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Pender High School

Public Grades 7-12

12^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 146 Nebraska High Schools

Better than 92% of Nebraska high schools

Summary

Pender High School is a public high school located in Pender, Nebraska, serving grades 7-12 with a total enrollment of 184 students. The school is part of the Pender Public Schools district, which is ranked 7th out of 115 districts in Nebraska and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Pender High School consistently ranks among the top high schools in Nebraska, with a current ranking of 12th out of 146 schools for the 2024-2025 school year. The school's students perform exceptionally well on standardized tests, with significantly higher proficiency rates compared to the state averages in subjects like ACT English Language Arts, ACT Mathematics, ACT Science, NSCAS English Language Arts, and NSCAS Mathematics. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, 70.37% of Pender High School's 11th-grade students were proficient or better in ACT Mathematics, compared to the state average of 41.27%. Additionally, the school has consistently maintained a 100% four-year graduation rate.

When compared to the nearby high schools, such as Wayne High School and Northeast Secondary School, Pender High School stands out as a top-performing institution. The school's exceptional academic performance, high graduation rates, and focus on equity and inclusion make it a standout educational institution in the region.

191

Students ?

13.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,903

Per pupil spending ?

39.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

609 Whitney St
Pender, NE 68047-5036

(402) 385-3244

District: Pender Public Schools

Feeder schools for Pender High School:

Elementary:

Pender Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

87.4%

Hispanic:

6.3%

Two or more races:

3.1%

See top rated Nebraska high schools

Compare Pender High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 58th percentile in 2015 → 92nd in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Nebraska average (77% vs 56% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 8% of Nebraska high schools

✓100% graduate in 4 years — above the Nebraska average (88%)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school77%

District avg80%

Nebraska avg56%

Middle school

26^th of 133

Nebraska public middle schools ?

Top 20%▲ up 3 pts since 2015

From top 23% (2015) to top 20% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Nebraska Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

12^th of 146

Nebraska public high schools ?

Top 8%▲ up 34 pts since 2015

From top 42% (2015) to top 8% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Nebraska High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

9^th of 118Pender Public Schools among Nebraska districts

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

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Nebraska percentile	Rating
2025	78.1	26 of 133	80.5%	★★★★☆
2023	84.0	21 of 238	91.2%	★★★★★
2022	85.6	13 of 249	94.8%	★★★★★
2021	77.2	30 of 223	86.5%	★★★★☆
2019	90.0	12 of 247	95.1%	★★★★★
2018	71.1	48 of 225	78.7%	★★★★☆
2017	88.8	8 of 236	96.6%	★★★★★
2016	83.6	20 of 255	92.2%	★★★★★
2015	68.5	59 of 256	77.0%	★★★★☆
2014	42.4	159 of 252	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2013	57.6	99 of 248	60.1%	★★★☆☆
2012	48.8	139 of 255	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2011	76.3	35 of 246	85.8%	★★★★☆
2010	62.3	81 of 254	68.1%	★★★☆☆
2009	67.0	60 of 243	75.3%	★★★★☆
2008	75.4	14 of 245	94.3%	★★★★★
2007	58.7	105 of 227	53.7%	★★★☆☆
2006	62.9	77 of 226	65.9%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Nebraska percentile	Rating
2019	79.2	20 of 156	87.2%	★★★★☆
2018	69.0	33 of 147	77.6%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Nebraska percentile	Rating
2023	95.4	1 of 144	99.3%	★★★★★
2022	90.4	2 of 118	98.3%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Nebraska percentile	Rating
2023	61.9	58 of 156	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	79.4	17 of 160	89.4%	★★★★☆
2021	69.5	34 of 144	76.4%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Nebraska percentile	Rating
2023	82.0	21 of 217	90.3%	★★★★★
2022	89.4	7 of 234	97.0%	★★★★★
2021	74.3	31 of 204	84.8%	★★★★☆
2019	91.9	4 of 222	98.2%	★★★★★
2018	89.1	7 of 203	96.6%	★★★★★

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Nebraska percentile	Rating
2025	88.3	12 of 146	91.8%	★★★★★
2024	85.7	17 of 168	89.9%	★★★★★
2023	86.8	22 of 215	89.8%	★★★★★
2022	92.2	11 of 202	94.6%	★★★★★
2021	81.4	34 of 209	83.7%	★★★★☆
2019	86.9	20 of 217	90.8%	★★★★★
2018	77.1	42 of 219	80.8%	★★★★☆
2017	38.7	133 of 219	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2016	77.1	42 of 246	82.9%	★★★★☆
2015	57.1	102 of 242	57.9%	★★★☆☆
2014	77.9	35 of 247	85.8%	★★★★☆
2013	67.4	70 of 247	71.7%	★★★★☆
2012	72.6	43 of 245	82.4%	★★★★☆
2011	86.2	21 of 252	91.7%	★★★★★
2010	40.9	187 of 249	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	76.1	39 of 251	84.5%	★★★★☆
2008	78.9	2 of 252	99.2%	★★★★★
2007	84.5	3 of 247	98.8%	★★★★★
2006	55.3	129 of 249	48.2%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Nebraska percentile	Rating
2023	82.3	20 of 136	85.3%	★★★★☆
2022	76.6	22 of 132	83.3%	★★★★☆
2021	70.7	34 of 138	75.4%	★★★★☆
2018	83.1	20 of 144	86.1%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Nebraska percentile	Rating
2022	99.5	2 of 74	97.3%	★★★★★
2018	89.2	9 of 79	88.6%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Nebraska percentile	Rating
2023	81.0	22 of 135	83.7%	★★★★☆
2022	96.8	2 of 135	98.5%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Nebraska percentile	Rating
2025	95.0	3 of 113	97.3%	★★★★★
2024	88.2	10 of 125	92.0%	★★★★★
2023	97.4	1 of 206	99.5%	★★★★★
2022	90.0	10 of 196	94.9%	★★★★★
2021	89.4	14 of 200	93.0%	★★★★★
2019	95.1	6 of 207	97.1%	★★★★★
2018	72.1	44 of 205	78.5%	★★★★☆

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)

Middle school

Low Socio Economic Status (2023)99th percentile+8 vs school

White (2023)90th percentile~ school

Female (2019)87th percentile-8 vs school

Male (2023)63rd percentile-28 vs school

High school

White (2025)97th percentile+6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2022)97th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2023)85th percentile-4 vs school

Male (2023)84th percentile-6 vs school

By subject vs Nebraska (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts83%+24 vs state

Mathematics76%+18 vs state

Science70%+23 vs state

★

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Schools Near Pender High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				NSCAS English Language Arts (2025)			NSCAS Mathematics (2025)			ACT English Language Arts (2025)	ACT Mathematics (2025)	ACT 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	NSCAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	NSCAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	NSCAS English Language Arts All Grades	NSCAS Mathematics 7th Grade	NSCAS Mathematics 8th Grade	NSCAS Mathematics All Grades	ACT English Language Arts 11th Grade	ACT Mathematics 11th Grade	ACT Science 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Pender High School	Public	7-12	609 Whitney St	Pender	68047	Thurston County	Pender Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 385-3244	191	14	13.4	39.3%	167 (87.4%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (6.3%)	2 (1.0%)	4 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.1%)	88.3	12^th of 146 public high schools	91.8%		85.7	17^th of 168 public high schools	89.9%	5	76.7		82.5	66.7	84.9	76.2		70.4	70.4	$17,903	$00	$15,629
Bancroft-Rosalie Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	708 Main St	Bancroft	68004	Cuming County	Bancroft-Rosalie Community Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 648-3336	114	12	9.1		69 (60.5%)	1 (0.9%)	6 (5.3%)	2 (1.8%)	34 (29.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.8%)								(n/a)			71.1							$22,262	$728	$17,906
Emerson-Hubbard High School	Public	9-12	1503 Dakota St	Emerson	68733	Thurston County	Emerson-Hubbard Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 695-2636	71	10	7.3	53.5%	56 (78.9%)	1 (1.4%)	7 (9.9%)	2 (2.8%)	4 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.4%)								(n/a)									55.6	$27,350	$1,178	$22,933
Walthill High School	Public	7-12	602 Main St	Walthill	68067	Thurston County	Walthill Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 846-5432	151	14	10.7		2 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	144 (95.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)								(n/a)										$27,556	$2,497	$22,839
Wakefield High School	Public	7-12	802 Highland	Wakefield	68784	Wayne County	Wakefield Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 287-2012	234	21	11.2	53.8%	89 (38.0%)	0 (0.0%)	145 (62.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	61.6	60^th of 146 public high schools	58.9%		29.7	123^rd of 168 public high schools	26.8%	63		57.1	54.1		57.1	56.8	61.0	48.8	58.5	$18,871	$845	$15,593
Wisner-Pilger High School	Public	7-12	801 18th St	Wisner	68791	Cuming County	Wisner-Pilger Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 529-3249	190	21	9.2	43.2%	155 (81.6%)	2 (1.1%)	27 (14.2%)	2 (1.1%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	74.9	36^th of 146 public high schools	75.3%		11.5	153^rd of 168 public high schools	8.9%	117	64.5		60.7	71.0		60.7	56.0	56.0	76.0	$25,246	$00	$20,189
Winnebago High School	Public	9-12	202 Osborne St	Winnebago	68071	Thurston County	Winnebago Public Schools District 17	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 878-2224	187	26	7.1		1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	173 (92.5%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.7%)								(n/a)										$38,180	$4,492	$30,299
Northeast Secondary School	Public	7-12	400 S 5th St	Lyons	68038	Burt County	Lyons-Decatur Northeast Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 687-2349	130	12	10.8	46.2%	108 (83.1%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (6.9%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (5.4%)	2 (1.5%)	4 (3.1%)	40.7	102^nd of 146 public high schools	30.1%					(n/a)		80.8	81.6			73.7	56.0		40.0	$25,353	$1,739	$19,556
Homer High School	Public	7-12	212 S 3rd	Homer	68030	Dakota County	Homer Community Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 698-2377	205	17	12.2	46.3%	143 (69.8%)	1 (0.5%)	11 (5.4%)	1 (0.5%)	40 (19.5%)	4 (2.0%)	5 (2.4%)								(n/a)	56.1		52.9				46.0			$20,465	$215	$17,446
Umo N Ho N Nation High School	Public	9-12	470 Main St	Macy	68039	Thurston County	Umo N Ho N Nation Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 837-5622	170	26	6.6		0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	166 (97.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.2%)								(n/a)										$53,810	$12,544	$37,039

Frequently Asked Questions about Pender High School

What schools feed into Pender High School?

Pender High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Pender Elementary School

Is Pender High School a good school?

Yes. Pender High School ranks in the top 8.2% of Nebraska high schools.

How many students attend Pender High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 191 students attended Pender High School.

What is the racial makeup of Pender High School?

Students at Pender High School are 87% White, 6% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% American Indian, 1% Asian.

What district is Pender High School in?

Pender Public Schools

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