Top Rankings
Kearney School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Nebraska for:
Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 5%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 15 public schools serving 6,066 students in Kearney School District. This district's average testing ranking is 8/10, which is in the top 30% of public schools in Nebraska.
Public Schools in Kearney School District have an average math proficiency score of 69% (versus the Nebraska public school average of 58%), and reading proficiency score of 56% (versus the 47% statewide average).
The top-ranked public schools in Kearney School District are Meadowlark Elementary School, Windy Hills Elementary School and Glenwood Elementary School. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking. Kearney School District has one of the highest concentrations of top-ranked public schools in Nebraska.
Minority enrollment is 24% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Nebraska public school average of 39% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NE)
# Schools
15 Schools
1,098 Schools
# Students
6,066 Students
330,500 Students
# Teachers
389 Teachers
24,242 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Kearney School District, which is ranked within the top 30% of all 245 school districts in Nebraska (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 94% has increased from 88% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#82 out of 246 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
69%
58%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
56%
47%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
73%
62%
Graduation Rate
94%
87%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.39
0.58
% American Indian
1%
1%
% Asian
1%
3%
% Hispanic
17%
23%
% Black
2%
7%
% White
76%
61%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
3%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $13,017 in this school district is less than the state median of $15,371. The school district revenue/student has grown by 8% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,821 is less than the state median of $16,674. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$79 MM
$5,080 MM
Spending
$72 MM
$5,511 MM
Revenue / Student
$13,017
$15,371
Spending / Student
$11,821
$16,674
Best Kearney School District Public Schools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Meadowlark Elementary School
(Math: 90-94% | Reading: 80-84%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 1%10
1010 E 53rd St
Kearney, NE 68847
(308) 698-8210
Kearney, NE 68847
(308) 698-8210
Gr: PK-5 | 417 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 14%
Rank: #22.
Windy Hills Elementary School
(Math: 85-89% | Reading: 70-74%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
4211 20th Ave
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8220
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8220
Gr: PK-5 | 259 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 14%
Rank: #33.
Glenwood Elementary School
(Math: 85-89% | Reading: 65-69%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
8105 9th Ave
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8240
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8240
Gr: PK-5 | 118 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 4%
Rank: #44.
Park Elementary School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 75-79%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
3000 7th Ave
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8280
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8280
Gr: PK-5 | 257 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 18%
Rank: #55.
Buffalo Hills Elementary School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
6110 11th Avenue
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8290
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8290
Gr: PK-5 | 272 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 11%
Rank: #66.
Kenwood Elementary School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
915 16th Ave
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8200
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8200
Gr: PK-5 | 398 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 22%
Rank: #77.
Horizon Middle School
(Math: 74% | Reading: 56%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
915 W 35th St
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8120
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8120
Gr: 6-8 | 648 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 22%
Rank: #88.
Central Elementary School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
300 W 24th St
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8040
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8040
Gr: PK-5 | 284 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 47%
Rank: #99.
Sunrise Middle School
(Math: 63% | Reading: 49%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
4611 Ave N
Kearney, NE 68847
(308) 698-8150
Kearney, NE 68847
(308) 698-8150
Gr: 6-8 | 536 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 27%
Rank: #10 - 1110. - 11.
Bryant Elementary School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
1611 Ave C
Kearney, NE 68847
(308) 698-8190
Kearney, NE 68847
(308) 698-8190
Gr: PK-5 | 248 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 43%
Rank: #10 - 1110. - 11.
Northeast Elementary School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
910 E 34th St
Kearney, NE 68847
(308) 698-8230
Kearney, NE 68847
(308) 698-8230
Gr: PK-5 | 397 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 36%
Rank: #1212.
Kearney High School
(Math: 53% | Reading: 47%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
2702 West 11th Street
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8060
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8060
Gr: 9-12 | 1,663 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 21%
Rank: #1313.
Emerson Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
2705 Ave E
Kearney, NE 68847
(308) 698-8270
Kearney, NE 68847
(308) 698-8270
Gr: PK-5 | 235 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 35%
Rank: n/an/a
Hanny Arram Center
Alternative School
3907 6th Avenue
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-6900
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-6900
Gr: 6-12 | 2 students
Rank: n/an/a
1511 5th Avenue
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8033
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8033
Gr: PK | 332 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 23%
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools belong to Kearney School District?
Kearney School District manages 15 public schools serving 6,066 students.
What is the rank of Kearney School District?
Kearney School District is ranked #69 out of 245 school districts in Nebraska (top 30%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2022-2023 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of Nebraska school districts for: Highest graduation rate (Top 5%) and Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
What is the racial composition of students in Kearney School District?
76% of Kearney School District students are White, 17% of students are Hispanic, 3% of students are Two or more races, 2% of students are Black, 1% of students are American Indian, and 1% of students are Asian.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Kearney School District?
Kearney School District has a student/teacher ratio of 16:1, which is higher than the Nebraska state average of 14:1.
What is Kearney School District's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $11,821 is less than the state median of $16,674. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
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