schoolsbycounty

Finney County Schools & Education

School Score

32/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

85.8%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

85.8%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.7%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,978

National avg $13,239

State avg $9,009

School Score

32/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 61/100

State Score Position

#102

of 105 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Finney County

Measured School Summary

Finney County faces educational challenges with a school score of 32/100 and a graduation rate of 85.8%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,978 per pupil, Finney County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 47% below the Kansas average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 2.9 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 23% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Finney County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

23 public schools and 2 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

32/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #102 of 105 Kansas counties with school score data.

Completion

85.8%

2.9 pts below the state average

Funding context

$6,978

$2,031 below the state average

School coverage

23

2 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Finney County has 23 public schools across 2 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What Finney County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Dominant-district county

Garden City carries most of the listed public-school system, with 18 of 23 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#102

of 105 Kansas counties with school score data. The county score is 29 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Garden City

Elementary to high school visible

7,233 students

Elementary 11Middle 4High 2Other 1

18 listed schools in this county slice.

Holcomb

Elementary to high school visible

982 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 2Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Garden City is the largest listed district slice, with 18 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Finney County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Finney County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Finney County, Kansas

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

A Large-Scale Town Education System

Finney County manages a significant infrastructure of 23 public schools across 2 districts, serving 8,215 students. The county features a heavy concentration of early education with 13 elementary schools, alongside 5 middle schools and 4 high schools. This extensive network reflects the county's role as a major population center in Western Kansas.

Garden City's Dominant Educational Presence

The Garden City school district is the regional heavyweight, serving 7,233 students across 18 separate schools. The Holcomb district provides a smaller alternative, managing 5 schools for 982 students. No charter schools operate in the area, with 100% of students attending traditional public schools.

Diverse Campus Sizes in Town

The county features 15 town-based schools and 8 rural campuses, with an average school size of 357 students. Garden City High School is a massive facility for the region with 1,973 students, while Jennie Wilson Elementary serves a substantial 800 students. The variety of school sizes allows for both large-scale opportunities and smaller community focuses.

School Overview

Total Schools

23

in Finney County

Reported Enrollment

8,215

23 schools reporting

School Districts

2

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary13
Middle5
High4
Other1

2 School Districts in Finney County

23 Public Schools in Finney County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 20 of 23 matching schools

Garden City High School

Garden City

Garden City, 67846 / Town: Remote

Profile9–12High1,973 students

Jennie Wilson Elem

Garden City

Garden City, 67846 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–4Primary800 students

Horace J. Good Middle School

Garden City

Garden City, 67846 / Town: Remote

Record7–8Middle697 students

Victor Ornelas Elem

Garden City

Garden City, 67846 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–4Primary411 students

Bernadine Sitts Intermediate Ctr

Garden City

Garden City, 67846 / Rural: Fringe

Record5–6Middle404 students

Kenneth Henderson Middle

Garden City

Garden City, 67846 / Town: Remote

Record5–8Middle384 students

Charles O Stones Intermediate Ctr

Garden City

Garden City, 67846 / Town: Remote

Record5–8Middle343 students

Abe Hubert Elementary School

Garden City

Garden City, 67846 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–6Primary337 students

Florence Wilson Elem

Garden City

Garden City, 67846 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–4Primary335 students

Alta Brown Elem

Garden City

Garden City, 67846 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–4Primary308 students

Holcomb High

Holcomb

Holcomb, 67851 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High301 students

Wiley Elem

Holcomb

Holcomb, 67851 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–2Primary250 students

Buffalo Jones Elem

Garden City

Garden City, 67846 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–4Primary228 students

Holcomb Middle

Holcomb

Holcomb, 67851 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle219 students

Gertrude Walker Elem

Garden City

Garden City, 67846 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–4Primary208 students

Holcomb Elem 3-5

Holcomb

Holcomb, 67851 / Rural: Distant

Record3–5Primary202 students

Edith Scheuerman Elem

Garden City

Garden City, 67846 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–4Primary180 students

Jennie Barker Elem

Garden City

Garden City, 67846 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–6Primary165 students

Plymell Elementary

Garden City

Garden City, 67846 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–6Primary141 students

GC Achieve at J.D. Adams Hall

Garden City

Garden City, 67846 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–12Other114 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,978

State avg $9,009

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Finney County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Kansas counties have the highest graduation rates?
Scott County (97.0%), Neosho County (96.6%), and Nemaha County (96.3%) currently lead Kansas among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Kansas?
Across Kansas counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $9,009. The highest current county values are Elk County ($16,438), Mitchell County ($12,668), and Coffey County ($12,176). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Finney County?
Finney County has a school score of 32/100, which is a lower measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Finney County?
The high school graduation rate in Finney County is 85.8%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Finney County spend per student?
Finney County spends $6,978 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Finney County, Kansas — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Finney County, Kansas?

Finney County manages a significant infrastructure of 23 public schools across 2 districts, serving 8,215 students. The county features a heavy concentration of early education with 13 elementary schools, alongside 5 middle schools and 4 high schools. This extensive network reflects the county's role as a major population center in Western Kansas.

What are the major school districts in Finney County, Kansas?

The Garden City school district is the regional heavyweight, serving 7,233 students across 18 separate schools. The Holcomb district provides a smaller alternative, managing 5 schools for 982 students. No charter schools operate in the area, with 100% of students attending traditional public schools.

What is the school experience like in Finney County?

The county features 15 town-based schools and 8 rural campuses, with an average school size of 357 students. Garden City High School is a massive facility for the region with 1,973 students, while Jennie Wilson Elementary serves a substantial 800 students. The variety of school sizes allows for both large-scale opportunities and smaller community focuses.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.