Rice County Schools & Education
Rice County, Kansas
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
64/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
87.4%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
87.4%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 88.7%
Per-Pupil Spending
$10,973
National avg $13,239
State avg $9,009
School Score
64/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 61/100
State Score Position
#50
of 105 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Rice County
Measured School Summary
Rice County performs at an average level with a school score of 64/100 and a solid graduation rate of 87.4%.
Funding Context
Rice County spends $10,973 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 5% above the Kansas average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.3 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 22% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Rice 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
11 public schools and 4 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
64/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #50 of 105 Kansas counties with school score data.
Completion
87.4%
1.3 pts below the state average
Funding context
$10,973
$1,964 above the state average
School coverage
11
4 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Rice County has 11 public schools across 4 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.
What Rice 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.
Mixed school landscape
Rice County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.
State position
#50
of 105 Kansas counties with school score data. The county score is 3 points above 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.
Lyons
Elementary to high school visible
737 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
Sterling
Elementary and high visible
474 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
Chase-Raymond
Elementary to high school visible
145 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
Little River
Middle and high visible
136 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Lyons is the largest listed district slice, with 4 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 Rice County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Rice County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Rice 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.
High-Quality Schools Across Four Districts
Rice County manages 11 public schools across four districts, serving a total of 1,492 students. The network is well-distributed with four elementary schools, three middle schools, and four high schools. This infrastructure ensures that families across the county have local access to every level of education.
Small Town Values and Rural Settings
Rice County offers a mix of seven rural and four town schools, with an average size of 136 students. Sterling Grade School is the largest campus at 260 students, while many other schools provide even smaller, more focused settings. This low average enrollment ensures high levels of student-teacher interaction across the county.
School Overview
Total Schools
11
in Rice County
Reported Enrollment
1,492
11 schools reporting
School Districts
4
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
4 School Districts in Rice County
Lyons
Sterling
Little River
Chase-Raymond
11 Public Schools in Rice County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 11 of 11 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Grade School | Record | Sterling | Sterling, 67579Rural: Distant | PK–6 | Primary | 260 |
| Sterling Junior High/Senior High | Record | Sterling | Sterling, 67579Rural: Distant | 7–12 | High | 214 |
| Lyons High School | Record | Lyons | Lyons, 67554Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 212 |
| Lyons Middle School | Record | Lyons | Lyons, 67554Town: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 187 |
| Lyons Park Elementary | Record | Lyons | Lyons, 67554Town: Remote | PK–2 | Primary | 181 |
| Lyons Central Elementary | Record | Lyons | Lyons, 67554Town: Remote | 3–5 | Primary | 157 |
| Little River High | Record | Little River | Little River, 67457Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 96 |
| Chase Elem | Record | Chase-Raymond | Chase, 67524Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 68 |
| Chase High | Record | Chase-Raymond | Chase, 67524Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 44 |
| Little River Junior High | Record | Little River | Little River, 67457Rural: Distant | 7–8 | Middle | 40 |
| Raymond Jr High | Record | Chase-Raymond | Chase, 67524Rural: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 33 |
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$10,973
State avg $9,009
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Rice County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Kansas counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Kansas?
How should I read the school score in Rice County?
What is the graduation rate in Rice County?
How much does Rice County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Rice County, Kansas — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Rice County, Kansas?
Rice County manages 11 public schools across four districts, serving a total of 1,492 students. The network is well-distributed with four elementary schools, three middle schools, and four high schools. This infrastructure ensures that families across the county have local access to every level of education.
What is the school experience like in Rice County?
Rice County offers a mix of seven rural and four town schools, with an average size of 136 students. Sterling Grade School is the largest campus at 260 students, while many other schools provide even smaller, more focused settings. This low average enrollment ensures high levels of student-teacher interaction across the county.
Counties with Similar School Profile
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.