Best Public Schools in Shelby, NE

The city of Shelby, Nebraska is home to three public schools that serve students from elementary through high school: Shelby - Rising City Elementary School, Shelby - Rising City High School, and Shelby - Rising City Middle School, all part of the Shelby - Rising City Public Schools district.

Among the three schools, Shelby - Rising City High School stands out as the strongest performer, ranking 68th out of 146 Nebraska high schools and boasting a robust 87.9% four-year graduation rate. The high school also outperforms the state average in ACT proficiency for English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. In contrast, the elementary and middle schools struggle to meet state averages in NSCAS test scores, an area that may require focused improvement efforts.

While the schools have relatively high spending per student and small class sizes, they face challenges such as concerning chronic absenteeism rates across all three campuses, which are significantly higher than the state's target. Additionally, the schools serve a significant population of economically disadvantaged students, with free/reduced lunch rates ranging from 32.18% to 40.48%, suggesting the need for additional resources and support to address these disparities and ensure equitable educational opportunities for all students.