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Amherst High School

Summary:

Amherst High School is a public high school in Amherst, Nebraska, serving grades 7-12 with a total enrollment of 170 students. The school consistently outperforms the state average in academic proficiency, ranking 18th out of 215 Nebraska high schools and earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Amherst High School's academic excellence is evident in its students' performance on standardized tests. In the 2022-2023 school year, Amherst students scored significantly higher than the state average in ACT/English Language Arts (51.22% vs. 33.35%), ACT/Mathematics (48.78% vs. 26.23%), and ACT/Science (48.78% vs. 25.25%) for 11th grade. Similarly, Amherst students performed better than the state average in NSCAS/English Language Arts, NSCAS/Mathematics, and NSCAS/Science for 7th and 8th grades. This consistent academic performance suggests a strong focus on academic excellence and effective teaching practices within the school.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Overton High School, Junior-Senior High At Sumner, and Pleasanton High School, Amherst High School stands out with its higher academic performance and statewide ranking. However, the school's student population is predominantly white, with over 93% of students identifying as such, which is significantly higher than the racial diversity seen in some nearby schools, such as Kearney High School and West Kearney High School. This lack of racial diversity could be an area for the school to explore and address.


Detail:

Public 7-12

 100 N Sycamore
       Amherst, NE  68812-0008

(308) 826-3131

District: Amherst Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
18th of 215 Nebraska High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,009 Help


Feeder schools for Amherst High School:

Elementary:    Amherst Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  10.2 Help
Number of students:  170

Racial breakdown:

White:
93.5%
Hispanic:
5.3%
African American:
0.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  22.4% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Amherst High School ranks better than 50.9% of middle schools in Nebraska. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 55.19. (See more...)
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Compare Details Amherst High School ranks better than 91.6% of high schools in Nebraska. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 88.47. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Amherst High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (93.5%), Hispanic (5.3%), African American (0.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 22.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Amherst High School is 10.2. (See more...)
Help
Compare Amherst High School employs 16.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Amherst High School is $14,009.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Amherst High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Amherst High School 115th of 234 Nebraska public middle schools. (See Amherst High School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Amherst High School 18th of 215 Nebraska public high schools. (See Amherst High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Amherst Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Amherst Public Schools 32nd of 212 Nebraska school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Amherst High School

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Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Amherst High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 62.24 78th 226 65.5%
2007 64.31 78th 227 65.6%
2008 67.80 51st 245 79.2%
2009 56.16 121st 243 50.2%
2010 52.18 138th 254 45.7%
2011 65.77 73rd 246 70.3%
2012 67.93 61st 255 76.1%
2013 50.43 127th 248 48.8%
2014 59.77 93rd 252 63.1%
2015 69.87 52nd 256 79.7%
2016 69.62 56th 255 78.0%
2017 56.70 99th 236 58.1%
2018 44.67 126th 225 44.0%
2019 73.55 52nd 247 78.9%
2021 56.27 95th 223 57.4%
2022 49.20 132nd 249 47.0%
2023 55.19 117th 238 50.8%
See the entire list of Nebraska High School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Amherst High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 67.55 42nd 153 72.5%
2021 63.43 47th 144 67.4%
2022 53.50 75th 160 53.1%
See the entire list of Best Nebraska High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Amherst High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.75 144th 203 29.1%
2019 69.08 52nd 222 76.6%
2021 51.46 90th 204 55.9%
2022 44.54 130th 234 44.4%
2023 49.75 114th 217 47.5%
See the entire list of Best Nebraska High Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Amherst High School

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Rank History for all high school students at Amherst High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 48.51 158th 249 36.5%
2007 49.40 148th 247 40.1%
2008 70.17 54th 252 78.6%
2009 51.67 140th 251 44.2%
2010 34.59 205th 249 17.7%
2011 65.90 75th 252 70.2%
2012 66.74 70th 245 71.4%
2013 69.15 65th 247 73.7%
2014 61.15 105th 247 57.5%
2015 68.39 63rd 242 74.0%
2016 68.07 71st 246 71.1%
2017 51.67 112th 219 48.9%
2018 51.96 108th 219 50.7%
2019 31.34 152nd 217 30.0%
2021 31.35 143rd 209 31.6%
2022 66.77 55th 202 72.8%
2023 88.47 18th 215 91.6%
See the entire list of Nebraska High School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Female students at Amherst High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.76 60th 144 58.3%
2022 73.19 26th 132 80.3%
2023 92.20 9th 136 93.4%
See the entire list of Best Nebraska High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Amherst High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 29.20 99th 140 29.3%
2022 46.03 68th 135 49.6%
2023 75.62 32nd 135 76.3%
See the entire list of Best Nebraska High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school White students at Amherst High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.25 113th 205 44.9%
2019 25.51 164th 207 20.8%
2021 23.62 163rd 200 18.5%
2022 58.87 79th 196 59.7%
2023 85.61 18th 206 91.3%
See the entire list of Best Nebraska High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Nebraska 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.

