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Sedgwick County – School Districts 2023-2024

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Public school systems play a crucial role in shaping local economies, influencing everything from property values to workforce development. The economic impact of local public schools extends far beyond education, affecting businesses, government budgets, and community well-being. Below are key ways in which public schools contribute to local economic health.

  1. Boosting Property Values and Municipal Revenue A strong public school system increases demand for housing in the district, driving up property values. Studies consistently show that homes in high-performing school districts command higher prices than comparable homes in weaker districts. Higher property values, in turn, generate more property tax revenue for local governments, which can be reinvested in infrastructure, public safety, and other community services.

    Additionally, businesses are more likely to establish themselves in areas with well-regarded schools, knowing that educated communities attract skilled workers and stable families. This creates a positive feedback loop where better schools lead to economic growth, which then further supports school funding.

  2. Workforce Development and Economic Competitiveness Public schools are the primary source of skilled labor for local industries. By providing foundational education, vocational training, and college preparation, schools ensure that businesses have access to qualified employees. Areas with strong school systems tend to have lower unemployment rates and higher average incomes because educated workers are more productive and adaptable to changing job markets.

    Investments in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs, career and technical education (CTE), and partnerships with local businesses further enhance workforce readiness. Companies often consider school quality when deciding where to locate, as they need a pipeline of talent to sustain operations.

  3. Direct Employment and Local Spending Public schools are among the largest employers in many communities, providing jobs for teachers, administrators, custodians, and support staff. These employees spend their salaries locally, supporting restaurants, retail stores, and service providers. The multiplier effect means that every dollar spent on school payroll circulates through the economy multiple times, stimulating additional business activity.

    Beyond salaries, schools also contribute to local economies through construction projects (e.g., building new facilities or renovating old ones), purchasing supplies from area vendors, and contracting services like transportation and food supply. These expenditures create jobs and generate tax revenue.

  4. Reducing Long-Term Public Costs Quality education correlates with lower crime rates, reduced reliance on social welfare programs, and better public health outcomes. Students who graduate from strong school systems are less likely to require government assistance, engage in criminal activity, or face chronic unemployment. This reduces the burden on taxpayers, who would otherwise fund prisons, healthcare for the uninsured, and social services.

    Early childhood education programs, in particular, have been shown to yield high long-term returns by improving graduation rates and future earnings while decreasing incarceration costs.

  5. Attracting and Retaining Families and Businesses Families with children prioritize school quality when choosing where to live. Communities with reputable schools experience population growth, which sustains local businesses and services. Conversely, declining school performance can lead to outmigration, shrinking the tax base and harming economic vitality.

    Similarly, corporations evaluating relocation opportunities assess school systems to ensure employees will have access to good education for their children. A weak school system can deter investment, while a strong one can attract high-paying jobs and stimulate economic diversification.

Conclusion

The local public school system is not just an educational institution but a cornerstone of economic stability and growth. By enhancing property values, developing a skilled workforce, employing residents, reducing public costs, and attracting businesses, schools create a thriving economic ecosystem. Policymakers and community leaders must recognize that investing in education yields broad economic benefits, making it one of the most impactful ways to ensure long-term prosperity.

The following report contains those school districts that are completely or partially within the county. The school districts are sorted in a left to right order based on the number of students that are estimated to live in the county, although they may actually attend a school outside the county boundary. Except where noted all figures are for the entire disctrict population and not just that portion that are in the county.

Where available, the district's name contains a link to that district's website.
 
Sedgwick Public Schools Unified School District 439
Halstead Unified School District 440  
Circle Unified School District 375  
Rose Hill Public Schools Unified School District 394  
Cheney Unified School District 268  
Clearwater Unified School District 264  
Mulvane Unified School District 263  
Renwick Unified School District 267  
Andover Unified School District 385  
Valley Center Public Schools Unified School District 262  
Haysville Unified School District 261  
Goddard Unified School District 265  
Derby Unified School District 260  
Maize Unified School District 266  
Wichita Unified School District 259  
Grade Span of Agency
Number of Schools
Total Classroom Teachers
Student/Teachers

    Prekindergarten
    Kindergarten
    Grade 1
    Grade 2
    Grade 3
    Grade 4
    Grade 5
    Grade 6
    Grade 7
    Grade 8
    Grade 9
    Grade 10
    Grade 11
    Grade 12
PK thru 12 Students
Ungraded Students
Adult Education and Other Students
Special Ed IEP Students
Total Students

White
Black
Asian
Hispanic
Native American
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Undefined or Multiple Races

Prekindergarten Teachers
Kindergarten Teachers
Elementary Teachers
Secondary Teachers
Ungraded Class Teachers
Total FTE Teachers

Elementary School Counselors
Secondary School Counselors
School Counselors
Total Counselors

