Enrollment
143
Elementary
DISTRICT 112 · STATE 272
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·STERLING PUBLIC SCHOOLS·NCES 317719001633
STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
250 MAIN ST, STERLING, NE 68443 · (402) 866-4761 · Johnson County
GRADES PK–06ELEMENTARY42-RURALTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL143 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
12.5:1
11 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 11.0:1 · STATE 21.0:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
41%
59 students
DISTRICT 39% · STATE 37%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade
Student demographics
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Students here typically continue to
STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL→STERLING HIGH SCHOOL
Based on grade levels within STERLING PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
NSCAS 2024-25 . % On Track + AdvancedEnglish Language Arts
53.2%
NE avg 57.6%
Math
63.6%
NE avg 60.6%
What this means: On the NSCAS, Nebraska's statewide test, about 53 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 64 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Nebraska schools, those numbers are about 58 and 61.
Source: NSCAS. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
57.8%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
61.9%
based on NE schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-4.1pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 58% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 62% typical for Nebraska schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Nebraska's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
7-year change
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
143
+32 (+29%) vs 2017
Student : Teacher
12.5:1
was 9.4:1
% White
93%
was 95%
% Hispanic
6%
was 5%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
0%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
About STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
As a low-enrollment primary school in STERLING, Nebraska, STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL caters to 143 students from grades pre-K through 6, operated by STERLING PUBLIC SCHOOLS. By comparison, Nebraska's public schools average about 272 students each, so STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL sits 47% leaner than that benchmark.
Across the 2 schools in STERLING PUBLIC SCHOOLS (224 students total), STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL accounts for its share of the district's footprint.
Looking at the student body, STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL records that nearly all students (93%) are White. Beyond that, the school lists 6% Hispanic. By comparison, Johnson County as a whole is about 79% White, so the school skews visibly more White than its surroundings.
Looking at the economic backdrop, STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL records 11 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 12.5:1. The state averages around 21.0:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Around 41% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. That share is lower than Johnson County's rate of about 51%.
On a demographically-adjusted basis, STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 61.9%; this one delivers 57.8%.
In the area at large, the surrounding county (Johnson County) reports that the typical household earns roughly $57,632 per year, 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 6%. Across Johnson County's 6 public schools (combined enrollment of about 724 students), STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is one campus in the mix.
Nearest neighbor: STERLING HIGH SCHOOL, around 0.0 miles off. Within ten miles, there are 3 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas. On composite proficiency, STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL comes 7th of 7 in the immediate cluster, beneath the nearby-schools average of 64.2%.
The campus sits in a rural setting.
Over the past 7-year window. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL has rose 29%, going from 111 students in 2018 to 143 in 2025. The student-to-teacher ratio widened from 9.4:1 in 2018 to 12.5:1 today.
On this page, the feed for STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL typically covers school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Members of the school community can share what they know.
Johnson County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
5,261
Census ACS
Median income
$57,632
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
18%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
6%
Below federal line
Schools in county
6
724 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Nearby schools
- STERLING HIGH SCHOOL0.0 mi · 81
- FREEMAN ELEMENTARY-ADAMS7.2 mi · 280
- FREEMAN HIGH SCHOOL7.2 mi · 220
- JOHNSON CO CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL11.5 mi · 166
- JOHNSON CO CENTRAL EL-TECUMSEH11.5 mi · 158
- JOHNSON CO CENTRAL ELEM-COOK11.8 mi · 72
Frequently asked questions
About STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLHow large is STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?
STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL enrolls approximately 143 students in grades PK-06.
Is STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL an elementary, middle, or high school?
STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is an elementary school covering grades PK-06.
How many teachers does STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL have?
STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL employs 11 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 12.5:1.
What is the student diversity at STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?
Student demographics at STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL are roughly 93% White, 6% Hispanic, 1% Black, 1% Two or more.
What district is STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL in?
STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is part of STERLING PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.