Howard County Schools & Education
Howard County, Nebraska
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
63/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
89.6%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
89.6%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 86.9%
Per-Pupil Spending
$9,050
National avg $13,239
State avg $10,521
School Score
63/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 64/100
State Score Position
#47
of 93 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Howard County
Measured School Summary
Howard County performs at an average level with a school score of 63/100 and a solid graduation rate of 89.6%.
Funding Context
Howard County spends $9,050 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 2% below the Nebraska average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 14% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Howard 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
63/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #47 of 93 Nebraska counties with school score data.
Completion
89.6%
2.7 pts above the state average
Funding context
$9,050
$1,471 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
Howard 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.
What Howard 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
Howard 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
#47
of 93 Nebraska counties with school score data. The county score is 1 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.
ST PAUL PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Elementary and high visible
705 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
CENTURA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Elementary and high visible
481 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
ELBA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Elementary and high visible
122 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
CENTURA PUBLIC SCHOOLS is the largest listed district slice, with 2 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 Howard County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Howard County district systems?
Where do students transition after the visible grade band, and is that next school inside the same district path?
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 Howard 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.
Strong Public Education Across Seven Schools
Howard County manages a robust network of seven public schools across three districts. The system serves 1,475 students through four elementary schools and three high schools. This infrastructure provides comprehensive coverage for the county, ensuring that students in all corners of the region have access to local education.
St Paul Public Schools Leads the Way
St Paul Public Schools is the county's largest district, educating 705 students across its two campuses. Centura Public Schools and Elba Public Schools also serve significant portions of the population with 481 and 122 students respectively. The county does not host any charter schools, keeping all students within the traditional public system.
Personalized Learning in All-Rural Schools
Every school in Howard County is classified as rural, offering a consistent atmosphere of quiet, focused study. St Paul Elementary is the largest individual school with 387 students, while several others maintain much smaller enrollments. The average school size of 211 students provides a healthy balance of social opportunities and personal instruction.
School Overview
Total Schools
7
in Howard County
Reported Enrollment
1,475
7 schools reporting
School Districts
3
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
3 School Districts in Howard County
ST PAUL PUBLIC SCHOOLS
CENTURA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
ELBA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
7 Public Schools in Howard 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 7 of 7 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST PAUL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | ST PAUL PUBLIC SCHOOLS | ST PAUL, 68873Rural: Distant | PK–6 | Primary | 387 |
| ST PAUL JR/SR HIGH SCHOOL | Record | ST PAUL PUBLIC SCHOOLS | ST PAUL, 68873Rural: Distant | 7–12 | High | 318 |
| CENTURA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | CENTURA PUBLIC SCHOOLS | CAIRO, 68824Rural: Distant | PK–6 | Primary | 273 |
| CENTURA SECONDARY SCHOOL | Record | CENTURA PUBLIC SCHOOLS | CAIRO, 68824Rural: Distant | 7–12 | High | 208 |
| ST LIBORY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | NORTHWEST PUBLIC SCHOOLS | ST LIBORY, 68872Rural: Distant | PK–8 | Primary | 167 |
| ELBA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | ELBA PUBLIC SCHOOLS | ELBA, 68835Rural: Distant | PK–6 | Primary | 68 |
| ELBA SECONDARY SCHOOL | Record | ELBA PUBLIC SCHOOLS | ELBA, 68835Rural: Distant | 7–12 | High | 54 |
ST PAUL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
ST PAUL PUBLIC SCHOOLS
ST PAUL, 68873 / Rural: Distant
ST PAUL JR/SR HIGH SCHOOL
ST PAUL PUBLIC SCHOOLS
ST PAUL, 68873 / Rural: Distant
CENTURA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
CENTURA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
CAIRO, 68824 / Rural: Distant
CENTURA SECONDARY SCHOOL
CENTURA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
CAIRO, 68824 / Rural: Distant
ST LIBORY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
NORTHWEST PUBLIC SCHOOLS
ST LIBORY, 68872 / Rural: Distant
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$9,050
State avg $10,521
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Howard 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 Nebraska counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Nebraska?
How should I read the school score in Howard County?
What is the graduation rate in Howard County?
How much does Howard County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Howard County, Nebraska — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Howard County, Nebraska?
Howard County manages a robust network of seven public schools across three districts. The system serves 1,475 students through four elementary schools and three high schools. This infrastructure provides comprehensive coverage for the county, ensuring that students in all corners of the region have access to local education.
What are the major school districts in Howard County, Nebraska?
St Paul Public Schools is the county's largest district, educating 705 students across its two campuses. Centura Public Schools and Elba Public Schools also serve significant portions of the population with 481 and 122 students respectively. The county does not host any charter schools, keeping all students within the traditional public system.
What is the school experience like in Howard County?
Every school in Howard County is classified as rural, offering a consistent atmosphere of quiet, focused study. St Paul Elementary is the largest individual school with 387 students, while several others maintain much smaller enrollments. The average school size of 211 students provides a healthy balance of social opportunities and personal instruction.
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.