Lee Elem

Set in Manhattan, Kansas, Lee Elem is a medium-sized elementary-level community, operated by Manhattan-Ogden. It educates 299 students across grades pre-K through 5.

Lee Elem is one of 14 schools operated by Manhattan-Ogden, a district that instructs 7,204 students overall.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Lee Elem shows that 47% of students identify as White, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups; the rest is composed of 19% Hispanic, 17% Black, 11% multiracial, 5% Asian. The wider county runs roughly 77% White, putting the school's mix noticeably less White than the area baseline.

Looking at school resources, Staff filings list 30 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 10.1:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 13.2:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Around 70% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. By comparison, Riley County runs at roughly 44%, so the school's eligibility rate is higher than the surrounding baseline.

With demographic context factored in, Lee Elem sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 28.9%; this one delivers 42.8%.

Across the wider county, ACS estimates for Riley County put median household earnings sit near $61,098, roughly 49% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Riley County's 18 public schools (combined enrollment of about 8,145 students), Lee Elem is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Manhattan Virtual Academy, around 0.5 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Lee Elem. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Lee Elem at 7th of 8; the average score across the group is 51.4%.

Geographically, the school is in a high-density area.

Over the past 7-year window. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Lee Elem has ticked down 39%, going from 490 students in 2018 to 299 in 2025. The White share of enrollment edged down from 57% to 47% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 11.2:1 in 2018 to 10.1:1 today.

Inside the community feed, members of the Lee Elem community share and discuss science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.