Nebraska has one of the best public school systems in the U.S., earning high graduation rates, solid average test scores, and high levels of proficiency in math and reading. The state’s five best school districts manage to outdo Nebraska’s already-high standard of academic achievement.
The best school district in Nebraska is Gretna Public Schools, comprising five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school in the city of Gretna. The district has long been one of the best in the state, regularly earning high test scores and graduation rates above 95%. What’s more, Gretna High School has been named a National Blue Ribbon School for its academic excellence.
Placing 2nd in the state of Nebraska is Westside Community Schools, the 3rd largest school in the state consisting of 12 schools in the city of Omaha. Schools in the district have earned many honors, including a recent Blue Ribbon School award for Paddock Road Elementary School.
Kearney Public Schools is the 3rd best school district in Nebraska, comprising thirteen schools in the idyllic city of Kearney. KPS’s 91% graduation rate bests state and national averages.
Seward Public Schools earns the 4th spot. The modestly-sized district is made up of one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school. SPS has received an “Excellent” rating by the Nebraska Department of Education for two straight years, and is one of just two districts in its class to do so.
Filling out the list of Nebraska’s best school systems is Norris School District, which administers four schools serving an enrollment of around 2,400. The district is accredited by the Nebraska State Department of Education.
Top School Districts in Nebraska, 2020
Rank School District City
1 Gretna Public Schools Gretna
2 Westside Community Schools Omaha
3 Kearney Public Schools Kearney
4 Seward Public Schools Seward
5 Norris School Dist 160 Firth
6 Bennington Public Schools Bennington
7 Norfolk Public Schools Norfolk
8 Fort Calhoun Community Schs Fort Calhoun
9 Waverly School District 145 Waverly
10 Northwest Public Schools Grand Island
11 Thayer Central Community Schs Hebron
12 York Public Schools York
13 Springfield Platteview Community Schools Springfield
14 North Bend Central Public Schs North Bend
15 Sidney Public Schools Sidney
16 Aurora Public Schools Aurora
17 Mc Cook Public Schools Mc Cook
18 North Platte Public Schools North Platte
19 Wayne Community Schools Wayne
20 David City Public Schools David City
21 Blair Community Schools Blair
22 Adams Central Public Schools Hastings
23 Ponca Public Schools Ponca
24 Malcolm Public Schools Malcolm
25 Crofton Community Schools Crofton
26 Diller-Odell Public Schools Odell
27 Pierce Public Schools Pierce
28 Arlington Public Schools Arlington
29 Scottsbluff Public Schools Scottsbluff
30 Auburn Public Schools Auburn
31 Milford Public Schools Milford
32 Wahoo Public Schools Wahoo
33 West Holt Public Schools Atkinson
34 Wisner-Pilger Public Schools Wisner
35 Ashland-Greenwood Public Schs Ashland
36 Holdrege Public Schools Holdrege
37 Logan View Public Schools Hooper
38 Cross County Community Schools Stromsburg
39 So Sioux City Community Schs So Sioux City
40 Fremont Public Schools Fremont
41 Valentine Community Schools Valentine
42 Wood River Rural Schools Wood River
43 Columbus Public Schools Columbus
44 Pender Public Schools Pender
45 Doniphan-Trumbull Public Schs Doniphan
46 Battle Creek Public Schools Battle Creek
47 Ord Public Schools Ord
48 South Central Nebraska Unified 5 Fairfield
49 Centennial Public Schools Utica
50 Falls City Public Schools Falls City
51 Raymond Central Public Schools Raymond
52 Chadron Public Schools Chadron
53 West Point Public Schools West Point
54 Boone Central Schools Albion
55 Mullen Public Schools Mullen
56 Louisville Public Schools Louisville
57 Ralston Public Schools Ralston
58 St Paul Public Schools St Paul
59 Yutan Public Schools Yutan
60 Mitchell Public Schools Mitchell
61 Crete Public Schools Crete
62 Osceola Public Schools Osceola
63 Nebraska Unified District 1 Orchard
64 Minden Public Schools Minden
65 Southern Valley Schools Oxford
66 Hastings Public Schools Hastings
67 Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools Murdock
68 Centura Public Schools Cairo
69 Bloomfield Community Schools Bloomfield
70 Broken Bow Public Schools Broken Bow
71 Lakeview Community Schools Columbus
72 Lexington Public Schools Lexington
73 Palmyra District O R 1 Palmyra
74 Beatrice Public Schools Beatrice
75 Douglas Co West Community Schs Valley
76 Sutton Public Schools Sutton
77 Kenesaw Public Schools Kenesaw
78 Johnson-Brock Public Schools Johnson
79 Neligh-Oakdale Schools Neligh
80 Stuart Public Schools Stuart
81 Heartland Community Schools Henderson
82 Hershey Public Schools Hershey
83 Conestoga Public Schools Murray
84 Amherst Public Schools Amherst
85 Howells-Dodge Consolidated Schools Howells
86 Humboldt Table Rock Steinauer Humboldt
87 Perkins County Schools Grant
88 Plattsmouth Community Schools Plattsmouth
89 Wakefield Public Schools Wakefield
90 Cozad Community Schools Cozad
91 Central City Public Schools Central City
92 Ainsworth Community Schools Ainsworth
93 Ogallala Public Schools Ogallala
94 Wilber-Clatonia Public Schools Wilber
95 Plainview Public Schools Plainview
96 Gothenburg Public Schools Gothenburg
97 Franklin Public Schools Franklin
98 Fairbury Public Schools Fairbury
99 Chase County Schools Imperial
100 Osmond Community Schools Osmond
Methodology
The following variables contributed to the ranking: number of students (K-12), graduation rate, school funding per student, student to teacher ratio, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Math test, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Reading and Language test. Data from a total of 10,247 public school districts were used to compute a score for each school district. The following states were omitted due to lack of sufficient data: Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, and Virginia. Note that high schools in some states have their own independent districts.
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