Omaha Public Schools School District
School District · Omaha, Nebraska
Avg Rating
4.2
out of 10
Schools
93
65 elem, 12 mid, 7 high
Per-Pupil Spending
$16,585
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.9:1
Avg Rating
4.2
out of 10
Schools
93
65 elem, 12 mid, 7 high
Per-Pupil Spending
$16,585
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.9:1
Evaluating Omaha Public Schools?
A district shares budget, policy, and attendance zones across its schools — use this page to judge Omaha Public Schools 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.
Columbian Elementary School
Omaha · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Harrison Elementary School
Omaha · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Ponca Elementary School
Omaha · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
How this district compares
Nebraska rank
#238 of 242
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
-2.1
below Nebraska avg
Per-pupil spending
$16,585
$779 vs Nebraska median
District size
51,693 students
Much larger than Nebraska median
The short answer
Omaha Public Schools ranks #238 of 242 Nebraska districts by overall school rating. Omaha Public Schools's schools with real test data average 4.1/10 across 82 schools. Its top-rated schools are Columbian Elementary School (8.7/10), Harrison Elementary School (8.3/10), and Ponca Elementary School (8.2/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Top-Rated Schools in Omaha Public Schools
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (82 of 93). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbian Elementary School | 8.7 / 10 |
| 2 | Harrison Elementary School | 8.3 / 10 |
| 3 | Ponca Elementary School | 8.2 / 10 |
| 4 | Wilson Focus School | 8.0 / 10 |
| 5 | Standing Bear Elementary School | 7.6 / 10 |
| 6 | Oak Valley Elementary School | 7.2 / 10 |
| 7 | Gifford Park Elementary School | 6.5 / 10 |
| 8 | Dundee Elementary School | 6.1 / 10 |
| 9 | Lothrop Magnet Center | 6.1 / 10 |
| 10 | Picotte Elementary School | 6.1 / 10 |
See all 93 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
About Omaha Public Schools
Omaha Public Schools is Nebraska's largest district, serving 51,693 students across 112 schools. That scale means parents have real choices — but it also means quality varies considerably depending on which school a child attends. Of the 112 schools in the district, 89 carry a published ranking, and those schools average a score of 4.7 out of 10. Parents should weigh individual school scores carefully rather than treating the district as a uniform experience.
At the top of the district, Wilson Focus School leads with a score of 8.2 out of 10 — the highest-rated school in Omaha Public Schools and nearly double the district's average score. It is followed closely by Ponca Elementary School at 8.1 and Oak Valley Elementary School at 7.9. Washington Elementary School scores 7.7, and Pinewood Elementary School rounds out the top five at 7.5. All five top performers are elementary schools, which signals that parents of younger children have the strongest concentration of high-performing options to consider.
The gap between the district average of 4.7 and its top performers tells a meaningful story. Wilson Focus School's 8.2 rating places it well above most of the district's ranked schools, and even the fifth-ranked Pinewood Elementary at 7.5 sits roughly 60 percent above that average. For parents who can prioritize school selection during enrollment, the spread between schools creates tangible differences in academic environment.
A district of this size naturally draws comparisons at the state level. With just under 52,000 students, Omaha Public Schools operates on a scale that most Nebraska districts cannot match, which brings both resource depth and administrative complexity. Parents researching specific neighborhoods should cross-reference school boundary maps against individual school scores rather than assuming proximity to a top performer means automatic enrollment. The district's range — from strong elementary standouts to schools near or below the 4.7 average — makes school-level research essential before making any enrollment decision.
District Map
Schools in Omaha Public Schools, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.
District Average Test Scores
Average proficiency across all schools in Omaha Public Schools with test data.
Schools in Omaha Public Schools
93 schools Elementary Schools 65
Middle Schools 12
High Schools 7
Other Schools 9
District Details
- State
- Nebraska
- City
- Omaha
- Total Enrollment
- 51,693
- Teachers (FTE)
- 3,058
- Child Poverty Rate
- 0.2%
- Data Year
- 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Omaha Public Schools?
Omaha Public Schools has 93 schools in total — 65 elementary, 12 middle, and 7 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.
What is the average rating for Omaha Public Schools?
The average composite rating for Omaha Public Schools is 4.2/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.
What is the per-pupil spending in Omaha Public Schools?
Omaha Public Schools spends $16,585 per student per year.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Omaha Public Schools?
The average student-teacher ratio in Omaha Public Schools is 16.9:1.
What is the top-rated school in Omaha Public Schools?
Columbian Elementary School is the highest-rated school in Omaha Public Schools with a composite score of 8.7/10.
What are the test scores in Omaha Public Schools?
Across schools in Omaha Public Schools with test data, the average math proficiency is 43.6% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 47.0%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
How does Omaha Public Schools compare to other districts in Nebraska?
Omaha Public Schools has an average school rating of 4.2/10 across 93 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in Nebraska 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
- 4.2/10
- Math Proficiency
- 43.6%
- ELA Proficiency
- 47.0%
Resources
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 NE
Compare Omaha Public Schools with neighboring districts in the state.
- Lincoln Public Schools (78)
- Millard Public Schools (36)
- Grand Island Public Schools (23)
- Papillion La Vista Community Schools (22)
- Bellevue Public Schools (21)
- Elkhorn Public Schools (20)
- Kearney Public Schools (15)
- Fremont Public Schools (14)
- Westside Community Schools (14)
- North Platte Public Schools (12)
- Norfolk Public Schools (12)
- Gretna Public Schools (11)
- Columbus Public Schools (9)
- Educational Service Unit 03 (9)
- Bennington Public Schools (8)
- Hastings Public Schools (8)
- Lexington Public Schools (8)
- Ralston Public Schools (8)
- Schuyler Community Schools (8)
- Scottsbluff Public Schools (8)
- So Sioux City Community Schs (8)
- Educational Service Unit 13 (8)
- Crete Public Schools (6)
- Gering Public Schools (6)
Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Nebraska 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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