Hays High

Hays High is a large high school in Hays, Kansas, (ZIP code 67601). Its 1,017 students are spread across grades 9 through 12. The school's enrollment is 148% above the 410 average for high schools in Kansas.

Hays runs Hays High along with 6 other schools, enrolling 3,434 students in total.

White students are the majority at Hays High, with 80% of enrollment. Other groups make up 13% Hispanic, 5% multiracial, and 2% Black. Ellis County as a whole is about 89% White, so the school's share is lower. The school's diversity index is 35%, meaning two students picked at random have a 35% chance of belonging to different racial or ethnic groups.

Dividing enrollment by its 63 full-time-equivalent teachers gives a ratio of about 16.1:1. That is higher than the 11.9:1 average for high schools in Kansas. Eligible students account for 41% of enrollment in the free or reduced-price lunch program. That tracks the 41% average for public schools in Ellis County.

Hays High sits between the top and bottom 10% of Kansas schools on BeatsExpectations, with an actual average proficiency rate on state tests of 36.8% and a predicted 42.4%.

Census estimates describe Ellis County this way: the median household income is $63,084, a bachelor's degree or higher is held by about 39% of adults, and the share of residents below the poverty line is 11%. In all, Ellis County has 11 public schools and roughly 4,040 students.

The closest other public school is Roosevelt Elem, about 0.8 miles away. Hays High has 6 other public schools within five miles. Hays High ranks 6th of 8 among nearby schools on average proficiency, with 36.8% against a local average of 47.4%.

The federal government classifies Hays High's location as Town: Remote.

Hays High's enrollment grew from 937 in 2020-21 to 1,017 in 2024-25. In 2020-21, the student-to-teacher ratio was 17.7:1; by 2024-25 it was 16.1:1.

Community posts for Hays High can cover enrollment questions, class placement, and PTA news. Alumni can share how the school prepared them.