Thunder Ridge High School

Q: Is Thunder Ridge High School a good school?

Thunder Ridge High School ranks 60 th of 318 Kansas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Thunder Ridge High School is a public high school located in Kensington, Kansas, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 67 students. The school is part of the Thunder Ridge Schools district, which is ranked 82 out of 266 districts in Kansas and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Thunder Ridge High School's performance has been inconsistent, with its statewide ranking fluctuating from a high of 60th out of 318 Kansas high schools in 2023-2024 (4-star rating) to a low of 299th out of 314 in 2017-2018 (0-star rating). Compared to nearby schools like Phillipsburg High (ranked 50th in 2023-2024) and Smith Center Junior Senior High (ranked 57th in 2023-2024), both of which are also rated 4 stars, Thunder Ridge High School's ranking is generally lower. The school's academic performance has also been mixed, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics fluctuating above and below the state averages in recent years.

Interestingly, Thunder Ridge High School has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 43.66% in 2021-2022 to 64.38% in 2020-2021, which is higher than the nearby Phillipsburg High at 38.33% in 2022-2023. Despite the higher spending per student and lower student-teacher ratio at Thunder Ridge High School compared to nearby schools, the school's academic performance has not consistently reflected these resource advantages, suggesting that factors beyond just funding and staffing may be influencing student outcomes.

Detail:

Public 9-12

209 East Ash
Kensington, KS 66951

(785) 476-2217

District: Thunder Ridge Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
60^th of 318 Kansas High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,491

Feeder schools for Thunder Ridge High School:

Elementary:	Thunder Ridge Elementary
Middle:	Thunder Ridge Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 8.3

Number of students: 63

Racial breakdown:

White:

85.7%

Hispanic:

6.3%

Two or more races:

4.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 49.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Thunder Ridge High School ranks better than 81.1% of high schools in Kansas. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 72.59. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Thunder Ridge High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (85.7%), Hispanic (6.3%), two or more races (4.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 49.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Thunder Ridge High School is 8.3. (See more...)

Compare Thunder Ridge High School employs 7.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Thunder Ridge High School is $16,491.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Thunder Ridge High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Thunder Ridge High School 60^th of 318 Kansas public high schools. (See Thunder Ridge High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

Thunder Ridge Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Thunder Ridge Schools 82^nd of 266 Kansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Thunder Ridge High School

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Rank History for all students at Thunder Ridge High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KS State Percentile
2010	76.13	50^th	302	83.4%
2011	36.27	232^nd	298	22.1%
2012	57.40	168^th	317	47.0%
2013	49.41	203^rd	323	37.2%
2015	27.00	286^th	326	12.3%
2017	57.27	121^st	316	61.7%
2018	7.64	299^th	314	4.8%
2019	20.90	276^th	325	15.1%
2021	44.11	184^th	320	42.5%
2022	65.41	85^th	324	73.8%
2023	37.27	223^rd	327	31.8%
2024	72.59	60^th	318	81.1%

See the entire list of Kansas High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Thunder Ridge High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KS State Percentile
2019	23.16	201^st	229	12.2%
2021	55.37	78^th	213	63.4%
2023	48.12	122^nd	250	51.2%

See the entire list of Best Kansas High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Male students at Thunder Ridge High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KS State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	18.01	224^th	252	11.1%
2021	44.74	147^th	258	43.0%

See the entire list of Best Kansas High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Thunder Ridge High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KS State Percentile
2018	2.99	292^nd	296	1.4%
2019	10.48	292^nd	306	4.6%
2021	42.49	181^st	302	40.1%
2022	49.61	146^th	307	52.4%
2023	31.84	228^th	309	26.2%
2024	60.73	96^th	295	67.5%

See the entire list of Best Kansas High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Kansas State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Kansas State Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Thunder Ridge High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2009	78	5	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	85
2010	54	4	0	3	0	0	0	61
2011	76	2	1	2	0	0	2	83
2012	75	1	2	3	0	0	0	81
2013	69	1	1	6	0	0	0	77
2014	74	1	2	6	0	0	0	83
2015	63	1	1	4	1	0	0	70
2016	63	1	0	4	0	0	1	69
2017	62	3	0	4	0	0	2	71
2018	60	2	1	6	0	0	3	72
2019	65	2	0	6	0	1	4	78
2020	60	1	0	6	2	1	5	75
2021	59	0	0	5	2	1	6	73
2022	60	1	0	4	1	1	4	71
2023	57	2	0	4	1	0	3	67
2024	54	1	0	4	1	0	3	63

