Russell County Schools & Education
Russell County, Kansas
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
44/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
84.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
84.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 88.7%
Per-Pupil Spending
$8,222
National avg $13,239
State avg $9,009
School Score
44/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 61/100
State Score Position
#87
of 105 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Russell County
Measured School Summary
Russell County has midrange measured school signals (score: 44/100) with a graduation rate of 84.0%, which warrants review in official state and district records.
Funding Context
Russell County spends $8,222 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 28% below the Kansas average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 4.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 9% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Russell 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
5 public schools and 1 district 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
44/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #87 of 105 Kansas counties with school score data.
Completion
84.0%
4.7 pts below the state average
Funding context
$8,222
$787 below the state average
School coverage
5
1 district 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
Russell County has 5 public schools across 1 district, 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 Russell 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.
Small-system county
Russell County has a compact public-school footprint. A single school change, boundary rule, or district update can move the lived experience more than the county score suggests.
State position
#87
of 105 Kansas counties with school score data. The county score is 17 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.
Russell County
Elementary to high school visible
778 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Russell County 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 Russell County?
Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?
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 Russell 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.
Unified education across Russell County towns
Russell County's public education is delivered through five schools serving 915 students. The system is streamlined under a single district, featuring three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.
A single district serving the entire community
The Russell County district manages the vast majority of local students, with 778 children enrolled across its four primary schools. There are no charter schools in the county, ensuring a centralized approach to public learning.
Small-town atmosphere with consolidated campuses
Four of the five schools are located in town settings, contributing to an average school size of 183 students. Bickerdyke Elementary is the largest with 228 students, while Lucas/Sylvan Elementary Unified remains the smallest with 137.
School Overview
Total Schools
5
in Russell County
Reported Enrollment
915
5 schools reporting
School Districts
1
district
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
1 School District in Russell County
Russell County
5 Public Schools in Russell 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 5 of 5 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bickerdyke Elem | Record | Russell County | Russell, 67665Town: Remote | 2–5 | Primary | 228 |
| Russell High | Record | Russell County | Russell, 67665Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 207 |
| Ruppenthal Middle | Record | Russell County | Russell, 67665Town: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 186 |
| Simpson Elem | Record | Russell County | Russell, 67665Town: Remote | PK–1 | Primary | 157 |
| Lucas/Sylvan Elementary Unified | Record | Sylvan Grove | Lucas, 67648Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 137 |
Lucas/Sylvan Elementary Unified
Sylvan Grove
Lucas, 67648 / Rural: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$8,222
State avg $9,009
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Russell 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 Russell County?
What is the graduation rate in Russell County?
How much does Russell County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Russell County, Kansas — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Russell County, Kansas?
Russell County's public education is delivered through five schools serving 915 students. The system is streamlined under a single district, featuring three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.
What are the major school districts in Russell County, Kansas?
The Russell County district manages the vast majority of local students, with 778 children enrolled across its four primary schools. There are no charter schools in the county, ensuring a centralized approach to public learning.
What is the school experience like in Russell County?
Four of the five schools are located in town settings, contributing to an average school size of 183 students. Bickerdyke Elementary is the largest with 228 students, while Lucas/Sylvan Elementary Unified remains the smallest with 137.
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.