Overview

  • Enrollment

    Enrollment Sept. 20, 2024 – 28,245 (official)

    Second-largest district in Kansas

    55 years of consecutive growth (1965-66 through 2019-20)

    Class Size Average

    • Elementary 19.53
    • Middle School 21.78
    • High School 22.82

    Learning Results

    • ACT composite average for 2023-24: 21.8
    • 12 National Merit Finalists in spring 2025
    • 2022 U.S. Presidential Scholar Recipient

    Accreditation

    All schools are accredited by the state of Kansas.

    Graduation Rate

    95.0% (official 2024 figure)

    Attendance Rate

    93.29% (unofficial for the 2024-25 year)

    College Level Courses

    • 15 Four-year career pathway academies
    • 8 Two-year career pathway academies
    • 23 Advanced Placement courses
    • 47 Dual-enrollment college courses

    Activities and Athletics

    • In 2024-25, 61.12% of students in grades 5-12 were involved in one or more activity or athletic opportunity.
    • Olathe’s rich activities and athletics programs create a well-rounded student population.

    Grants and Scholarships

    More than $40 million in scholarships were accepted by 2025 graduates.

    Recognitions

    • 18 Blue Ribbon School Awards
    • 2023, 2024 and 2025 Best Community for Music Education as named by the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation
    • 2025 Challenge Award recipients from the Confidence in Kansas Public Education Task Force (Ridgeview and Westview elementary schools)
    • 2025 Kansas All Star High Schools as named by Apply Kansas (Olathe East, Olathe North, Olathe Northwest and Olathe South)
    • No. 7 Best in-State Employer in Kansas as named by Forbes Magazine (2024)
    • Performing Arts School of Excellence as named by the Kansas State High School Activities Association (Olathe East High School, 2024-25)
    • No. 12 Best Mid-Size Employer in the U.S. as listed by Forbes Magazine, only K-12 school district in the top 60 (2023)
    • No. 4 Best Employer in Kansas as named by Forbes Magazine (August 2023)
    • Apple Distinguished School (Central Elementary School, 2023)
    • 2023 Challenge Award from the Confidence in Kansas Public Education Task Force (Westview Elementary School)
    • Leader in Me Lighthouse School named by Franklin Covey Co. (Millbrooke Elementary School, 2022)
    • National Blue Ribbon School Award from the U.S. Department of Education (Mahaffie Elementary School, 2021)
    • No. 4 on the U.S. News Best High Schools in Kansas (Olathe Northwest High School, 2021-22)
    • Top 25 public schools in Kansas as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, 2021-22 (Regency Place Elementary, 11th among elementary schools; Prairie Trail Middle School, sixth among middle schools; California Trail Middle School, 22nd among middle schools; Olathe Northwest High School, fifth among high schools; Olathe North High School, 18th among high schools; Olathe East High School, 20th among high schools)

    Number of Staff: 4,631

    • 2,772 — Certified staff
    • 1,859 — Classified support staff
    • 13 years — Average experience of classroom teachers
    • 8 — Kansas Teachers of the Year
    • 20 — Presidential Awards for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching

    Number of Schools

    • 36 Elementary schools (Grades K-5)
    • 10 Middle schools (Grades 6-8)
    • 5 High schools (Grades 9-12)
    • Claire Learning Center
    • Harmony and Heartland Early Childhood Centers for children with special needs
    • Head Start program for preschool age children
    • Mill Creek Campus
    • Olathe Advanced Technical Center for two-year career pathway academies
    • Olathe Public Schools Innovation Campus for two-year academies as well as ACCESS and FOCUS post-secondary programs
    • Prairie Learning Center for children with special needs

    Programs

    • Tiered math instruction at the middle level, including advanced classes
    • Semester literacy course at the middle level encourages student voice and choice in reading
    • AVID for increasing college readiness at all high schools
    • 21st Century High School Academies exploring careers in high school in areas of engineering, medicine, sciences, technology and more
    • College level classes — Advanced Placement and College Now courses
    • eAcademy online education
    • Physical fitness offerings at all levels
    • Fine arts offerings at all levels — visual arts, general music, choral, orchestra, band, theater

    Strengths of the Olathe Public Schools

    • Outstanding students and staff
    • Community support
    • Parental involvement
    • The Olathe Public Schools Foundation
    • Civic group support

    2024-25 Ethnic/Racial Breakdown

    • Caucasian — 61.42%
    • Hispanic — 20.28%
    • Black or African American — 8.05%
    • Multi-racial — 5.34%
    • Asian — 4.35%
    • American Indian or Alaska Native — 0.33%
    • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander — 0.23%

     

District Enrollment

* not finalized
School Year Enrollment
1965 3,687
1966 3,964
1967 4,192
1968 4,433
1969 4,619
1970 4,664
1971 5,020
1972 5,289
1973 5,477
1974 5,583
1975 5,814
1976 6,428
1977 7,006
1978 7,495
1979 8,098
1980 8,497
1981 8,973
1982 9,360
1983 9,950
1984 10,593
1985 11,230
1986 12,050
1987 12,727
1988 13,296
1989 13,974
1990 14,870
1991 15,357
1992 15,908
1993 16,580
1994 17,129
1995 17,776
1996 18,483
1997 18,845
1998 19,606
1999 20,335
2000 20,872
2001 21,530
2002 22,197
2003 23,000
2004 23,699
2005 24,760
2006 25,540
2007 26,351
2008 26,894
2009 27,202
2010 27,943
2011 28,228
2012 28,872
2013 29,171
2014 29,414
2015 29,567
2016 29,622
2017 30,055
2018 30,145
2019 30,299
2020 29,244
2021 29,404
2022 29,043
2023 28,619
2024 28,245

For More Information

  • For more information, call the Communications Division at 913-780-7000.

    The Olathe School District is an equal opportunity educator and employer. (Read the non-discrimination statement).

    Direct inquiries regarding compliance to the Assistant Superintendent/General Administration, 913-780-7000.