Paola

Summary:

The Paola school district in Kansas consists of 4 schools, including 2 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school, serving students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The district has a mix of academic performance, with some standout schools like Sunflower Elementary leading the way in proficiency rates, while other schools face challenges with chronic absenteeism and equity concerns.

Sunflower Elementary is the academic powerhouse of the district, consistently achieving high proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. In the 2024-2025 school year, Sunflower Elementary had the highest proficiency rates in the district, with 61.92% of students proficient or better in ELA and 45.42% in Math. Paola Middle also performs well academically, with proficiency rates above the state average in multiple subjects and a high statewide ranking.

While the district has some strong academic performers, there are also areas of concern. The district-wide chronic absenteeism rate of 19.5% is higher than the state average, and the high rates of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 32.77% at Paola High to 44.85% at Cottonwood Elementary, suggest that the district may need to focus on addressing the needs of economically disadvantaged students to ensure equitable educational opportunities.

District Detail

1115 E 303rd Street
Paola, KS 66071

(913) 294-8000

SchoolDigger Rank:
65^th of 264 Kansas districts

See the 2025 Kansas District rankings!

Grades served: PK, KG-12
Students: 1,732

Primary Schools: 2
Middle Schools: 1
High Schools: 1
Alternative Schools: 0

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				KAP English Language Arts (2025)								KAP Mathematics (2025)								KAP Science (2025)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	KAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	KAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	KAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	KAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	KAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	KAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	KAP English Language Arts 10th Grade	KAP English Language Arts All Grades	KAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	KAP Mathematics 4th Grade	KAP Mathematics 5th Grade	KAP Mathematics 6th Grade	KAP Mathematics 7th Grade	KAP Mathematics 8th Grade	KAP Mathematics 10th Grade	KAP Mathematics All Grades	KAP Science 5th Grade	KAP Science 8th Grade	KAP Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Paola Middle	Public	6-8	405 Hospital Drive	Paola	66071	Miami County	Paola	No	No	No	No	(913) 294-8030	413	32	13.0	39.5%	362 (87.7%)	6 (1.5%)	23 (5.6%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (4.4%)	63.4	104^th of 363 public middle schools	71.3%		64.6	87^th of 362 public middle schools	76.0%	17				40.2	52.0	44.0		45.8				43.1	44.4	46.7		44.8		48.0	48.0	$16,218	$3,272	$12,946
Paola High	Public	9-12	401 N Angela	Paola	66071	Miami County	Paola	No	No	No	No	(913) 294-8010	567	40	14.1	31.2%	501 (88.4%)	5 (0.9%)	41 (7.2%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.6%)	56.5	129^th of 332 public high schools	61.1%		57.1	117^th of 318 public high schools	63.2%	12							43.7	43.7							32.9	32.9				$15,943	$3,283	$12,661
Sunflower Elementary	Public	3-5	1401 E 303rd St	Paola	66071	Miami County	Paola	No	No	No	Yes	(913) 294-8040	373	29	12.8	40.5%	323 (86.6%)	3 (0.8%)	26 (7.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.4%)	65.4	216^th of 656 public elementary schools	67.1%		68.6	176^th of 653 public elementary schools	73.0%	40	59.0	58.3	66.9					61.9	37.1	53.3	44.9					45.4	54.4		54.4	$12,947	$3,272	$9,675
Cottonwood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	709 N. Hedge Lane	Paola	66071	Miami County	Paola	No	No	No	Yes	(913) 294-8050	379	28	13.6	41.4%	325 (85.8%)	5 (1.3%)	27 (7.1%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.7%)								(n/a)																				$14,992	$4,038	$10,954

Districts nearby

District	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Osawatomie	7.11 mi	5	229^th
Louisburg	10.35 mi	6	5^th
Spring Hill	11.37 mi	11	49^th
Gardner Edgerton	14.23 mi	11	107^th
Wellsville	15.47 mi	3	181^st

See the top KS Kansas districts

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Kansas State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.