Garden City School District
School District · Garden City, Kansas
Avg Rating
5.7
out of 10
Schools
18
11 elem, 4 mid, 2 high
Enrollment
7,235
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.2:1
Avg Rating
5.7
out of 10
Schools
18
11 elem, 4 mid, 2 high
Enrollment
7,235
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.2:1
Evaluating Garden City?
A district shares budget, policy, and attendance zones across its schools — use this page to judge Garden City as a whole, then compare how its individual schools differ.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Plymell Elementary
Garden City · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Florence Wilson Elem
Garden City · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Buffalo Jones Elem
Garden City · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
How this district compares
Kansas rank
#224 of 279
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
-0.7
below Kansas avg
Per-pupil spending
$13,619
$1,635 vs Kansas median
District size
7,235 students
Much larger than Kansas median
The short answer
Garden City ranks #224 of 279 Kansas districts by overall school rating. Garden City's schools with real test data average 5.7/10 across 18 schools. Its top-rated schools are Plymell Elementary (8.4/10), Florence Wilson Elem (7.0/10), and Buffalo Jones Elem (6.9/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Rates 8.4/10 despite 32% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.4 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Garden City schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Garden City
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (18 of 18). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plymell Elementary | 8.4 / 10 |
| 2 | Florence Wilson Elem | 7.0 / 10 |
| 3 | Buffalo Jones Elem | 6.9 / 10 |
| 4 | Edith Scheuerman Elem | 6.9 / 10 |
| 5 | Jennie Barker Elem | 6.8 / 10 |
| 6 | Jennie Wilson Elem | 6.6 / 10 |
| 7 | Georgia Matthews Elem | 6.5 / 10 |
| 8 | Kenneth Henderson Middle | 6.0 / 10 |
| 9 | Victor Ornelas Elem | 6.0 / 10 |
| 10 | Charles O Stones Intermediate Ctr | 6.0 / 10 |
See all 18 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
About Garden City
Garden City is a Garden City, Kansas school district serving 18 schools.The district educates 7,235 students with a student-teacher ratio of 13.2:1. District-level spending was $13,619 per student in fiscal year 2023 (NCES F-33).
With an average rating of 5.7/10, Garden City demonstrates solid academic performance.
The highest-rated school in the district is Plymell Elementary, which has a composite score of 8.4/10.
In standardized testing, Garden City students show an average math proficiency of 38.0% and ELA proficiency of 42.9%.
The district includes 11 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 2 high schools.
District Map
Schools in Garden City, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.
District Average Test Scores
Average proficiency across all schools in Garden City with test data.
Schools in Garden City
18 schoolsElementary Schools11
Middle Schools4
High Schools2
Other Schools1
District Details
- State
- Kansas
- City
- Garden City
- Total Enrollment
- 7,235
- Teachers (FTE)
- 547
- District spending per student
- $13,619NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- Child poverty rate
- 14.4%Census SAIPE · 2024
- District directory year
- 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Garden City?
Garden City has 18 schools in total — 11 elementary, 4 middle, and 2 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.
What is the average rating for Garden City?
The average composite rating for Garden City is 5.7/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.
What is the district spending per student in Garden City?
Garden City's district-level spending was $13,619 per student in fiscal year 2023, according to NCES F-33. This is district context, not an individual-school expense.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Garden City?
The average student-teacher ratio in Garden City is 13.2:1.
What is the top-rated school in Garden City?
Plymell Elementary is the highest-rated school in Garden City with a composite score of 8.4/10.
What are the test scores in Garden City?
Across schools in Garden City with test data, the average math proficiency is 38.0% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 42.9%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
How does Garden City compare to other districts in Kansas?
Garden City has an average school rating of 5.7/10 across 18 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in Kansas by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools?
MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.
District Averages
- Overall Rating
- 5.7/10
- Math Proficiency
- 38.0%
- ELA Proficiency
- 42.9%
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateOther School Districts in KS
Compare Garden City with neighboring districts in the state.
- Wichita (87)
- Olathe (52)
- Shawnee Mission Pub Sch (45)
- Kansas City (43)
- Blue Valley (37)
- Topeka Public Schools (27)
- Lawrence (18)
- Geary County Schools (15)
- Manhattan-ogden (14)
- De Soto (13)
- Derby (13)
- Salina (13)
- Goddard (12)
- Maize (12)
- Andover (11)
- Dodge City (11)
- Gardner Edgerton (11)
- Spring Hill (11)
- Hutchinson Public Schools (10)
- Auburn-washburn (9)
- Haysville (9)
- Arkansas City (8)
- Emporia (8)
- Leavenworth (8)
Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Kansas Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.
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