Best Public Schools in Ponca, NE

The city of Ponca, Nebraska is home to two schools - Ponca High School and Ponca Elementary School, both part of the Ponca Public Schools district. Ponca High School stands out as a top-performing school in the region, consistently ranking among the best high schools in Nebraska and earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Ponca High School's academic excellence is evident in its impressive test scores, with 66.67% of 11th graders proficient or better in ACT/Science, 83.33% in ACT/English Language Arts, and 86.67% in ACT/Mathematics. The school also boasts a strong 87.9% four-year graduation rate. In contrast, Ponca Elementary School, while also performing well, has a slightly higher chronic absenteeism rate of 19.3% compared to the high school's 19.3%.

Interestingly, Ponca High School spends $18,657 per student and has a student-teacher ratio of 11:1, suggesting efficient resource allocation and effective utilization of funds. Ponca Elementary School, on the other hand, spends $21,303 per student and has a student-teacher ratio of 10.9:1. The higher percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients at Ponca Elementary School (29.66%) compared to Ponca High School (20.69%) may indicate the need for additional support and resources to address potential socioeconomic challenges faced by students at the elementary level.