%	72.5%	61
63	Ogallala Public Schools	845	$16,428	38.4%	75.8%	60
64	Wilcox-Hildreth Public Schools	234	$22,038	31.0%	80.6%	60
65	Creighton Community Public Schools	290	$18,641	24.0%	77.6%	59
66	Osceola Public Schools	244	$20,283	19.5%	80.5%	59
67	Chadron Public Schools	941	$15,412	35.1%	46.0%	58
68	Wisner-Pilger Public Schools	437	$19,561	37.5%	76.8%	58
69	Cross County Community Schools	367	$18,610	25.3%	78.9%	58
70	Bancroft-Rosalie Comm Schools	311	$17,765	-	56.9%	58
71	Anselmo-Merna Public Schools	245	$17,943	25.5%	75.3%	58
72	O'neill Public Schools	829	$16,000	40.3%	69.2%	57
73	Johnson Co Central Public Schs	497	$18,913	34.1%	81.4%	57
74	South Central Nebraska Unified 5	714	$18,597	31.5%	74.9%	56
75	Centura Public Schools	481	$16,792	25.4%	72.7%	56
76	Heartland Community Schools	353	$17,850	26.1%	72.8%	56
77	Central City Public Schools	767	$16,699	31.8%	63.6%	55
78	Crofton Community Schools	358	$17,961	21.8%	70.6%	55
79	West Point Public Schools	728	$16,578	44.3%	74.3%	54
80	Tri County Public Schools	430	$16,847	24.7%	72.1%	54
81	Homer Community Schools	428	$15,764	34.0%	50.8%	53
82	Fullerton Public Schools	299	$18,679	18.6%	76.6%	53
83	Burwell Public Schools	293	$17,628	27.0%	79.9%	53
84	Randolph Public Schools	260	$17,323	26.1%	74.7%	53
85	Wakefield Public Schools	567	$15,531	44.0%	61.9%	52
86	Summerland Public Schools	437	$17,364	33.4%	77.0%	52
87	Plainview Public Schools	346	$16,532	33.9%	73.5%	52
88	Sutherland Public Schools	305	$18,393	23.6%	79.7%	52
89	Mead Public Schools	283	$17,237	27.1%	75.7%	52
90	Giltner Public Schools	246	$16,350	23.5%	69.0%	52
91	So Sioux City Community Schs	3,783	$14,558	55.8%	28.0%	51
92	Ponca Public Schools	442	$16,407	13.5%	58.8%	51
93	Shelby - Rising City Public Schools	411	$17,219	31.9%	74.3%	51
94	Howells-Dodge Consolidated Schools	301	$17,060	25.8%	76.0%	51
95	Shelton Public Schools	269	$17,123	30.1%	72.6%	51
96	Wausa Public Schools	216	$18,944	18.1%	78.5%	51
97	Mitchell Public Schools	620	$14,595	37.6%	36.1%	50
98	Doniphan-Trumbull Public Schs	450	$19,102	17.8%	81.4%	50
99	Sutton Public Schools	420	$16,257	30.1%	75.9%	50
100	Southern School District 1	379	$16,485	-	55.2%	50
101	Kenesaw Public Schools	283	$16,777	19.8%	78.3%	50
102	Friend Public Schools	251	$17,673	20.6%	79.9%	50
103	Falls City Public Schools	880	$15,981	41.0%	66.1%	49
104	Palmer Public Schools	322	$15,096	36.0%	53.5%	49
105	Gordon-Rushville Public Schs	550	$18,058	-	74.6%	48
106	West Holt Public Schools	459	$17,070	34.4%	77.7%	48
107	Loomis Public Schools	278	$16,112	19.6%	67.0%	48
108	Fairbury Public Schools	909	$16,232	44.6%	74.8%	47
109	Boone Central Schools	649	$16,835	23.1%	74.0%	47
110	Chase County Schools	625	$14,899	29.8%	75.3%	47
111	Centennial Public Schools	496	$19,700	26.8%	76.0%	47
112	Lexington Public Schools	3,221	$14,074	57.1%	28.9%	46
113	Hitchcock Co Sch System	310	$16,226	37.1%	78.2%	46
114	North Bend Central Public Schs	586	$17,188	19.7%	73.7%	45