School Administrators
School Administrative Support Staff
Instr. Coord. and Super. to Staff
Student Support Services Staff
Librarians/media specialists
Library/Media Support Staff
School Psychologists
Paraprofessionals/Instructional Aides
Total School Staff

LEA Administrators
LEA Administrative Support Staff
Total LEA Staff

All Other Support Staff
Total Other Staff
PK-12
87
4,340
10.94

2,599
3,230
3,298
3,424
3,267
3,352
3,332
3,279
3,271
3,433
3,553
3,682
3,422
3,210
46,352
164
0
943
47,459

13,512
9,135
2,198
17,416
352
124
3,779

1,104
802
806
1,628
0
4,340

0
0
143
143

215
239
242
508
62
10
76
943
2,053

5
175
422

770
770
PK-12
12
623
13.53

410
470
560
559
582
537
606
584
615
658
719
622
648
590
8,160
0
0
272
8,432

5,736
232
220
1,307
40
11
614

20
114
197
292
0
623

0
0
27
27

38
30
14
91
6
0
11
272
448

5
21
40

158
158
PK-12
13
457
16.22

230
498
520
557
500
510
548
581
616
558
556
611
509
490
7,284
0
0
129
7,413

4,714
339
250
1,281
71
13
616

9
144
119
185
0
457

0
0
10
10

20
27
1
64
0
9
8
129
256

0
26
27

160
160
PK-12
12
476
13.68

115
377
393
452
442
450
473
469
528
536
521
516
486
473
6,231
22
0
259
6,512

4,796
128
132
785
38
9
365

12
94
139
231
0
476

0
0
16
16

21
29
2
74
11
6
11
259
411

6
22
30

190
190
PK-12
9
385
14.98

258
325
334
353
353
391
406
467
416
392
548
382
385
407
5,417
111
0
241
5,769

3,505
135
162
1,115
23
44
544

14
60
108
203
0
385

0
0
15
15

22
35
14
53
9
10
8
241
378

5
13
32

216
216
PK-12
7
226
14.45

109
178
182
206
191
223
234
255
272
237
327
255
239
250
3,158
21
0
88
3,267

2,397
58
30
494
22
2
176

9
41
62
114
0
226

0
0
10
10

14
5
21
40
6
1
4
88
158

4
10
35

67
67
PK-12
11
378
24.88

194
339
706
847
826
868
889
870
890
852
513
490
549
508
9,341
35
0
30
9,406

6,786
279
508
1,146
38
14
605

5
51
110
212
0
378

0
0
16
16

16
18
7
16
7
2
0
30
90

5
12
24

106
106
PK-12
6
144
13.93

129
147
150
133
142
157
135
139
144
150
144
152
120
138
1,980
0
0
25
2,005

1,792
7
2
110
2
0
67

4
15
52
73
0
144

0
0
5
5

8
8
0
16
0
6
0
25
62

2
5
7

27
27
PK-12
4
158
12.03

103
107
112
121
117
130
139
132
143
153
152
139
128
143
1,819
0
0
82
1,901

1,539
8
4
132
20
0
116

5
35
38
80
0
158

0
0
5
5

9
12
2
17
2
3
2
82
127

2
8
12

84
84
PK-12
3
77
14.24

53
56
57
86
74
73
69
86
95
85
92
104
84
78
1,092
0
0
5
1,097

949
2
4
89
15
0
33

0
10
28
39
0
77

0
0
3
3

5
6
1
5
0
1
0
5
22

1
4
6

25
25
PK-12
3
56
14.66

66
45
44
54
59
61
67
63
61
54
62
58
59
57
810
0
0
11
821

727
7
0
47
5
0
24

2
7
15
32
0
56

0
0
3
3

4
4
1
6
2
1
0
11
28

1
1
3

22
22
PK-12
4
111
15.42

112
114
107
112
113
105
110
94
111
125
157
132
149
122
1,663
40
0
9
1,712

1,441
29
15
131
12
1
74

1
12
35
63
0
111

0
0
4
4

6
6
0
10
1
2
0
9
34

2
5
7

43
43
PK-12
6
143
14.81

107
140
141
169
153
161
158
157
140
156
157
166
144
138
2,087
0
0
30
2,117

1,782
64
37
129
16
4
55

0
27
49
67
0
143

0
0
6
6

8
8
4
9
4
3
0
30
62

2
4
10

71
71
PK-12
3
64
12.77

60
46
46
55
57
53
62
70
52
67
66
60
56
61
811
0
0
6
817

657
6
0
106
4
0
38

2
10
19
33
0
64

0
0
2
2

4
5
2
11
2
1
0
6
28

1
3
6

17
17
PK-12
2
37
13.75

25
28
33
38
36
44
28
41
35
43
39
30
50
35
505
0
0
4
509

417
0
0
53
2
0
33

0
7
13
17
0
37

0
0
3
3

3
1
0
4
0
1
0
4
12

1
2
3

10
10


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus