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Shelby - Rising City Elementary School

Q: Is Shelby - Rising City Elementary School a good school?

Shelby - Rising City Elementary School ranks 136 th of 294 Nebraska elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

136^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 294 Nebraska Elementary Schools

Better than 54% of Nebraska elementary schools

Summary

Shelby - Rising City Elementary School is a small, rural school in Shelby, Nebraska, serving 201 students from Pre-K through 5th grade as part of the Shelby - Rising City Public Schools district. This school stands out for its remarkable turnaround over the past decade, climbing from a low point in 2016-2017 to its highest state ranking in the 2024-2025 school year, earning a 3-star rating. With a low student-to-teacher ratio of 10.2:1 and a high per-student spending of $22,646, the school invests heavily in its students, which is reflected in its strong academic performance compared to nearby schools.

One of the most impressive features of Shelby - Rising City Elementary is its exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate of just 5.7% for the 2024-2025 school year—less than half the district average and far below the state average of 19.3%. This rate is the lowest among all nearby schools with available data, including Emerson Elementary School (6.0%) and North Park Elementary (11.2%), indicating a highly engaged student body and a strong school culture. Academically, the school's test scores are competitive with top-performing peers: its overall ELA proficiency (62.77%) and Math proficiency (60.64%) are on par with David City Elementary School and significantly higher than all five Columbus Public Schools elementary schools, though it is outperformed by Cross County Elementary School and Osceola Elementary School.

A notable bright spot is the school's 3rd-grade program, where students achieved a 74.07% proficiency rate in both ELA and Math—the highest 3rd-grade ELA score among all nearby schools and well above state averages. This suggests a strong early elementary foundation. However, the school's performance varies across student groups; while it excels with economically disadvantaged students, ranking in the 62nd percentile for this subgroup, it shows room for growth with other groups. Overall, Shelby - Rising City Elementary offers a supportive, high-attendance environment with effective early learning, making it a solid choice for families in the area.

201

Students ?

10.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$22,646

Per pupil spending ?

31.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

650 N Walnut
Shelby, NE 68662-0218

(402) 527-5946

District: Shelby - Rising City Public Schools

Students who attend Shelby - Rising City Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Shelby - Rising City Middle School
High:	Shelby - Rising City High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

77.1%

Hispanic:

19.9%

American Indian:

2.5%

See top rated Nebraska elementary schools

Compare Shelby - Rising City Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 29th percentile in 2015 → 54th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 25 percentile points since 2015

✓Above the Nebraska median (54th percentile)

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school62%

District avg56%

Nebraska avg58%

136^th of 294

Nebraska public elementary schools ?

Top 46%▲ up 25 pts since 2015

From bottom 29% (2015) to top 46% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Nebraska Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

72^nd of 118Shelby - Rising City 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)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Nebraska percentile	Rating
2025	55.7	136 of 294	53.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	54.7	232 of 428	45.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	51.6	229 of 459	50.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	40.6	289 of 457	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	31.6	330 of 442	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	45.9	258 of 452	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	32.4	332 of 450	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	26.5	371 of 459	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	38.5	327 of 480	31.9%	★★☆☆☆
2015	36.8	348 of 488	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	31.2	371 of 483	23.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	37.3	345 of 485	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	41.4	322 of 480	32.9%	★★☆☆☆
2011	48.1	258 of 473	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2010	43.9	349 of 502	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2009	54.8	260 of 471	44.8%	★★☆☆☆
2008	56.4	260 of 478	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2007	63.8	164 of 430	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2006	66.3	134 of 418	67.9%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Nebraska percentile	Rating
2022	32.9	231 of 337	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	46.0	189 of 349	45.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	40.7	215 of 341	37.0%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Nebraska percentile	Rating
2023	60.1	118 of 312	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	55.0	120 of 259	53.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	64.3	95 of 298	68.1%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Nebraska percentile	Rating
2023	39.1	239 of 366	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	24.1	285 of 356	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	30.4	273 of 367	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Nebraska percentile	Rating
2024	35.1	196 of 261	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	37.4	253 of 385	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	38.6	250 of 388	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	24.4	309 of 368	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	28.4	305 of 391	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	24.7	323 of 391	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2023)62nd percentile+12 vs school

Male (2023)35th percentile-15 vs school

Female (2022)31st percentile-5 vs school

White (2024)25th percentile-21 vs school

By subject vs Nebraska (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts63%+4 vs state

