Johnson County Schools & Education
Johnson County, Nebraska
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
68/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
89.4%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
89.4%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 86.9%
Per-Pupil Spending
$10,359
National avg $13,239
State avg $10,521
School Score
68/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 64/100
State Score Position
#39
of 93 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Johnson County
Measured School Summary
Johnson County performs at an average level with a school score of 68/100 and a solid graduation rate of 89.4%.
Funding Context
Johnson County spends $10,359 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 6% above the Nebraska average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.5 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 2% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Johnson 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
6 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
68/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #39 of 93 Nebraska counties with school score data.
Completion
89.4%
2.5 pts above the state average
Funding context
$10,359
$162 below the state average
School coverage
6
2 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
Johnson County has 6 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.
What Johnson 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
Johnson 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
#39
of 93 Nebraska counties with school score data. The county score is 4 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.
JOHNSON CO CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHS
Elementary to high school visible
497 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
STERLING PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Elementary and high visible
224 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
JOHNSON CO CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHS 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 Johnson County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Johnson 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 Johnson 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.
Small-Town Learning Infrastructure
Johnson County manages a focused education network with 6 total public schools serving 721 students across 2 districts. The landscape includes 3 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 2 high schools, providing a complete K-12 pipeline for the local community.
Johnson County Central Leads Enrollment
Johnson County Central Public Schools serves as the primary provider, enrolling 497 students across 4 different schools. Sterling Public Schools manages the remaining 224 students, and there are currently no charter schools operating within the county.
A Purely Rural Educational Setting
Every school in the county operates in a rural setting, maintaining an intimate average school size of 120 students. Johnson County Central High School is the largest campus with 153 students, while Sterling High School offers a very personalized environment with just 89 students.
School Overview
Total Schools
6
in Johnson County
Reported Enrollment
721
6 schools reporting
School Districts
2
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
2 School Districts in Johnson County
JOHNSON CO CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHS
STERLING PUBLIC SCHOOLS
6 Public Schools in Johnson 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 6 of 6 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOHNSON CO CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL | Record | JOHNSON CO CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHS | TECUMSEH, 68450Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 153 |
| JOHNSON CO CENTRAL EL-TECUMSEH | Record | JOHNSON CO CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHS | TECUMSEH, 68450Rural: Remote | PK–3 | Primary | 146 |
| STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | STERLING PUBLIC SCHOOLS | STERLING, 68443Rural: Distant | PK–6 | Primary | 135 |
| JOHNSON CO CENTRAL MIDDLE SCH | Record | JOHNSON CO CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHS | COOK, 68392Rural: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 119 |
| STERLING HIGH SCHOOL | Record | STERLING PUBLIC SCHOOLS | STERLING, 68443Rural: Distant | 7–12 | High | 89 |
| JOHNSON CO CENTRAL ELEM-COOK | Record | JOHNSON CO CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHS | COOK, 68329Rural: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 79 |
JOHNSON CO CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
JOHNSON CO CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHS
TECUMSEH, 68450 / Rural: Remote
JOHNSON CO CENTRAL EL-TECUMSEH
JOHNSON CO CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHS
TECUMSEH, 68450 / Rural: Remote
STERLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
STERLING PUBLIC SCHOOLS
STERLING, 68443 / Rural: Distant
JOHNSON CO CENTRAL MIDDLE SCH
JOHNSON CO CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHS
COOK, 68392 / Rural: Remote
STERLING HIGH SCHOOL
STERLING PUBLIC SCHOOLS
STERLING, 68443 / Rural: Distant
JOHNSON CO CENTRAL ELEM-COOK
JOHNSON CO CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHS
COOK, 68329 / Rural: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$10,359
State avg $10,521
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Johnson 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 Johnson County?
What is the graduation rate in Johnson County?
How much does Johnson County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Johnson County, Nebraska — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Johnson County, Nebraska?
Johnson County manages a focused education network with 6 total public schools serving 721 students across 2 districts. The landscape includes 3 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 2 high schools, providing a complete K-12 pipeline for the local community.
What are the major school districts in Johnson County, Nebraska?
Johnson County Central Public Schools serves as the primary provider, enrolling 497 students across 4 different schools. Sterling Public Schools manages the remaining 224 students, and there are currently no charter schools operating within the county.
What is the school experience like in Johnson County?
Every school in the county operates in a rural setting, maintaining an intimate average school size of 120 students. Johnson County Central High School is the largest campus with 153 students, while Sterling High School offers a very personalized environment with just 89 students.
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.