Total enrollment
887
-113 (-11%) vs SY 2017-18
Russell County
Kansas · Public K-12
Within Russell County, Kansas, families have 5 public-school options to consider, collectively serving 1,075 K-12 students. Russell County Public Schools is the heaviest district by enrollment. That works out to 3 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools.
7-year change in Russell County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
4
-1 (-20%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
88%
was 87%
% Hispanic
5%
was 6%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
0%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
6,679
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
5
2 districts
Enrollment
1,075
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$62,392
Below Kansas avg
Free/reduced lunch
49.9%
Below Kansas avg
Elementary
3
559 students
Middle
1
188 students
High
1
328 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Russell County Public Schools
950 students · 2 districts in Russell County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Russell 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+
19.7%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
9.8%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
1.8%
civilian labor
Median age
44
21.9% under 18
Test scores in Russell County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 3 schools ranked. Kansas state average: 44.5%.
Top 3 schools (ELA)
- Bickerdyke Elem· 41.7%
- Lucas/Sylvan Elementary Unified· 41.4%
- Russell Junior-Senior High· 30.1%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell Junior-Senior High | Russell | High | 07-12 | 328 | · |
| Bickerdyke Elem | Russell | Elementary | 02-06 | 261 | · |
| Ruppenthal Middle | Russell | Middle | 06-08 | 188 | · |
| Simpson Elem | Russell | Elementary | PK-01 | 173 | · |
| Lucas/Sylvan Elementary Unified | Lucas | Elementary | PK-06 | 125 | · |
Cities in Russell County
About Russell County
Russell County is a sparse Kansas county of about 6,679 residents, home to 5 public schools and roughly 1,075 students.
Looking at the wider area, census numbers show median household income runs near $62,392, 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the federal-poverty share is near 10%. That income level is 6% below the Kansas median.
In terms of grade levels, Russell County is made up of 3 elementary schools (559 students), 1 middle school (188), and 1 high school (328).
The largest single district in Russell County is Russell County Public Schools, which alone enrolls about 950 students.
Looking at the last 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment declined 11%: 1,000 students in SY 2017-18 versus 887 in SY 2024-25. The school count fell from 5 to 4 across the same 7-year window.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Russell County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data