Total enrollment
21,538
+185 (+1%) vs SY 2020-21
43 schools in Kansas City
Kansas · 21,538 students · 1 city
Kansas City's public schools total 43 across the district, with enrollment of about 21,538 and an average school size near 501.
4-year change in Kansas City
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
43
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Kansas City ranks
Among districts| Measure | This district | In Kansas | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 15.1% | #124 of 124 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 21,538 | #5 of 156 | #360 of 9,234 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 43 | #4 of 156 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 15.9:1 | #148 of 154 | #6,343 of 9,044 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 82.4% | #3 of 156 | #1,079 of 8,164 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 59.4% | #12 of 85 | #1,709 of 6,853 |
Districts need at least 2 schools and 500 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.
Inside Kansas City
State test results across the district's 40 scored schools run from Sumner Academy of Arts & Science at 48.6% proficient to J C Harmon High at 4.3%, a gap of 44.3 points. That is the 7th widest gap among 60 Kansas districts with four or more scored schools.
Since 2017-18, the 38 district schools that reported both years went from 20,188 to 19,707 students (down 2%) and from 1,429 to 1,237 full-time teachers (down 13%), as of 2024-25.
Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across each school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25; schools with fewer than 100 students and schools serving specialized populations are left out. Staffing figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data and count only schools that reported students and teachers in both years.
About Kansas City
Across 43 schools, Kansas City instructs about 21,538 students in Kansas. By footprint it is a middle-population district.
In terms of grade levels, Kansas City spans 28 elementary, 7 middle, 7 high schools, and 1 combined or other.
Per-school enrollment averages around 501 in this district, noticeably above the Kansas typical of 355.
Looking at the last 4 years. Total public-school enrollment in Kansas City has held roughly steady since SY 2020-21, moving from about 21,353 students to 21,538.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Kansas City discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.