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Thunder Ridge High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	85	13.8	6.2	44.7
2010	61	9.4	6.4	44.3
2011	83	9.4	8.8	51.8
2012	81	10.7	7.5	40.7
2013	77	10.8	7.1	50.6
2014	83	10.0	8.3	56.6
2015	70	10.0	7.0	58.6
2016	69	11.0	6.2	62.3
2017	71	7.6	9.3	60.6
2018	72	7.4	9.7	55.6
2019	78	7.6	10.2	61.5
2020	75	6.6	11.3	57.3
2021	73	6.2	11.7	64.4
2022	71	6.7	10.4	43.7
2023	67	7.7	8.6	50.7
2024	63	7.5	8.3	49.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Thunder Ridge High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	85	13.8	6.2	44.7
2010	61	9.4	6.4	44.3
2011	83	9.4	8.8	51.8
2012	81	10.7	7.5	40.7
2013	77	10.8	7.1	50.6
2014	83	10.0	8.3	56.6
2015	70	10.0	7.0	58.6
2016	69	11.0	6.2	62.3
2017	71	7.6	9.3	60.6
2018	72	7.4	9.7	55.6
2019	78	7.6	10.2	61.5
2020	75	6.6	11.3	57.3
2021	73	6.2	11.7	64.4
2022	71	6.7	10.4	43.7
2023	67	7.7	8.6	50.7
2024	63	7.5	8.3	49.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Thunder Ridge High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,219 (7.4%)	$15,272 (92.6%)	$16,491

Data source: Kansas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Thunder Ridge High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 276^th of 325 High schools	Ranks 223^rd of 327 High schools	16.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Thunder Ridge High School)	9.1	12.5	3.4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Thunder Ridge Schools)	9.1	12.5	3.4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Kansas)	28.5	26.7	1.7%
10th Grade Mathematics (Thunder Ridge High School)	13.6	22.2	8.6%
10th Grade Mathematics (Thunder Ridge Schools)	13.6	22.2	8.6%
10th Grade Mathematics (Kansas)	24.5	21	3.5%
11th Grade Science (Thunder Ridge High School)	26.7	26.7
11th Grade Science (Thunder Ridge Schools)	26.7	26.7
11th Grade Science (Kansas)	32.4	28.9	3.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	78	67	14.1%
African American	2	2
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	6	4	33.3%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	65	57	12.3%
Two or More Races	4	3	25%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	61.5%	50.7%	10.8%

Schools Near Thunder Ridge High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				KAP English Language Arts (2024)				KAP Mathematics (2024)				KAP Science (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	KAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	KAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	KAP English Language Arts 10th Grade	KAP English Language Arts All Grades	KAP Mathematics 7th Grade	KAP Mathematics 8th Grade	KAP Mathematics 10th Grade	KAP Mathematics All Grades	KAP Science 8th Grade	KAP Science 11th Grade	KAP Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Thunder Ridge High School	Public	9-12	209 East Ash	Kensington	66951	Smith County	Thunder Ridge Schools	No	No	No	No	(785) 476-2217	63	8	8.3	49.2%	54 (85.7%)	1 (1.6%)	4 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (4.8%)	72.6	60^th of 318 public high schools	81.1%		37.3	223^rd of 327 public high schools	31.8%	163			53.3	53.3			26.7	26.7		29.4	29.4	$16,491	$1,219	$15,272
Smith Center Junior Senior High	Public	7-12	300 Roger Barta Way	Smith Center	66967	Smith County	Smith Center	No	No	No	No	(785) 282-6609	200	18	10.9	49.0%	180 (90.0%)	7 (3.5%)	3 (1.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.5%)	73.4	57^th of 318 public high schools	82.1%		92.6	11^th of 327 public high schools	96.6%	46	60.6	16.2	34.1	36.0	48.5	5.6	21.4	24.3	27.8	56.0	39.3	$12,482	$332	$12,150
Phillipsburg High	Public	9-12	410 S 7th	Phillipsburg	67661	Phillips County	Phillipsburg	No	No	No	No	(785) 543-5251	182	18	9.8	45.6%	169 (92.9%)	3 (1.6%)	7 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	76.6	50^th of 318 public high schools	84.3%		41.7	199^th of 327 public high schools	39.1%	149			37.2	37.2			25.6	25.6		42.6	42.6	$15,638	$1,464	$14,174

Frequently Asked Questions about Thunder Ridge High School

What district is Thunder Ridge High School in?

Thunder Ridge Schools

Is Thunder Ridge High School a good school?

Thunder Ridge High School ranks 60^th of 318 Kansas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools feed into Thunder Ridge High School?

Thunder Ridge High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Thunder Ridge Elementary
Middle : Thunder Ridge Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Thunder Ridge High School?

Students at Thunder Ridge High School are 86% White, 6% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 2% African American, 2% American Indian.

How many students attend Thunder Ridge High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 63 students attended Thunder Ridge High School.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Kansas State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.

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