📊 What this ranking measures
Rankings are based on academic achievement — the share of students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (NCES EDFacts, 2021–22 for most districts), ranked against other districts in the same state — not on spending, district size, or staffing. See full methodology →
Top 25 Districts Nebraska
Sorted by rating — highest first
| # | District | City | Rating | State Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Elkhorn Public Schools | Elkhorn | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #2 | Johnson-Brock Public Schools | Brock | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #3 | Newman Grove Public Schools | Newman Grove | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #4 | Pender Public Schools | Pender | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #5 | Osmond Community Schools | Mclean | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #6 | Seward Public Schools | Bee | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #7 | Bennington Public Schools | Bennington | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #8 | Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools | Elmwood | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #9 | Howells-Dodge Consolidated Schools | Dodge | 10/10 Excellent | 96th |
| #10 | Perkins County Schools | Elsie | 10/10 Excellent | 96th |
| #11 | Ponca Public Schools | Jackson | 10/10 Excellent | 96th |
| #12 | Arlington Public Schools | Arlington | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #13 | Elgin Public Schools | Elgin | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #14 | Leigh Community Schools | Creston | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #15 | North Bend Central Public Schools | Ames | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #16 | Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Schools | Dunbar | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #17 | Gretna Public Schools | Gretna | 10/10 Excellent | 93th |
| #18 | Thayer Central Community Schools | Belvidere | 10/10 Excellent | 93th |
| #19 | Hyannis Area Schools | Ashby | 10/10 Excellent | 92th |
| #20 | Yutan Public Schools | Yutan | 10/10 Excellent | 92th |
| #21 | Arnold Public Schools | Arnold | 10/10 Excellent | 91th |
| #22 | Arthur County Schools | Arthur | 10/10 Excellent | 91th |
| #23 | Blue Hill Public Schools | Blue Hill | 10/10 Excellent | 91th |
| #24 | Crofton Community Schools | Crofton | 10/10 Excellent | 90th |
| #25 | Wisner-Pilger Public Schools | Pilger | 10/10 Excellent | 90th |
Best School Districts in Nebraska (2026)
This ranking covers 239 rated public school districts in Nebraska, scored using NCES EDFacts state assessment data (2021–22 for 90% of districts, 2017–18 fallback for the rest). Each district's reading and math proficiency rates are averaged, then ranked against other districts in the same state to produce a 1–10 score.
A district's score reflects how its students perform on state assessments relative to same-state peers — it is not a direct measure of teaching quality, school culture, or individual student outcomes. Always visit schools, talk to local families, and contact districts directly before making decisions. Learn how ratings are calculated →
Nebraska School Districts at a Glance
- 239 of the 245 regular school districts operating in Nebraska have a published rating on this site.
- 73 districts score 8/10 or higher, the top three rating bands.
- Ratings come from NCES EDFacts, and every district is ranked against other districts in Nebraska only — never against districts in another state, because the tests differ.
- The highest-rated district is Elkhorn Public Schools in Elkhorn, rated 10/10.
- Almost every district in Nebraska is unified, meaning one district runs kindergarten through 12th grade for an address.
How to Use This List
Click any district name to see its zip code page and confirm your exact assignment with the district office. Boundaries don't always follow city or neighborhood lines — the zip code search gives you the most accurate result.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best school district in Nebraska? ▼
Based on state reading and math assessment proficiency (NCES EDFacts, 2021–22 or 2017–18 fallback), the top-rated district is Elkhorn Public Schools in Elkhorn, rated 10/10 (Excellent).
How are these rankings calculated? ▼
Rankings use the share of students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (NCES EDFacts, 2021–22 for most districts), ranked against other districts in the same state, then converted to a 1–10 scale. Full methodology here.
Are ratings based on test scores? ▼
Yes. Ratings are based directly on state reading and math assessment proficiency rates, not on enrollment, spending, or school count. They are a starting point for research, not a final verdict on school quality.
How many school districts are in Nebraska? ▼
Nebraska has 245 regular school districts operating in the 2024–25 school year, according to the NCES Common Core of Data. 239 of them have enough state assessment data to carry a rating on this site.
What test are Nebraska school district ratings based on? ▼
NCES EDFacts. The rating is the share of students scoring proficient or above in reading and math, converted to a percentile against other districts in Nebraska and then to a 1–10 scale. Spending, staffing and district size are not part of it.
How many districts in Nebraska are rated 8 out of 10 or higher? ▼
73 of the 239 rated districts in Nebraska score 8/10 or above. Because the scale is a within-state percentile, a high rating means the district outperforms most other districts in Nebraska, not the country.
Does one district cover all grades in Nebraska? ▼
In Nebraska nearly every district is unified, so the same district runs elementary, middle and high school for an address. A few states split those into separate districts; Nebraska is not one of them.