115	Newman Grove Public Schools	219	$17,142	28.1%	80.8%	45
116	Cozad Community Schools	949	$15,054	40.0%	66.1%	44
117	Madison Public Schools	543	$16,239	45.4%	73.1%	43
118	Yutan Public Schools	506	$14,375	17.8%	52.3%	43
119	Elkhorn Valley Schools	446	$16,321	21.1%	74.4%	43
120	Pender Public Schools	443	$15,713	32.3%	73.8%	43
121	Sterling Public Schools	224	$15,973	28.4%	79.5%	43
122	Plattsmouth Community Schools	1,504	$14,084	41.4%	47.1%	42
123	Fillmore Central Public Schs	609	$15,223	27.9%	71.1%	42
124	Ord Public Schools	562	$16,514	32.2%	78.7%	42
125	Tekamah-Herman Community Schs	527	$16,588	26.0%	80.1%	42
126	Thayer Central Community Schs	440	$16,643	26.1%	75.5%	42
127	Perkins County Schools	419	$17,833	19.5%	80.4%	42
128	Johnson-Brock Public Schools	363	$13,939	25.1%	57.2%	42
129	Bellevue Public Schools	9,498	$13,985	33.6%	39.0%	41
130	Grand Island Public Schools	9,990	$13,267	49.3%	35.1%	40
131	Hastings Public Schools	3,644	$13,831	41.3%	36.4%	40
132	Mc Cook Public Schools	1,376	$13,820	34.0%	47.6%	40
133	Northwest Public Schools	1,465	$13,932	21.7%	43.2%	39
134	Oakland Craig Public Schools	416	$16,666	6.8%	77.0%	39
135	Arapahoe Public Schools	335	$15,857	47.5%	78.7%	39
136	Omaha Public Schools	51,754	$16,585	-	44.3%	38
137	Westside Community Schools	6,271	$15,352	21.6%	61.5%	38
138	Crete Public Schools	2,230	$13,548	49.0%	46.7%	38
139	Arlington Public Schools	691	$15,096	14.8%	71.1%	38
140	Gibbon Public Schools	554	$14,630	35.1%	68.7%	38
141	Scottsbluff Public Schools	3,519	$12,908	44.6%	44.2%	37
142	St Paul Public Schools	705	$13,881	22.3%	62.4%	37
143	Logan View Public Schools	590	$15,086	27.0%	70.0%	37
144	Hershey Public Schools	557	$14,962	22.8%	66.5%	37
145	Bridgeport Public Schools	506	$18,466	-	74.3%	37
146	Axtell Community Schools	335	$15,967	20.6%	75.6%	37
147	Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools	498	$14,386	12.8%	68.3%	36
148	Lincoln Public Schools	41,850	$13,573	36.0%	57.5%	35
149	Ralston Public Schools	3,352	$13,228	45.9%	61.3%	35
150	Ashland-Greenwood Public Schs	1,099	$13,347	19.5%	70.1%	35
151	Malcolm Public Schools	644	$14,376	9.6%	46.1%	35
152	Norfolk Public Schools	4,518	$13,425	45.6%	59.4%	34
153	Sidney Public Schools	1,276	$13,629	37.5%	53.2%	34
154	Wahoo Public Schools	1,085	$14,969	36.4%	75.1%	34
155	Gothenburg Public Schools	847	$14,830	41.9%	74.5%	34
156	Amherst Public Schools	394	$12,723	17.5%	51.3%	34
157	Elm Creek Public Schools	374	$14,928	26.9%	73.1%	34
158	Humphrey Public Schools	319	$15,210	7.3%	68.9%	34
159	Milford Public Schools	819	$13,768	19.4%	63.6%	33
160	Conestoga Public Schools	709	$16,054	19.6%	81.0%	33
161	Fremont Public Schools	5,217	$12,811	52.6%	53.3%	32
162	Columbus Public Schools	4,111	$12,835	39.2%	51.5%	32
163	North Platte Public Schools	3,782	$13,735	35.1%	55.4%	32
164	Nebraska City Public Schools	1,428	$12,401	47.0%	55.5%	32
165	Douglas Co West Community Schs	1,053	$15,835	24.7%	77.5%	32