Mathematics61%+3 vs state

★

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Schools Near Shelby - Rising City Elementary 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 (2025)				Ranking (2024)				NSCAS English Language Arts (2025)					NSCAS Mathematics (2025)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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 3rd Grade	NSCAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	NSCAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	NSCAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	NSCAS English Language Arts All Grades	NSCAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	NSCAS Mathematics 4th Grade	NSCAS Mathematics 6th Grade	NSCAS Mathematics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Shelby - Rising City Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	650 N Walnut	Shelby	68662	Polk County	Shelby - Rising City Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 527-5946	201	20	10.2	31.3%	155 (77.1%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (19.9%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	55.7	136^th of 294 public elementary schools	53.7%		54.7	232^nd of 428 public elementary schools	45.8%	96	74.1	51.9			62.8	74.1			60.6	$22,646	$720	$18,142
Osceola Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	341 S Kimmel	Osceola	68651	Polk County	Osceola Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 747-2091	120	10	11.7	24.2%	97 (80.8%)	1 (0.8%)	7 (5.8%)	2 (1.7%)	2 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (9.2%)								(n/a)					79.6				77.6	$30,226	$416	$24,310
Cross County Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1270 123rd Road	Stromsburg	68666	Polk County	Cross County Community Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 764-5521	178	16	11.3	27.5%	165 (92.7%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (5.6%)	3 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)					71.4	75.0			79.4	$22,536	$804	$19,729
Bellwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	612 Park St	Bellwood	68624	Butler County	David City Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 538-4805	78	9	8.6	52.6%	61 (78.2%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (20.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.3%)								(n/a)									63.6	$32,554	$924	$26,981
Centennial Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	500 Centennial St	Columbus	68602	Platte County	Columbus Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 563-8180	353	25	14.1	62.0%	140 (39.7%)	4 (1.1%)	199 (56.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.3%)	24.9	239^th of 294 public elementary schools	18.7%		31.7	321^st of 428 public elementary schools	25.0%	82	52.2	50.0			51.1	68.7	51.4		59.6	$16,258	$915	$13,999
David City Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	826 E St	David City	68632	Butler County	David City Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 367-3779	315	26	11.9	35.6%	236 (74.9%)	2 (0.6%)	63 (20.0%)	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.2%)	30.9	226^th of 294 public elementary schools	23.1%		59.7	201^st of 428 public elementary schools	53.0%	25	46.3	84.9	56.8	54.6	59.4	53.7		53.5	63.0	$20,499	$886	$16,986
West Park Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	4100 Adamy St	Columbus	68602	Platte County	Columbus Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 563-7075	215	14	15.3	58.6%	88 (40.9%)	4 (1.9%)	119 (55.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (0.9%)								(n/a)	50.0				56.8		59.0		56.8	$16,541	$1,187	$14,064
Emerson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	2410 20th St	Columbus	68602	Platte County	Columbus Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 563-7030	286	15	19.7	62.9%	109 (38.1%)	1 (0.3%)	171 (59.8%)	3 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	32.5	222^nd of 294 public elementary schools	24.5%		14.6	382^nd of 428 public elementary schools	10.7%	160	44.9				41.5	61.2	71.1		66.0	$15,238	$1,214	$12,462
North Park Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	2200 31st St	Columbus	68602	Platte County	Columbus Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 563-7070	304	20	15.5	58.9%	98 (32.2%)	3 (1.0%)	198 (65.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	29.7	228^th of 294 public elementary schools	22.4%		26.5	334^th of 428 public elementary schools	22.0%	106	53.1	55.8			54.3	62.5			57.8	$16,611	$765	$14,507
Lost Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	3772 33rd Ave	Columbus	68602	Platte County	Columbus Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 563-7045	318	25	12.7	52.2%	158 (49.7%)	14 (4.4%)	136 (42.8%)	3 (0.9%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	11.4	270^th of 294 public elementary schools	8.2%		19.2	360^th of 428 public elementary schools	15.9%	90	43.1	41.5			42.2	61.5	42.7		51.0	$16,970	$1,121	$14,571

Frequently Asked Questions about Shelby - Rising City Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Shelby - Rising City Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Shelby - Rising City Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Shelby - Rising City Middle School
High : Shelby - Rising City High School

Is Shelby - Rising City Elementary School a good school?

Shelby - Rising City Elementary School ranks 136^th of 294 Nebraska elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Shelby - Rising City Elementary School in?

Shelby - Rising City Public Schools

How many students attend Shelby - Rising City Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 201 students attended Shelby - Rising City Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Shelby - Rising City Elementary School?

Students at Shelby - Rising City Elementary School are 77% White, 20% Hispanic, 2% American Indian.

Rate Shelby - Rising City Elementary School!

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Latest Nebraska data All new data »

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2023–24 school spending dataNov 29, 2025

2024–25 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesNov 29, 2025

2024–25 ACT test scoresNov 29, 2025

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.