archived information

Our Region

The REL Central region consists of seven states–Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Across these states 8,320 schools and nearly 1,900 local education agencies serve a student population that approaches 3 million. Just under sixty-five percent of this total population identify as White, more than 18 percent as Hispanic, 8.4 percent as Black, 2.5 percent as Asian, 1.5 percent as American Indian or Native Alaskan, and .2 percent as Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. Approximately 30 percent of students in the region attend schools in urban areas with just over 25 percent in rural areas and over 18 percent of the remainder of the student population residing in town locales and with just over 27 percent residing in suburban locales.

Data About Our Region and the States We Serve

Students: 2,996,235
Schools: 8,320
Education Agencies: 1,873
Free/Reduced Lunch: 44.4%
Special Education: 14.0%
English Learners: 7.4%
Graduation Rate: 85.8%

Student Urbanicity

Race/Ethnicity

Student Urbanicity

Urban 29.2%
Suburban 27.1%
Town 18.4%
Rural 25.3%

Race/Ethnicity

American Indian 1.5%
Asian 2.5%
Black or African American 8.4%
Hispanic 18.6%
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander .2%
Two or More Races 4.4%
White 64.3%

Students: 911,536
Schools: 1,915
Education Agencies: 270
Free/Reduced Lunch: 40.8%
Special Education: 11.5%
English Learners: 11.4%
Graduation Rate: 81.1%

Student Urbanicity

Race/Ethnicity

Student Urbanicity

Urban 38.5%
Suburban 38.1%
Town 8.9%
Rural 14.5%

Race/Ethnicity

American Indian 0.7%
Asian 3.2%
Black or African American 4.5%
Hispanic 33.6%
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander .3%
Two or More Races 4.4%
White 53.4%

Students: 497,733
Schools: 1,314
Education Agencies: 311
Free/Reduced Lunch: 46.8%
Special Education: 15.3%
English Learners: 9.3%
Graduation Rate: 87.2%

Student Urbanicity

Race/Ethnicity

Student Urbanicity

Urban 27.6%
Suburban 17.6%
Town 25.3%
Rural 29.5%

Race/Ethnicity

American Indian .8%
Asian 2.8%
Black or African American 6.9%
Hispanic 20.1%
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander .2%
Two or More Races 5.4%
White 63.8%

Students: 913,441
Schools: 2,427
Education Agencies: 564
Free/Reduced Lunch: 50.2%
Special Education: 14.5%
English Learners: 3.9%
Graduation Rate: 89.7%

Student Urbanicity

Race/Ethnicity

Student Urbanicity

Urban 18.5%
Suburban 34.7%
Town 19.8%
Rural 27.3%

Race/Ethnicity

American Indian .4%
Asian 2.1%
Black or African American 15.7%
Hispanic 6.7%
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander .3%
Two or More Races 4.3%
White 70.6%

Students: 326,392
Schools: 1,081
Education Agencies: 279
Free/Reduced Lunch: 45.2%
Special Education: 16.0%
English Learners: 7.2%
Graduation Rate: 88.4%

Student Urbanicity

Race/Ethnicity

Student Urbanicity

Urban 39.6%
Suburban 13.2%
Town 19.2%
Rural 28%

Race/Ethnicity

American Indian 1.3%
Asian 2.8%
Black or African American 6.6%
Hispanic 19.2%
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander .1%
Two or More Races 3.9%
White 66%

Students: 113,845
Schools: 523
Education Agencies: 221
Free/Reduced Lunch: 30.3%
Special Education: 14.3%
English Learners: 3.7%
Graduation Rate: 88.3%

Student Urbanicity

Race/Ethnicity

Student Urbanicity

Urban 26.6%
Suburban 11.6%
Town 18.8%
Rural 43%

Race/Ethnicity

American Indian 8.4%
Asian 1.6%
Black or African American 5%
Hispanic 5.4%
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander .2%
Two or More Races 3.1%
White 76.3%

Students: 138,975
Schools: 697
Education Agencies: 166
Free/Reduced Lunch: 36.9%
Special Education: 15.6%
English Learners: 4.4%
Graduation Rate: 84.1%

Student Urbanicity

Race/Ethnicity

Student Urbanicity

Urban 26.5%
Suburban 1.7%
Town 29.2%
Rural 42.7%

Race/Ethnicity

American Indian 10.8%
Asian 1.7%
Black or African American 3.2%
Hispanic 6.5%
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander .1%
Two or More Races 4.6%
White 73%

Students: 94,313
Schools: 363
Education Agencies: 62
Free/Reduced Lunch: 36.4%
Special Education: 16.5%
English Learners: 2.9%
Graduation Rate: 82.1%

Student Urbanicity

Race/Ethnicity

Student Urbanicity

Urban 25%
Suburban 2%
Town 44.1%
Rural 28.9%

Race/Ethnicity

American Indian 3.6%
Asian 0.8%
Black or African American 1.1%
Hispanic 13.8%
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander .2%
Two or More Races 2.8%
White 77.7%

Notes

1. The REL Central region average is the average of the state averages, not a true average.

Data Sources

Table 203.20. Enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools, by region, state, and jurisdiction: Selected years, fall 1990 through fall 2029: https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d20/tables/dt20_203.20.asp?current=yes

Table 216.70. Public elementary and secondary schools, by level, type, and state or jurisdiction: 1990-91, 2000-01, 2010-11, and 2018-19: https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d20/tables/dt20_216.70.asp?current=yes

Table 214.30. Number of public elementary and secondary education agencies, by type of agency and state or jurisdiction: 2017-18 and 2018-19: https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d20/tables/dt20_214.30.asp?current=yes

Table 204.10. Number and percentage of public school students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, by state: Selected years, 2000-01 through 2018-19: https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d20/tables/dt20_204.10.asp?current=yes

Table 204.70., Number and percentage of children served under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B, by age group and state or jurisdiction: Selected years, 1990-91 through 2018-19: https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d19/tables/dt19_204.70.asp?current=yes

Table 204.20. English language learner (ELL) students enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools, by state: Selected years, fall 2000 through fall 2018 https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d20/tables/dt20_204.20.asp?current=yes

Table 219.46., Public high school 4-year adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR), by selected student characteristics and state: 2010-11 through 2018-19: https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d20/tables/dt20_219.46.asp?current=yes

ELSI Table Generator: https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/elsi/tableGenerator.aspx

Table 203.70., Percentage distribution of enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools, by race/ethnicity and state or jurisdiction: Fall 2000 and fall 2018: https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d20/tables/dt20_203.70.asp?current=yes