schoolsbycounty

Dawes County Schools & Education

School Score

41/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

58.4%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

58.4%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 86.9%

Per-Pupil Spending

$9,444

National avg $13,239

State avg $10,521

School Score

41/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 64/100

State Score Position

#88

of 93 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Dawes County

Measured School Summary

Dawes County has midrange measured school signals (score: 41/100) with a graduation rate of 58.4%, which warrants review in official state and district records.

Funding Context

Dawes County spends $9,444 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 35% below the Nebraska average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 28.5 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 10% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Dawes 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

7 public schools and 3 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

41/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #88 of 93 Nebraska counties with school score data.

Completion

58.4%

28.5 pts below the state average

Funding context

$9,444

$1,077 below the state average

School coverage

7

3 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

Dawes County has 7 public schools across 3 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 Dawes 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

Dawes 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

#88

of 93 Nebraska counties with school score data. The county score is 23 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.

CHADRON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Elementary to high school visible

941 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

CRAWFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Elementary and high visible

174 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

PINE RIDGE JOB CORPS

High school only in this slice

30 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 1Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

CHADRON PUBLIC SCHOOLS 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 Dawes County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Dawes 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 Dawes County, Nebraska

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.

Educational Access Across Dawes County

Dawes County provides seven public schools across three districts, educating a total of 1,145 students. The county’s offerings include three elementary schools, one middle school, and three high schools. This compact system serves both the town of Chadron and the surrounding rural landscapes of Nebraska's panhandle.

Chadron Public Schools Serves the Majority

Chadron Public Schools is the largest district by far, managing four schools and 941 students. Crawford Public Schools serves a smaller group of 174 students, while the Pine Ridge Job Corps handles a specialized enrollment of 30. There are no charter schools in the county, making these traditional districts the primary path for local students.

Quiet Town Centers and Rural Learning

The county features four schools in town settings and three in rural areas, with an average school size of 164 students. Chadron Middle School is the largest individual facility with 288 students, followed closely by the High School at 267. This small-scale environment offers a tight-knit community feel despite the academic hurdles being addressed by the districts.

School Overview

Total Schools

7

in Dawes County

Reported Enrollment

1,145

7 schools reporting

School Districts

3

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary3
Middle1
High3
Other0

3 School Districts in Dawes County

CHADRON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

4 schools
941 students

CRAWFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2 schools
174 students

PINE RIDGE JOB CORPS

1 school
30 students

7 Public Schools in Dawes 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 data

Level

Showing 7 of 7 matching schools

CHADRON MIDDLE SCHOOL

CHADRON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

CHADRON, 69337 / Town: Remote

Record5–8Middle288 students

CHADRON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

CHADRON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

CHADRON, 69337 / Town: Remote

Record9–12High267 students

CHADRON PRIMARY

CHADRON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

CHADRON, 69337 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–3Primary240 students

CHADRON INTERMEDIATE

CHADRON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

CHADRON, 69337 / Town: Remote

Record3–4Primary146 students

CRAWFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

CRAWFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

CRAWFORD, 69339 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary102 students

CRAWFORD HIGH SCHOOL

CRAWFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

CRAWFORD, 69339 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High72 students

PINE RIDGE JOB CORPS

PINE RIDGE JOB CORPS

CHADRON, 69337 / Rural: Distant

Record10–12High30 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$9,444

State avg $10,521

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Dawes 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 Nebraska counties have the highest graduation rates?
Washington County (96.3%), Seward County (96.2%), and Keith County (95.4%) currently lead Nebraska 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 Nebraska?
Across Nebraska counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $10,521. The highest current county values are Wheeler County ($19,491), Sioux County ($18,861), and Loup County ($18,703). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Dawes County?
Dawes County has a school score of 41/100, which is a midrange 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 Dawes County?
The high school graduation rate in Dawes County is 58.4%, 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 Dawes County spend per student?
Dawes County spends $9,444 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 Dawes County, Nebraska — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Dawes County, Nebraska?

Dawes County provides seven public schools across three districts, educating a total of 1,145 students. The county’s offerings include three elementary schools, one middle school, and three high schools. This compact system serves both the town of Chadron and the surrounding rural landscapes of Nebraska's panhandle.

What are the major school districts in Dawes County, Nebraska?

Chadron Public Schools is the largest district by far, managing four schools and 941 students. Crawford Public Schools serves a smaller group of 174 students, while the Pine Ridge Job Corps handles a specialized enrollment of 30. There are no charter schools in the county, making these traditional districts the primary path for local students.

What is the school experience like in Dawes County?

The county features four schools in town settings and three in rural areas, with an average school size of 164 students. Chadron Middle School is the largest individual facility with 288 students, followed closely by the High School at 267. This small-scale environment offers a tight-knit community feel despite the academic hurdles being addressed by the districts.

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.