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Sterling Grade School

Public Grades PK, KG-6

39^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 657 Kansas Elementary Schools

Better than 94% of Kansas elementary schools

Summary

Sterling Grade School serves 268 students in prekindergarten through grade 6 in the Sterling district. In 2025–26, its all-grade KAP proficiency rates were 70% in English language arts (ELA), 80% in math and 59% in science; SchoolDigger ranked it 39th of 657 Kansas schools, in the 94th percentile with five stars. The clearest takeaway is broad academic strength: Sterling was well above state proficiency in all three subjects and placed second among nearby schools with reported results in each one.

Sterling also outperformed its district by 10 percentage points in ELA, 10 in math and 17 in science, and its biggest lead over nearby-school averages was in math. The main exception is science relative to Nickerson Elementary, which scored 84% compared with Sterling’s 59%; Nickerson also led Sterling in ELA and math. Within Sterling, grade 5 was a standout, with 83% proficiency in ELA and 85% in math. Grade 6 ELA was lower at 57%, though still above the state rate of 42%.

Results have risen overall since 2022–23, but not steadily: ELA gained 11 percentage points and math 3, while science gained 5 overall after falling 16 points from its 2024–25 peak. Sterling’s SchoolDigger ranking remains the highest among nearby schools with a reported rank, though its percentile eased from 98th in 2023–24 to 94th in 2025–26. Its 12.2 student-teacher ratio is close to the nearby average of 12.4; its free/reduced-lunch rate, 42%, is below the nearby average of 67% and is context, not an explanation for results. Chronic absenteeism was low at 7%, about 1 percentage point below the district and 11 points below the state.

268

Students ?

12.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,760

Per pupil spending ?

41.8%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

218 S 5th
Sterling, KS 67579

(620) 278-3112

District: Sterling

Students who attend Sterling Grade School usually attend:

High:

Sterling Junior High/Senior High

Racial breakdown:

White:

92.2%

Two or more races:

4.1%

African American:

2.2%

See top rated Kansas elementary schools

Compare Sterling Grade School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 88th percentile in 2016 → 94th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Kansas average (69% vs 42% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 6% of Kansas elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 6 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school69%

District avg57%

Kansas avg42%

39^th of 657

Kansas public elementary schools ?

Top 6%▲ up 7 pts since 2016

From top 12% (2016) to top 6% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Kansas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

30^th of 268Sterling among Kansas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kansas percentile	Rating
2026	89.4	39 of 657	94.1%	★★★★★
2025	91.7	25 of 656	96.2%	★★★★★
2024	94.4	13 of 653	98.0%	★★★★★
2023	87.6	59 of 660	91.1%	★★★★★
2022	90.2	42 of 668	93.7%	★★★★★
2021	83.1	81 of 670	87.9%	★★★★☆
2019	83.4	75 of 667	88.8%	★★★★☆
2018	84.9	66 of 656	89.9%	★★★★★
2017	83.0	83 of 659	87.4%	★★★★☆
2016	83.6	82 of 656	87.5%	★★★★☆
2015	74.0	133 of 678	80.4%	★★★★☆
2013	67.4	249 of 668	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2012	67.0	233 of 660	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2011	70.1	185 of 631	70.7%	★★★★☆
2010	74.3	121 of 630	80.8%	★★★★☆
2009	67.9	206 of 621	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2008	67.8	215 of 614	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2007	68.6	202 of 600	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2006	71.8	150 of 585	74.4%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kansas percentile	Rating
2026	78.4	102 of 585	82.6%	★★★★☆
2021	78.5	96 of 591	83.8%	★★★★☆
2019	77.9	93 of 591	84.3%	★★★★☆
2018	89.2	30 of 574	94.8%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kansas percentile	Rating
2026	89.3	19 of 546	96.5%	★★★★★
2025	94.4	8 of 533	98.5%	★★★★★
2024	98.3	1 of 546	99.8%	★★★★★
2023	90.8	13 of 541	97.6%	★★★★★
2022	90.0	19 of 512	96.3%	★★★★★
2021	92.1	8 of 494	98.4%	★★★★★
2019	90.7	8 of 509	98.4%	★★★★★
2018	90.4	10 of 512	98.0%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kansas percentile	Rating
2026	92.5	14 of 594	97.6%	★★★★★
2021	84.1	72 of 605	88.1%	★★★★☆
2019	83.2	69 of 586	88.2%	★★★★☆
2018	76.9	106 of 575	81.6%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kansas percentile	Rating
2026	87.5	30 of 576	94.8%	★★★★★
2025	89.8	22 of 576	96.2%	★★★★★
2024	91.3	18 of 579	96.9%	★★★★★
2023	80.4	78 of 584	86.6%	★★★★☆
2022	84.2	55 of 596	90.8%	★★★★★
2021	75.9	97 of 587	83.5%	★★★★☆
2019	75.8	102 of 592	82.8%	★★★★☆
2018	82.1	72 of 574	87.5%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Male (2026)98th percentile+4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)97th percentile~ school

White (2026)95th percentile~ school

Female (2026)83rd percentile-11 vs school

By subject vs Kansas (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics80%+39 vs state

