Kearney School District

320 W 24th St
Kearney, NE 68845-5331
(District boundaries shown in map)
7/
10
Top 50%

Top Rankings

Kearney School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Nebraska for:

Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 5%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 11 public preschools serving 3,217 students in Kearney School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 8/10, which is in the top 30% of public pre schools in Nebraska.
Public Preschools in Kearney School District have an average math proficiency score of 75% (versus the Nebraska public pre school average of 60%), and reading proficiency score of 61% (versus the 50% statewide average).
The top-ranked public preschools in Kearney School District are Meadowlark Elementary School, Windy Hills Elementary School and Glenwood Elementary School. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking. Minority enrollment is 25% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Nebraska public preschool average of 40% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (NE)
# Schools
15 Schools
604 Schools
# Students
6,066 Students
159,349 Students
# Teachers
389 Teachers
11,655 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Kearney School District, which is ranked within the top 30% of all 245 school districts in Nebraska (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 94% has increased from 88% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (NE)
#82 out of 246 school districts
(Top 50%)
69%
58%
56%
47%
73%
62%
94%
87%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.39
0.58
% American Indian
1%
2%
% Asian
1%
3%
% Hispanic
17%
23%
% Black
2%
7%
% White
76%
60%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
3%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $13,017 in this school district is less than the state median of $15,371. The school district revenue/student has grown by 8% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,821 is less than the state median of $16,674. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (NE)
Total Revenue
$79 MM
$5,080 MM
Spending
$72 MM
$5,511 MM
Revenue / Student
$13,017
$15,371
Spending / Student
$11,821
$16,674

Best Kearney School District Public Preschools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Meadowlark Elementary School
(Math: 90-94% | Reading: 80-84%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
1010 E 53rd St
Kearney, NE 68847
(308) 698-8210
Gr: PK-5 | 417 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 14%
Rank: #22.
Windy Hills Elementary School
(Math: 85-89% | Reading: 70-74%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
4211 20th Ave
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8220
Gr: PK-5 | 259 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 14%
Rank: #33.
Glenwood Elementary School
(Math: 85-89% | Reading: 65-69%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
8105 9th Ave
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8240
Gr: PK-5 | 118 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 4%
Rank: #44.
Park Elementary School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 75-79%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
3000 7th Ave
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8280
Gr: PK-5 | 257 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 18%
Rank: #55.
Buffalo Hills Elementary School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
6110 11th Avenue
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8290
Gr: PK-5 | 272 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 11%
Rank: #66.
Kenwood Elementary School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
915 16th Ave
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8200
Gr: PK-5 | 398 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 22%
Rank: #77.
Central Elementary School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
300 W 24th St
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8040
Gr: PK-5 | 284 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 47%
Rank: #8 - 98. - 9.
Bryant Elementary School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
1611 Ave C
Kearney, NE 68847
(308) 698-8190
Gr: PK-5 | 248 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 43%
Rank: #8 - 98. - 9.
Northeast Elementary School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
910 E 34th St
Kearney, NE 68847
(308) 698-8230
Gr: PK-5 | 397 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 36%
Rank: #1010.
Emerson Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
2705 Ave E
Kearney, NE 68847
(308) 698-8270
Gr: PK-5 | 235 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 35%
Rank: n/an/a
1511 5th Avenue
Kearney, NE 68845
(308) 698-8033
Gr: PK | 332 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 23%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 15 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 6,066 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 16:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 24%
  • : 94% (Top 5% in NE)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 69% (Top 50%)
  • : 56% (Top 30%)
  • : 73% (Top 30%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NE Dept. of Education

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