Public schools in Salina, KS
14 open public schools with an address in Salina, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
14
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
6,678
14 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
12.7:1
Kansas median 12.7:1
Charter schools
0
1 virtual
An overview of Salina public schools
The federal directory lists 14 public schools in Salina, KS: 9 elementary, 2 middle, 3 high. The 14 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 6,678 students, an average of 477 per school. The largest campus is Salina High South (1,046 students), and the largest elementary school is Meadowlark Ridge Elem (431).
Salina operates the most schools here (13), and 2 regular districts have at least one Salina campus. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 12.7:1, similar to the statewide school median of 12.7:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 3 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 3 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 61% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Salina
Elementary schools in Salina
9| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coronado Elem Salina | PK–05 | 389 | 12.3:1 | |
| Cottonwood Elementary School Salina | PK–05 | 326 | 10.5:1 | |
| Ell-Saline Elementary Ell-Saline | PK–06 | 237 | 11.6:1 | |
| Heusner Elem Salina | PK–05 | 392 | 13:1 | |
| Meadowlark Ridge Elem Salina | PK–05 | 431 | 14.6:1 | |
| Oakdale Elem Salina | PK–05 | 282 | 10.6:1 | |
| Schilling Elem Salina | PK–05 | 376 | 10.5:1 | |
| Stewart Elem Salina | PK–05 | 406 | 14.2:1 | |
| Sunset Elem Salina | PK–05 | 380 | 11.4:1 |
Middle schools in Salina
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood Middle School Salina | 06–08 | 647 | 12.2:1 | |
| Salina South Middle Salina | 06–08 | 782 | 13.4:1 |
High schools in Salina
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salina High Central Salina | 09–12 | 934 | 14.3:1 | |
| Salina High South Salina | 09–12 | 1,046 | 14.8:1 | |
| Salina Virtual Innovation Academy Salina · Virtual | 06–12 | 50 | 17.4:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White56.2%
- Hispanic27.5%
- Black3%
- Asian2.3%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial10.9%
Enrollment-weighted across 14 Salina schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (6,678 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Salina
How many public schools are in Salina, KS?
The current NCES directory lists 14 open public schools with a location address in Salina: 9 elementary, 2 middle, 3 high. Together they reported 6,678 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Salina?
Schools with an address in Salina belong to 2 education agencies, led by Salina (13 schools), Ell-Saline (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Salina?
Salina High South reported the largest high-school enrollment in Salina, with 1,046 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Salina?
No school with an address in Salina is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Kansas.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Salina schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Salina public schools is 12.7:1, similar to the Kansas school median of 12.7:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Salina guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Kansas cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Kansas cities