Best public high schools in Kansas
As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a ’96 commencement address at Wellesley College, “Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.” If that’s the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.
It’s a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, public education is key: 49.4 million students enrolled in public pre-K-12 schools in fall 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, about a third were in high school, enrolled across about 23,500 public secondary schools nationwide.
For many anxious parents, getting their kids into the best of these public high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to get into better school districts. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.
Stacker compiled a list of the 30 best public high schools in Kansas using 2023 rankings from Niche. Niche uses seven weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics, but other factors include culture and diversity; sports; clubs and activities; resources; and surveys of parents, teachers, and students. School districts are provided when available; otherwise, the city is listed instead.
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#30. Eudora High School
– Location: Eudora Unified School District, KS
– Enrollment: 535 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A-
#29. Rock Creek Junior/Senior High School
– Location: Rock Creek Unified School District, KS
– Enrollment: 316 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A-
#28. Hesston High School
– Location: Hesston Unified School District, KS
– Enrollment: 260 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A-
#27. Silver Lake Junior/Senior High School
– Location: Silver Lake Unified School District, KS
– Enrollment: 336 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A-
#26. Wakefield High School
– Location: Clay Center Unified School District, KS
– Enrollment: 65 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A-
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#25. Valley Falls High School
– Location: Valley Falls Unified School District, KS
– Enrollment: 117 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A-
#24. St. Marys Junior/Senior High School
– Location: Kaw Valley Unified School District, KS
– Enrollment: 262 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A-
#23. Lawrence Free State High School
– Location: Lawrence Unified School District, KS
– Enrollment: 1,832 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A-
#22. Olathe East High School
– Location: Olathe Public Schools, KS
– Enrollment: 1,885 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A-
#21. Maize South High School
– Location: Maize Unified School District, KS
– Enrollment: 1,110 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A-
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#20. Washburn Rural High School
– Location: Auburn Washburn Unified School District, KS
– Enrollment: 1,868 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A-
#19. Sterling Junior/Senior High School
– Location: Sterling Unified School District, KS
– Enrollment: 216 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A-
#18. Olathe South High School
– Location: Olathe Public Schools, KS
– Enrollment: 1,944 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A-
#17. Andover High School
– Location: Andover Public Schools, KS
– Enrollment: 1,004 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A-
#16. Chapman High School
– Location: Chapman Unified School District, KS
– Enrollment: 348 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
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#15. Mill Valley High School
– Location: DeSoto Unified School District, KS
– Enrollment: 1,317 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#14. Andover Central High School
– Location: Andover Public Schools, KS
– Enrollment: 893 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#13. De Soto High School
– Location: DeSoto Unified School District, KS
– Enrollment: 976 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#12. Shawnee Mission South High School
– Location: Shawnee Mission School District, KS
– Enrollment: 1,512 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#11. Manhattan High School
– Location: Manhattan-Ogden Unified School District #383, KS
– Enrollment: 1,876 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
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#10. Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
– Location: Shawnee Mission School District, KS
– Enrollment: 1,665 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#9. Olathe Northwest High School
– Location: Olathe Public Schools, KS
– Enrollment: 1,908 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#8. Blue Valley Southwest High School
– Location: Blue Valley Unified School District (Overland Park), KS
– Enrollment: 1,071 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#7. Sumner Academy of Arts & Science
– Location: Kansas City Kansas Public Schools, KS
– Enrollment: 999 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#6. Olathe North High School
– Location: Olathe Public Schools, KS
– Enrollment: 2,093 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
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#5. Shawnee Mission East High School
– Location: Shawnee Mission School District, KS
– Enrollment: 1,676 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#4. Blue Valley Northwest High School
– Location: Blue Valley Unified School District (Overland Park), KS
– Enrollment: 1,569 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
#3. Blue Valley West High School
– Location: Blue Valley Unified School District (Overland Park), KS
– Enrollment: 1,654 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
#2. Blue Valley High School
– Location: Blue Valley Unified School District (Overland Park), KS
– Enrollment: 1,487 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
#1. Blue Valley North High School
– Location: Blue Valley Unified School District (Overland Park), KS
– Enrollment: 1,531 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
This story features data reporting and writing by Emma Rubin and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
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By Stacker
You know, it’s great to see so many top-notch public high schools in Kansas! They not only excel academically but also offer AP courses and community partnerships that really boost students’ experiences.
Those AP courses really give students a leg up for college. Plus, community partnerships can make a huge difference. My friend’s kids thrived in that environment!