High Schools in Ottawa

The high schools in Ottawa, Kansas provide a contrasting educational experience for students. Ottawa Senior High, a traditional public high school, serves 727 students in grades 9-12 and struggles with below-average academic performance and a high rate of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. In contrast, Ottawa Virtual School, a public virtual high school serving grades 6-12, has a much smaller enrollment of only 13 students and a significantly lower rate of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch.

Ottawa Senior High's academic performance, as measured by the percentage of students proficient or better in KAP (Kansas Assessment Program) tests, is below the district and state averages in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. The school also has a relatively low statewide ranking, ranking between 243-268 out of 318-327 Kansas high schools in the past three school years, and is rated 1 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger. This suggests that the school may be facing challenges in providing a high-quality education to its students.

The data highlights the stark differences between the traditional public high school and the public virtual high school. While Ottawa Senior High has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a relatively high level of economic disadvantage, Ottawa Virtual School has a much lower rate of students in this category. Additionally, the student-teacher ratio at Ottawa Virtual School is significantly higher than the traditional high school, which may present unique challenges and opportunities for the virtual school model. As virtual education continues to evolve, there may be opportunities to expand and refine the virtual school model to better meet the needs of diverse student populations in the area.