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All rankings · Nebraska

Best Nebraska public schools

Eight rankings of Nebraska's public schools from the latest NCES + state-assessment data. Unlike most school rankings, this list leads with BeatsExpectations: a demographics-adjusted score that asks how a school performs relative to what its student population would predict, not just in absolute terms.

Nebraska schools outperforming demographics

Top schools by BeatsExpectations score. Demographically-adjusted; a +20 here means the school posts 20 more proficiency points than its FRL profile predicts.
#SchoolCityBeats by
1HITCHCOCK ELEMENTARY SCHOOLOMAHA+19.1pp
2MORRILL ELEMENTARYMORRILL+17.9pp
3WEST POINT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLWEST POINT+17.3pp
4PENDER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPENDER+16.9pp
5PENDER HIGH SCHOOLPENDER+16.7pp
6SOUTHERN VALLEY JR/SR HIGHOXFORD+15.3pp
7SO VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLOXFORD+15.3pp
8SEYMOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLRALSTON+14.7pp
9SANDY CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOLFAIRFIELD+14.4pp
10GRACE ABBOTT ELEM SCHOOLOMAHA+13.5pp
11WOOD RIVER RURAL MIDDLE SCHOOLWOOD RIVER+13.5pp
12PLATTE CENTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPLATTE CENTER+13.3pp
13CHASE COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOLIMPERIAL+13.2pp
14BLUE SAGE ELEMENTARYELKHORN+13.1pp
15PLEASANTON HIGH SCHOOLPLEASANTON+12.8pp
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Nebraska Title I schools beating the odds

High-poverty schools (60%+ FRL) ranking in the top quartile of their state's proficiency.
#SchoolCityProficient
1MORRILL ELEMENTARYMORRILL68.8%
2DAKOTA CITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLDAKOTA CITY64.8%
3WESTSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLNORFOLK63.5%
4EMERSON-HUBBARD ELEMENTARY SCHEMERSON63.3%
5GARDEN COUNTY ELEMENTARY SCHOSHKOSH61.4%
6NORTHFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLGERING61.1%
7JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLNORFOLK60.5%
8MADISON MIDDLE SCHOOLMADISON59.5%
9JOHNSON CO CENTRAL MIDDLE SCHCOOK59.3%
10STODDARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLBEATRICE57.4%
11CARDINAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLSO SIOUX CITY56.6%
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Nebraska schools by raw proficiency

The traditional ranking: highest combined math + reading proficiency on the state assessment.
#SchoolCityProficient
1BLUE SAGE ELEMENTARYELKHORN88.5%
2ALDRICH ELEMENTARYOMAHA86.1%
3FIRE RIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLELKHORN85.1%
4HITCHCOCK ELEMENTARY SCHOOLOMAHA84.9%
5BENNINGTON SOUTH MIDDLE SCHOOLBENNINGTON84.2%
6WEST BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLOMAHA83.9%
7GRACE ABBOTT ELEM SCHOOLOMAHA83.9%
8SPRING RIDGE ELEMENTARYOMAHA83.6%
9ELKHORN VALLEY VIEW MIDDLE SCHOOLELKHORN82.6%
10SKYLINE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLELKHORN82.6%
11BATTLE CREEK HIGH SCHOOLBATTLE CREEK81.9%
12MANCHESTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLOMAHA81.7%
13UPCHURCH ELEMENTARYOMAHA81.5%
14ELKHORN NORTH RIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOLOMAHA81.5%
15WOODBROOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOLELKHORN81.3%
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Nebraska schools with the lowest student-teacher ratios

Schools with 200+ students reporting the fewest students per teacher. Excludes virtual.
#SchoolCityRatio
1WEST POINT-BEEMER HIGH SCHOOLWEST POINT8.6:1
2ORD JR-SR HIGH SCHOOLORD9.1:1
3UMO N HO N NATION ELEM SCHOOLMACY9.1:1
4HUNTINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLLINCOLN9.7:1
5WOOD RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLWOOD RIVER9.8:1
6ELLIOTT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLLINCOLN9.8:1
7FALLS CITY SENIOR HIGHFALLS CITY9.8:1
8WEST HOLT HIGH SCHOOLATKINSON9.9:1
9CHASE COUNTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLIMPERIAL9.9:1
10MCPHEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLLINCOLN9.9:1
11ELMWOOD-MURDOCK JR/SR HIGH SCHMURDOCK10.0:1
12SARATOGA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLLINCOLN10.0:1
13SUMMERLAND HIGH SCHOOLEWING10.0:1
14HOLLING HEIGHTS ELEM SCHOOLOMAHA10.0:1
15HIGH SCHOOL AT TEKAMAHTEKAMAH10.0:1
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Fastest-growing Nebraska public schools, 2017-2024