166	Wilber-Clatonia Public Schools	624	$14,564	25.1%	69.6%	32
167	Beatrice Public Schools	2,090	$12,530	44.0%	52.9%	31
168	Alliance Public Schools	1,345	$13,680	46.1%	69.0%	31
169	Auburn Public Schools	1,051	$12,872	25.8%	52.4%	31
170	Raymond Central Public Schools	742	$16,167	13.8%	70.8%	31
171	Louisville Public Schools	702	$13,520	11.4%	67.4%	30
172	Freeman Public Schools	477	$15,013	12.5%	73.0%	30
173	Schuyler Community Schools	1,984	$13,008	42.4%	57.4%	29
174	Palmyra District O R 1	711	$11,959	16.4%	71.7%	29
175	Gering Public Schools	2,023	$11,616	40.9%	43.9%	28
176	Papillion La Vista Community Schools	12,031	$12,422	21.8%	60.2%	27
177	Aurora Public Schools	1,226	$15,684	25.5%	75.5%	27
178	Holdrege Public Schools	1,014	$15,573	30.9%	77.0%	26
179	Fort Calhoun Community Schs	825	$12,659	9.8%	51.6%	26
180	Millard Public Schools	23,637	$11,579	22.2%	58.7%	25
181	Gretna Public Schools	6,529	$11,616	6.9%	61.4%	25
182	Springfield Platteview Community Schools	1,203	$16,081	15.2%	82.2%	25
183	Bennington Public Schools	4,154	$11,340	10.5%	54.4%	24
184	Minden Public Schools	820	$15,485	25.8%	76.3%	24
185	Pierce Public Schools	690	$13,858	17.1%	74.5%	24
186	Leigh Community Schools	276	$15,420	20.6%	81.6%	24
187	Adams Central Public Schools	1,004	$16,269	12.9%	77.6%	23
188	Pleasanton Public Schools	304	$14,635	20.1%	76.1%	23
189	York Public Schools	1,620	$12,484	30.7%	65.3%	22
190	Seward Public Schools	1,496	$13,609	14.5%	75.0%	21
191	Lakeview Community Schools	952	$14,092	33.5%	76.7%	21
192	Battle Creek Public Schools	566	$13,092	15.6%	72.9%	21
193	Kearney Public Schools	6,152	$11,473	32.2%	67.2%	20
194	Norris School Dist 160	2,483	$11,779	8.5%	68.7%	20
195	Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Schools	793	$13,705	14.2%	78.5%	18
196	Broken Bow Public Schools	890	$13,354	32.8%	75.9%	17
197	Elkhorn Public Schools	11,319	$11,437	9.1%	73.3%	16
198	Waverly School District 145	2,165	$13,036	14.2%	79.2%	12
199	Blair Community Schools	2,274	$11,791	18.7%	77.4%	10
200	Wayne Community Schools	997	$12,577	24.1%	77.3%	10

How the Equity Score Works

The equity score (0-100) evaluates four dimensions of school funding fairness. According to the National Center for Education Statistics F-33 Finance Survey (FY 2022-23), which covers more than 17,000 districts nationwide, local property wealth drives most of the spending differences the score captures; our methodology documents each weight:

Per-Pupil Spending (0-25)

Higher spending relative to peers

Need-Adjusted Spending (0-25)

Spending weighted by poverty level, rewards districts that spend more where need is greatest

Funding Diversity (0-25)

Less reliance on local property taxes, more state/federal support

Resource Access (0-25)

Lower student-teacher ratios = more individualized attention

National Equity Rankings → ← Back to Nebraska

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