English Language Arts70%+24 vs state

Science59%+20 vs state

★

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Schools Near Sterling Grade School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				KAP English Language Arts (2026)					KAP Mathematics (2026)					KAP Science (2026)		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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	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 All Grades	KAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	KAP Mathematics 4th Grade	KAP Mathematics 5th Grade	KAP Mathematics 6th Grade	KAP Mathematics All Grades	KAP Science 5th Grade	KAP Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Sterling Grade School	Public	PK, KG-6	218 S 5th	Sterling	67579	Rice County	Sterling	No	No	No	Yes	(620) 278-3112	268	22	12.2	41.8%	247 (92.2%)	6 (2.2%)	3 (1.1%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.1%)	89.4	39^th of 657 public elementary schools	94.1%		91.7	25^th of 656 public elementary schools	96.2%	14	64.7	71.1	82.9	56.7	69.9	77.1	78.9	85.4	76.7	79.9	58.5	58.5	$13,760	$3,313	$10,448
Nickerson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	400 N. Nickerson Street	Nickerson	67561	Reno County	Nickerson	No	No	No	Yes	(620) 422-3215	183	18	10.0	59.0%	159 (86.9%)	3 (1.6%)	7 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (7.1%)	78.7	107^th of 657 public elementary schools	83.7%		66.5	210^th of 656 public elementary schools	68.0%	103	61.3	55.0	62.5	77.3	63.8	54.8	40.0	71.0	81.8	62.5	84.4	84.4	$16,977	$1,655	$15,322
Lyons Central Elementary	Public	3-5	501 W. Lincoln	Lyons	67554	Rice County	Lyons	No	No	No	Yes	(620) 257-5612	132	14	9.5	78.0%	74 (56.1%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (38.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.5%)	33.2	477^th of 657 public elementary schools	27.4%		22.5	533^rd of 656 public elementary schools	18.8%	56	63.9	44.7	21.7		41.7	61.1	23.1	10.6		29.5	21.3	21.3	$14,883	$1,178	$13,705
Lyons Park Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	121 S. Workman	Lyons	67554	Rice County	Lyons	No	No	No	Yes	(620) 257-5624	166	17	9.9	66.9%	92 (55.4%)	0 (0.0%)	67 (40.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.2%)								(n/a)													$18,153	$1,137	$17,016
Chase Raymond Primary Intermediate School	Public	PK, KG-7	312 Ash	Chase	67524	Rice County	Chase-Raymond	No	No	No	Yes	(620) 938-2996	72	6	11.0	76.4%	58 (80.6%)	1 (1.4%)	13 (18.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45.5	373^rd of 657 public elementary schools	43.2%					(n/a)			41.7		37.1			41.7		34.3	50.0	50.0	$24,652	$15,881	$8,772
Wiley Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	900 W 21st	Hutchinson	67502	Reno County	Hutchinson Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(620) 615-5250	322	21	15.5	61.2%	233 (72.4%)	12 (3.7%)	55 (17.1%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.9%)	24.6	523^rd of 657 public elementary schools	20.4%		24.7	511^th of 656 public elementary schools	22.1%	12	41.7	20.0	48.9	27.4	34.9	25.0	10.0	51.1	29.4	29.6	29.8	29.8	$16,014	$2,378	$13,635
Morgan Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	100 W 27th	Hutchinson	67502	Reno County	Hutchinson Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(620) 615-5200	388	30	12.9	55.7%	256 (66.0%)	6 (1.5%)	87 (22.4%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (9.5%)	28.2	506^th of 657 public elementary schools	23.0%		32.7	471^st of 656 public elementary schools	28.2%	35	37.9	44.2	28.6	41.3	37.4	13.8	34.9	25.0	58.7	31.5	19.6	19.6	$15,484	$2,378	$13,106
Hutchinson Magnet School at Allen	Public, Magnet	K-6	403 West 10th	Hutchinson	67501	Reno County	Hutchinson Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(620) 615-4900	249	19	13.3	70.3%	130 (52.2%)	8 (3.2%)	83 (33.3%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (10.4%)	25.4	518^th of 657 public elementary schools	21.2%		31.1	482^nd of 656 public elementary schools	26.5%	36	43.9	37.2	32.0	39.5	38.8	23.8	30.2	25.0	43.2	30.8	25.0	25.0	$16,181	$2,378	$13,803
Plum Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	901 East 43rd Avenue	Hutchinson	67502	Reno County	Buhler	No	No	No	No	(620) 662-5535	448	29	15.6	35.5%	381 (85.0%)	9 (2.0%)	49 (10.9%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	5 (1.1%)	58.6	262^nd of 657 public elementary schools	60.1%		66.8	203^rd of 656 public elementary schools	69.1%	59	50.9	60.6	49.2		53.9	57.9	57.7	42.9		52.9	40.3	40.3	$11,559	$1,031	$10,528
Faris Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	301 East 10th	Hutchinson	67501	Reno County	Hutchinson Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(620) 615-5000	279	23	12.2	89.6%	153 (54.8%)	15 (5.4%)	79 (28.3%)	2 (0.7%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (9.7%)	13	593^rd of 657 public elementary schools	9.7%		18.3	557^th of 656 public elementary schools	15.1%	36	23.8	26.2	33.3	40.6	30.1	7.1	9.5	10.0	21.9	11.6	30.0	30.0	$17,217	$2,378	$14,838

Frequently Asked Questions about Sterling Grade School

What schools do graduates of Sterling Grade School attend?

Students who attend Sterling Grade School usually go on to attend:

High : Sterling Junior High/Senior High

What district is Sterling Grade School in?

Sterling

How many students attend Sterling Grade School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 268 students attended Sterling Grade School.

What is the racial makeup of Sterling Grade School?

Students at Sterling Grade School are 92% White, 4% Two or more races, 2% African American, 1% Hispanic.

Is Sterling Grade School a good school?

Yes. Sterling Grade School ranks in the top 5.9% of Kansas elementary schools.

Rate Sterling Grade School!

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Latest Kansas data All new data »

2025–26 attendance dataNewOct 13, 2026

2025–26 KAP test scoresNewOct 13, 2026

2023–24 school spending dataJan 8, 2026

2024–25 dropout ratesDec 4, 2025

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.