Amherst High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Nebraska Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Amherst High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 83 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 83
1989 88 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 88
1990 88 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 88
1991 91 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 91
1992 90 0 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 91
1993 94 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 94
1994 102 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 102
1995 130 0 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 132
1996 130 0 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 132
1997 154 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 154
1998 164 0 2 0 0 n/a n/a 0 166
1999 157 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 157
2000 156 0 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 157
2001 156 0 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 157
2002 150 1 1 3 0 n/a n/a 0 155
2003 150 1 1 3 0 n/a n/a 0 155
2004 143 0 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 147
2005 147 0 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 151
2006 151 0 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 155
2007 147 0 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 151
2008 144 0 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 148
2009 132 0 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 134
2010 119 0 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 120
2011 114 0 0 5 0 0 1 0 120
2012 127 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 131
2013 124 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 127
2014 137 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 139
2015 153 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 156
2016 173 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 175
2017 172 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 174
2018 173 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 175
2019 190 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 194
2020 183 0 0 5 2 0 0 0 190
2021 177 1 0 6 2 0 0 0 186
2022 174 1 0 8 2 0 0 0 185
2023 159 1 0 9 0 0 1 0 170

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 Amherst High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 83 9.0 9.2 12
1989 88 10.0 8.8 11.4
1990 88 9.5 9.2 12.5
1991 91 9.0 10.1 9.9
1992 91 9.2 9.8 11
1993 94 9.3 10.1 12.8
1994 102 9.4 10.9 14.7
1995 132 9.9 13.3 9.8
1996 132 9.9 13.3 9.8
1997 154 11.5 13.4 13
1998 166 13.1 12.7 14.5
1999 157 12.4 12.7 17.8
2000 157 13.6 11.5 19.7
2001 157 13.9 11.3 13.4
2002 155 14.7 10.5 14.8
2003 155 14.7 10.5 14.8
2004 147 14.8 9.9 16.3
2005 151 12.5 12.1 20.5
2006 155 12.9 12.0 21.9
2007 151 12.6 12.0 13.2
2008 148 12.8 11.6 21.6
2009 134 14.5 9.2 15.7
2010 120 14.0 8.5 26.7
2011 120 11.6 10.3 25.8
2012 131 11.6 11.2 26.7
2013 127 12.6 10.0 22
2014 139 13.6 10.2 22.3
2015 156 13.0 12.0 24.4
2016 175 13.0 13.4 22.3
2017 174 13.6 12.7 24.1
2018 175 13.6 12.8 32.6
2019 194 14.9 12.9 24.7
2020 190 15.5 12.2 30
2021 186 14.5 12.8 27.4
2022 185 16.5 11.2 21.1
2023 170 16.5 10.2 22.4

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 Amherst High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 83 9.0 9.2 12
1989 88 10.0 8.8 11.4
1990 88 9.5 9.2 12.5
1991 91 9.0 10.1 9.9
1992 91 9.2 9.8 11
1993 94 9.3 10.1 12.8
1994 102 9.4 10.9 14.7
1995 132 9.9 13.3 9.8
1996 132 9.9 13.3 9.8
1997 154 11.5 13.4 13
1998 166 13.1 12.7 14.5
1999 157 12.4 12.7 17.8
2000 157 13.6 11.5 19.7
2001 157 13.9 11.3 13.4
2002 155 14.7 10.5 14.8
2003 155 14.7 10.5 14.8
2004 147 14.8 9.9 16.3
2005 151 12.5 12.1 20.5
2006 155 12.9 12.0 21.9
2007 151 12.6 12.0 13.2
2008 148 12.8 11.6 21.6
2009 134 14.5 9.2 15.7
2010 120 14.0 8.5 26.7
2011 120 11.6 10.3 25.8
2012 131 11.6 11.2 26.7
2013 127 12.6 10.0 22
2014 139 13.6 10.2 22.3
2015 156 13.0 12.0 24.4
2016 175 13.0 13.4 22.3
2017 174 13.6 12.7 24.1
2018 175 13.6 12.8 32.6
2019 194 14.9 12.9 24.7
2020 190 15.5 12.2 30
2021 186 14.5 12.8 27.4
2022 185 16.5 11.2 21.1
2023 170 16.5 10.2 22.4

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 Amherst High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $563 (5.0%) $8,283 (73.9%) $11,207
2020 $907 (8.4%) $8,452 (78.4%) $10,787
2021 $834 (7.3%) $9,094 (79.4%) $11,447
2022 $998 (8.2%) $9,680 (79.3%) $12,200
2023 $1,260 (9.0%) $11,165 (79.7%) $14,009

Data source: Nebraska Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Amherst 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 52nd of 247 Middle schoolsRanks 117th of 238 Middle schools
 28.1%
Ranks 152nd of 217 High schoolsRanks 18th of 215 High schools
 61.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Amherst High School)6453
 11%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Amherst Public Schools)6453
 11%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)4954
 5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Amherst High School)6474
 10%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Amherst Public Schools)6474
 10%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)4866
 18%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Amherst High School)4857
 9%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Amherst Public Schools)4857
 9%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)5062
 12%
8th Grade Mathematics (Amherst High School)6484
 20%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Amherst Public Schools)6484
 20%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)4761
 14%
8th Grade Science (Amherst High School)7670
 6%
   8th Grade Science (Amherst Public Schools)7670
 6%
   8th Grade Science (Nebraska)6264
 2%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Amherst High School)27.651.2
 23.6%
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Amherst Public Schools)27.651.2
 23.6%
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)37.433.4
 4.1%
11th Grade Mathematics (Amherst High School)27.648.8
 21.2%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Amherst Public Schools)27.648.8
 21.2%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)30.926.2
 4.6%
11th Grade Science (Amherst High School)27.648.8
 21.2%
   11th Grade Science (Amherst Public Schools)27.648.8
 21.2%
   11th Grade Science (Nebraska)26.425.3
 1.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students194170
 12.4%
African American01
American Indian10
 100%
Asian00
Hispanic39
 200%
Pacific Islander00
White190159
 16.3%
Two or More Races01
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients24.7%22.4%
 2.4%

Schools Near Amherst High School








Frequently Asked Questions about Amherst High School

Students at Amherst High School are 94% White, 5% Hispanic.

Amherst High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Amherst Elementary School

In the 2022-23 school year, 170 students attended Amherst High School.

Yes. Amherst High School ranks in the top 8.4% of Nebraska high schools.


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