Best Schools in Polk County, NE
Polk County, NE has 19 public schools (7 high, 5 middle, 7 elementary) serving 4,859 students. On average they score 62% on state proficiency tests against a projected 53%, so schools in Polk County meet expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Polk County, NE
The top high schools in Polk County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Cross County High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Cross County Community Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 123 Students
2. High Plains Community Jr/sr High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
High Plains Community Schools • Public • Grades 7 - 12 • 102 Students
3. Twin River Sr High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Twin River Public Schools • Public • Grades 7 - 12 • 190 Students
4. Shelby - Rising City High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Shelby - Rising City Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 110 Students
5. Osceola High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Osceola Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 68 Students
6. Centennial Jr-sr High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Centennial Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 148 Students
7. Columbus High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Columbus Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1273 Students
Best Middle Schools in Polk County, NE
The top middle schools in Polk County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Centennial Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Centennial Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 100 Students
2. Cross County Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Cross County Community Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 75 Students
3. Osceola Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Osceola Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 57 Students
4. Shelby - Rising City Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Shelby - Rising City Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 89 Students
5. Columbus Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Columbus Public Schools • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 1174 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Polk County, NE
The top elementary schools in Polk County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Centennial Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Centennial Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 248 Students
2. Osceola Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Osceola Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 119 Students
3. Cross County Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Cross County Community Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 169 Students
4. High Plains Community Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
High Plains Community Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 6 • 121 Students
5. Shelby - Rising City Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Shelby - Rising City Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 212 Students
6. Twin River Elem-genoa
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Twin River Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 6 • 219 Students
7. West Park Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Columbus Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 4 • 262 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Polk County, NE
County-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Polk County, NE has a total population of 5,214 with 23% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 93%, and 19% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Polk County, NE
K-12 Students
High School Graduates
Adults 25+ with HS diplomas
College Graduates
Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher
Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Polk County, NE.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
11.38 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
2.43 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
8.95 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Polk County, NE.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Polk County, NE.
ISP Report Card
Internet Infrastructure Grade
Average Download Speed
Speed Most Residents Can Get
Digital Connectivity Index
ISP Connectivity Demand Report
To read more about these statistics, please visit Polk County, NE Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Polk County, NE
How many schools are in Polk County, NE?
Polk County, NE has 19 public schools: 7 high schools, 5 middle schools and 7 elementary schools, serving 4,859 students in total.
How do schools in Polk County perform on state tests?
On average, 19 schools in Polk County score 62% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 53%, so on average schools in Polk County meet expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Polk County?
Every public school gets a SchoolGrade from A+ to F based on the share of students at or above the state proficiency bar. The Impact Grade compares that result with what we would expect given the school’s student and community context, so schools that outperform their circumstances stand out. Schools cannot pay to change a grade. Read the full methodology.
Best Schools in Cities Near Polk County, NE
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 65%
- Projected: 53%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 61%
- Projected: 49%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 61%
- Projected: 52%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 65%
- Projected: 52%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 67%
- Projected: 58%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 66%
- Projected: 54%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 64%
- Projected: 57%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 64%
- Projected: 49%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 68%
- Projected: 51%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 61%
- Projected: 44%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
Cities, towns and school districts in Polk County
4 places in Polk County with graded public schools. Each link opens that place's ranked schools.
Cities and towns (4)
- Osceola (3)
- Shelby (3)
- Stromsburg (3)
- Polk (1)
School districts (3)
- Cross County Community Schools (3 schools)
- Osceola Public Schools (3 schools)
- Shelby - Rising City Public Schools (3 schools)