2024 Best Elementary Schools in Kansas

The Complete Guide to Elementary Schools in Kansas

The state of Kansas has nearly one thousand different elementary schools (956) spread across a variety of cities and urban centers, some of the largest being Wichita, Kansas City and Olathe. That’s 34% more than the average state, although on a per capita basis, Kansas actually ranks #10th in the nation, so there's a fair amount of elementary school concentration in the state - after normalizing for the total population. This can be a rather staggering number of paths to evalaute, and with the vast majority earning a B grade or better. The good thing is, there's lots of great pathways, the downside, it can really take some time evaluate the best options one by one.

In fact, 43% of the elementary schools in Kansas are ranked above the national average, a total of 409 schools. That’s no small number either, meaning there’s plenty of options available for those that want their child to attend a school above average in quality. Narrowing that down even further to schools that rank in the top 25% of the nation, that total slims to 244.

Are public elementary schools in Kansas a good option?

Kansas has 777 public elementary schools in total which is about 81% of all elementary schools within the state. Of those 777 public elementary schools, traditional public schools comprise 97% or about 751 of them. That’s a large number with plenty of potential choices for parents to evaluate. Of those 751 traditional public schools, half (50%) are rated above the national average - meaning there’s still nearly 400 options worth considering.

What is the best public elementary school in Kansas?

The best public elementary school in Kansas is Sunset Ridge Elementary School located in Overland Park. Its student population counts 419 students and it has a student to teacher ratio of 14:1 - which is spot on with the typical US elementary school. Searching for a lower student to teacher ratio may be necessary if you want your child to receive extra attention from instructors - although that alone certianly doesn't necessarily guarantee an improved learning outcome. Out of nearly 800 different traditional public schools in Kansas, about half are rated above the national average.

Key statistics about charter elementary schools in Kansas

Are charter schools in Kansas a good option? This really depends on your preference but with only 3 charter elementary schools within the state, it doesn’t offer as much choice compared to other states but still may be worth considering if it fits your needs and preferences. Although there are just 3 total charter elementary schools, unfortunately none of them score above the national average grade with all 3 earning a C grade instead. It should also be noted that this is 89% lower than most other states per capita - so there still may be some hidden gems within this group even though overall quality may not be on par with other states on average.

What is the best charter elementary school in Kansas?

When looking at all 3 charter elementary schools in Kansas, Yoder Charter Elementary School was deemed as the top choice based on its C+ grade. Although the grade puts it below the national average, it does have a 36% small student to teacher ratio (9:1) which can mean your kids can potentially receive greater individual focus from teachers and faculty at the school. The school has 65 students enrolled currently and is located near Wichita, making it accessible for parents and students who live nearby.

Everything you need to know about magnet elementary schools in Kansas

Magnet elementary schools are not as prevalent within Kansas with only 23 such options spread across 12 cities throughout the state - placing Kansas at #12th in per capita terms for magnet school availability vs other states. Despite this relatively low number, about half (9%) score above average with an A+ or A grade - meaning there are still 2 potential options for parents when evaluating magnet school choices in their area. The median grade for magnet school overall is C+ however - so be mindful when evaluating these options as well before making any final decisions.

What is the best magnet elementary school in Kansas?

Bostic Traditional Magnet Elementary School can be found near Wichita and is considered one of the highest quality magnet school choices available within Kansas - winning out amongst 22 other competing magnet options. It serves 290 students currently and has a 16:1 student to teacher ratio - 14% higher than most other US elementary school options but still below some states' averages as well.