Schools open in both years with 200+ enrollment in 2017, ranked by % change.
#SchoolCityEnrollment Δ
1MOORE MIDDLE SCHOOLLINCOLN+177%
2ASPEN CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOLOMAHA+93%
3BENNINGTON HIGH SCHOOLBENNINGTON+84%
4WYSONG ELEMENTARYLINCOLN+70%
5ARBOR VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOLELKHORN+65%
6HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLFREMONT+58%
7WESTERN HILLS MAGNET CENTEROMAHA+53%
8KEARNEY EDUCATION CENTERKEARNEY+51%
9LOTHROP MAGNET CENTEROMAHA+44%
10WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLFREMONT+42%
11LIBERTY MIDDLE SCHOOLPAPILLION+41%
12BATTLE CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOLBATTLE CREEK+40%
13GERING MIDDLE SCHOOLGERING+39%
14BLAIR DEERFIELD ELEMENTARYBLAIR+37%
15SPRINGFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLSPRINGFIELD+37%
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Most racially diverse Nebraska public schools

Schools ranked by how balanced their student body is. The largest single racial group's share of enrollment, lowest first.
#SchoolCityMax group
1DODGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLOMAHA27.1% White (130)
2SPRINGVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLOMAHA28.4% Asian (122)
3MASTERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLOMAHA29.9% White (84)
4ADAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLOMAHA30.4% White (82)
5PRAIRIE WIND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLOMAHA30.6% White (197)
6BENSON HIGH SCHOOLOMAHA31.0% Black (461)
7BOYD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLOMAHA31.1% Black (170)
8EDISON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLOMAHA31.1% White (112)
9WESTERN HILLS MAGNET CENTEROMAHA31.3% White (118)
10LEWIS & CLARK MIDDLE SCHOOLOMAHA31.5% Black (264)
11HARTLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLLINCOLN32.0% White (109)
12BENSON WEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLOMAHA32.1% Black (86)
13SUNNY SLOPE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLOMAHA32.2% Black (139)
14BURKE HIGH SCHOOLOMAHA33.0% White (559)
15WILSON FOCUS SCHOOLOMAHA33.2% Black (67)
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Largest Nebraska public schools

Brick-and-mortar schools ranked by total enrollment. Virtual schools excluded.
#SchoolCityStudents
1GRAND ISLAND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLGRAND ISLAND2,696
2CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOLOMAHA2,587
3MILLARD NORTH HIGH SCHOOLOMAHA2,572
4MILLARD SOUTH HIGH SCHOOLOMAHA2,526
5SOUTH HIGH SCHOOLOMAHA2,412
6MILLARD WEST HIGH SCHOOLOMAHA2,344
7WESTSIDE HIGH SCHOOLOMAHA2,145
8SOUTHWEST HIGH SCHOOLLINCOLN2,110
9LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOLLINCOLN2,086
10PAPILLION LA VISTA SOUTH HSPAPILLION2,038
11LINCOLN EAST HIGH SCHOOLLINCOLN1,982
12NORTH STAR HIGH SCHOOLLINCOLN1,927
13PAPILLION LA VISTA SENIOR HIGHPAPILLION1,867
14LINCOLN SOUTHEAST HIGH SCHOOLLINCOLN1,848
15LINCOLN NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOLLINCOLN1,819
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Nebraska schools underperforming demographics

Bottom 10% within state by BeatsExpectations. Not a verdict, a starting question. A school may be in leadership transition or recovering from a demographic shift.
#SchoolCityBeats by
1ARNOLD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLARNOLD-21.8pp
2GERING MIDDLE SCHOOLGERING-20.7pp
3SILVER LAKE HIGH SCHOOLROSELAND-18.6pp
4HAMPTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLHAMPTON-16.1pp
5SANDOZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOLLEXINGTON-16.1pp
6STAPLETON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLSTAPLETON-15.6pp
7WILBER-CLATONIA MIDDLE SCHOOLWILBER-15.4pp
8LOST CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHCOLUMBUS-15.2pp
9NORRIS MIDDLE SCHOOLFIRTH-14.1pp
10SCHUYLER MIDDLE SCHOOLSCHUYLER-13.7pp
11BRUNING-DAVENPORT MIDDLE SCHDAVENPORT-13.5pp
12SECONDARY SCH AT RAYMONDRAYMOND-13.4pp
13LINDEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLFREMONT-13.4pp
14MILLARD CENTRAL MIDDLE SCHOOLOMAHA-13.0pp
15ASHLAND-GREENWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOLASHLAND-12.9pp
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About these rankings

These tables use the most recent NCES Common Core of Data (2024-25) for enrollment, demographics, and staffing, and state-native assessment data (typically 2023-24 or 2024-25) for proficiency. BeatsExpectations is computed via per-state ordinary-least-squares regression of composite proficiency on free-and-reduced-lunch share. Full methodology.

License: CC-BY 4.0. Reproduce these rankings anywhere with attribution to allk12.com. Press contact: [email protected].

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