Total enrollment
1,434
-85 (-6%) vs SY 2020-21
Rice County
Kansas · Public K-12
Of the public K-12 schools operating across Kansas, 11 sit inside Rice County, collectively enrolling roughly 1,434 students (4 elementary, 2 middle, and 4 high).
4-year change in Rice County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
10
-1 (-9%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Rice County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Kansas | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 39.5% | #16 of 57 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,434 | #49 of 61 | #2,518 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 10 | #35 of 61 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 10.2:1 | #4 of 61 | #160 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 57.9% | #21 of 61 | #1,208 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 43.0% | #24 of 60 | #1,379 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Rice County school rankings
Residents
9,350
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
11
4 districts
Enrollment
1,434
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$63,925
Below Kansas avg
Free/reduced lunch
58.0%
Above Kansas avg
Elementary
4
638 students
Middle
2
206 students
High
4
590 students
Combined / other
1
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Lyons
692 students · 4 districts in Rice County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Rice County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
25.9%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
4.4%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.4%
civilian labor
Median age
39
23.4% under 18
Test scores in Rice County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 7 schools ranked. Kansas state average: 44.5%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Lyons High School· 17.5%
- Lyons Middle School· 28.7%
- Chase Raymond Primary Intermediate School· 32.5%
- Lyons Central Elementary· 37.7%
- Sterling Junior High/Senior High· 46.7%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Grade School | Sterling | Elementary | PK-06 | 268 | · |
| Sterling Junior High/Senior High | Sterling | High | 07-12 | 232 | · |
| Lyons High School | Lyons | High | 09-12 | 221 | · |
| Lyons Middle School | Lyons | Middle | 06-08 | 173 | · |
| Lyons Park Elementary | Lyons | Elementary | PK-02 | 166 | · |
| Lyons Central Elementary | Lyons | Elementary | 03-05 | 132 | · |
| Little River High | Little River | High | 09-12 | 89 | · |
| Chase Raymond Primary Intermediate School | Chase | Elementary | PK-07 | 72 | · |
| Chase High | Chase | High | 08-12 | 48 | · |
| Little River Junior High | Little River | Middle | 07-08 | 33 | · |
| Raymond Jr High | Chase | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Rice County
About Rice County
In Kansas, Rice County is a rural-scale county of about 9,350 residents. 11 public schools across the county teaches about 1,434 students between them.
Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show the median household earns about $63,925 a year, about 26% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 4%.
Looking at the level breakdown, Rice County comprises 4 elementary schools (638 students), 2 middle schools (206), 4 high schools (590), and 1 combined or other schools.
Lyons is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 692 students across Rice County.
Over the past 4-year window. Total public-school enrollment in Rice County has declined 6% since SY 2020-21, moving from about 1,519 students to 1,434. The school count fell from 11 to 10 across the same 4-year window.
On this page, the community for Rice County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data