Public schools in Grand Island, NE
26 open public schools with an address in Grand Island, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
26
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
11,180
26 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
15:1
Nebraska median 12.5:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Grand Island public schools
The federal directory lists 26 public schools in Grand Island, NE: 15 elementary, 3 middle, 5 high, 3 combined or other. The 26 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 11,180 students, an average of 430 per school. The largest campus is Grand Island Senior High School (2,696 students), and the largest elementary school is Howard Elementary School (484).
Grand Island Public Schools operates the most schools here (22), and 2 regular districts have at least one Grand Island 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 15:1, higher than the statewide school median of 12.5:1. 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.
Among 4 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 16% 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 Grand Island
Elementary schools in Grand Island
15| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1R Elementary Northwest Public Schools | PK–08 | 194 | 16.6:1 | |
| Cedar Hollow School Northwest Public Schools | PK–08 | 378 | 16.7:1 | |
| Dodge Elementary School Grand Island Public Schools | PK–05 | 436 | 15:1 | |
| Engleman Elementary School Grand Island Public Schools | PK–05 | 448 | 18.5:1 | |
| Gates Elementary School Grand Island Public Schools | PK–05 | 284 | 16:1 | |
| Howard Elementary School Grand Island Public Schools | PK–05 | 484 | 16.8:1 | |
| Jefferson Elementary School Grand Island Public Schools | PK–05 | 352 | 14.5:1 | |
| Knickrehm Elementary School Grand Island Public Schools | PK–05 | 263 | 15.8:1 | |
| Lincoln Elementary School Grand Island Public Schools | PK–05 | 328 | 14.9:1 | |
| Newell Elementary School Grand Island Public Schools | PK–05 | 348 | 13.7:1 | |
| Shoemaker Elementary School Grand Island Public Schools | PK–05 | 438 | 16.1:1 | |
| Starr Elementary School Grand Island Public Schools | PK–05 | 453 | 15.8:1 | |
| Stolley Park Elem School Grand Island Public Schools | PK–05 | 258 | 13.4:1 | |
| Wasmer Elementary School Grand Island Public Schools | PK–05 | 373 | 14.9:1 | |
| West Lawn Elementary School Grand Island Public Schools | PK–05 | 338 | 14.4:1 |
Middle schools in Grand Island
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barr Middle School Grand Island Public Schools | 06–08 | 648 | 12.6:1 | |
| Walnut Middle School Grand Island Public Schools | 06–08 | 777 | 13.8:1 | |
| Westridge Middle School Grand Island Public Schools | 06–08 | 694 | 13.7:1 |
High schools in Grand Island
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career Pathways Institute Grand Island Public Schools · Alternative School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| Grand Island Senior High School Grand Island Public Schools | 09–12 | 2,696 | 17.8:1 | |
| Indra House Grand Island Public Schools · Special Education School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| Islander Annex Grand Island Public Schools · Alternative School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| Northwest High School Northwest Public Schools | 09–12 | 680 | 14.1:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Grand Island
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockwood Elementary School Northwest Public Schools | PK–PK | 32 | 15.8:1 | |
| O'Connor Early Learning Center Grand Island Public Schools | PK–PK | 278 | 30.3:1 | |
| Skills Academy Grand Island Public Schools · Alternative School | PK–12 | 0 | 0:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White36.6%
- Hispanic55.5%
- Black4%
- Asian0.7%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.5%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial2.6%
Enrollment-weighted across 22 Grand Island schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (11,180 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Grand Island
How many public schools are in Grand Island, NE?
The current NCES directory lists 26 open public schools with a location address in Grand Island: 15 elementary, 3 middle, 5 high, 3 combined or other. Together they reported 11,180 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Grand Island?
Schools with an address in Grand Island belong to 2 education agencies, led by Grand Island Public Schools (22 schools), Northwest Public Schools (4 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Grand Island?
Grand Island Senior High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Grand Island, with 2,696 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Grand Island?
No school with an address in Grand Island is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Nebraska.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Grand Island schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Grand Island public schools is 15:1, higher than the Nebraska school median of 12.5:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Grand Island 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 Nebraska 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 Nebraska cities