2024 Best Elementary Schools in Nebraska

The Complete Guide to Elementary Schools in Nebraska

The state of Nebraska has a total of 716 elementary schools that are located across various cities and towns. This total is about 50% more than the national average, which may be attributed to the fact that Nebraska is known for having a lower population density than most states. On a per capita basis, Nebraska ranks in the nation’s top 7 states for elementary schools per capita.

As far as the average quality rating amongst all schools goes, Nebraska earns a B grade - right in line with the national average. However, if you seek above average school performance, just 39% of all elementary schools (282 out of 716) would qualify. Narrowing that down further, if you’re looking for only schools in the nation’s top 25% (also known as the top quartile), you’d be left with 166 schools across the entire state. That still leaves a large array of possibilities that are generally considered very high performing.

Are public elementary schools in Nebraska a good option?

With 556 public elementary schools in the state, it would seem that the public school system is still quite prevalent in Nebraska. And, if you’re looking for quantity over quality, nearly all such traditional public schools (98%) are B– or higher in grade performance. If however, you've really got high hopes for you little one, and you're targeting something well above the national average, parents should be aware that only about 49% of all traditional public elementary schools (265 out of 544) are rated above the national average.

What is the best public elementary school in Nebraska?

One of the best traditional public elementary schools in the state of Nebraska can be found in Elkhorn - Blue Sage Elementary School. This school has 357 students and a student to teacher ratio of 14:1 which is slightly below the national average of 15:1 - but the difference is almost negligable. A lower student to teacher ratio typically leads to improved learning outcomes, but really it's just one factor amongst many that should be considered. Blue Sage Elementary School stands out amongst nearly more than 500 other public schools in the state.

Key statistics about charter elementary schools in Nebraska

Charter schools are not as common in Nebraska as they are in other states, some point to state laws as part of the reason. As such, there are no charter elementary schools located within the state borders at this time.

Everything you need to know about magnet elementary schools in Nebraska

Like charter schools, magnet elementary schools are also not as common as other educational options when it comes to Nebraska specifically due to various laws and regulations. Nonetheless, there are 12 magnet elementary schools located within the state and on average they score just a C grade - slightly below the national average of B, which is unfortunate given the very nature of the school type being custom (as opposed to traditional public). Of those 12 magnet options, only one ranks above the national average - Aldrich Elementary School located in Omaha. It has 465 students and a student-to-teacher ratio of 19:1 which is slightly above the national average of 13:1 - so this can mean less individual attention per student at times.

Are private elementary schools in Nebraska a good option?

With 158 private elementary school available throughout the state, parents have numerous potential options for their children’s education needs. On average these private institutions score a B+ grade which is slightly above the national average B rating for all elementary schools (public or private). Furthermore, 94% of these private options are religious based institutions with most being Catholic based facilities (83 total). The top religious private option would be Lincoln Christian School which is located in Lincoln and its 700 students. The school tallies a 16:1 student-to-teacher ratio which is 14% higher than the usual US average. Parents would be wise to double-check with the school regarding how they manage class sizes while keeping a eager focus on quality education. As expected though, it still touts a strong A– rating.

As far as non-religious private options go, there are just 9 such locations throughout all of Nebraska - making them a less common option than their religious counterparts. The best non-religious private school would be Brownell Talbot College Preparatory School located in Omaha with 441 students, and boasting small class sizes, as evidenced by an impressive 9:1 student-to-teacher ratio (beating the national average by 36%). This is one of many factors that contributed to the school scoring an A+ grade.

Finally, there’s one all-boys school located within Nebraska and one online school option as well — both being relatively uncommon options when compared with other states across America at this time due to various laws and regulations set forth by the state itself.