Sterling High School

Q: Is Sterling High School a good school?

Sterling High School ranks 26 th of 215 Nebraska high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Sterling High School is a public high school located in Sterling, Nebraska, serving grades 7-12 with a total enrollment of 89 students. The school has a predominantly white student population, with 91.01% of students identifying as white in the 2022-2023 school year. Sterling High School is part of the Norris School District 160, which is ranked 82 out of 212 districts in Nebraska and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Sterling High School has consistently performed well academically, ranking 26th out of 215 Nebraska high schools in the 2022-2023 school year and earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's 11th-grade students outperformed the state averages in ACT/English Language Arts, ACT/Mathematics, and ACT/Science. However, the school's racial diversity is significantly lower compared to nearby schools, with only 8.99% Hispanic students and no other racial/ethnic groups represented. Additionally, Sterling High School has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 9.4 students per teacher and a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (34.83%) compared to nearby schools.

While Sterling High School's overall performance is strong, the school's ranking has fluctuated significantly over the years, ranging from 26th in 2022-2023 to 190th in 2020-2021. This suggests that the school's performance may be influenced by factors that can change from year to year. Additionally, the ranking for white students has declined from 47th in 2022-2023 to 191st in 2020-2021, indicating that the school may need to focus on addressing the needs of this subgroup to maintain its high academic standards. Nonetheless, the school's high academic performance, low student-teacher ratio, and higher spending per student ($20,395 in 2022-2023) suggest that it is a strong educational option for families in the area.

Detail:

Public 7-12

250 Main St
Sterling, NE 68443-0039

(402) 866-4761

District: Sterling Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
26^th of 215 Nebraska High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $20,395

Feeder schools for Sterling High School:

Elementary:

Sterling Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 9.4

Number of students: 89

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.0%

Hispanic:

9.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 34.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Sterling High School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2019 the calculated Average Standard Score was 75. (See more...)

Compare Details Sterling High School ranks better than 87.9% of high schools in Nebraska. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 85.21. (See more...)

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

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (91%), Hispanic (9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 34.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sterling High School is 9.4. (See more...)

Compare Sterling High School employs 9.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sterling High School is $20,395.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Sterling High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Sterling High School 26^th of 215 Nebraska public high schools. (See Sterling High School in the ranking list.)

Sterling Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Sterling Public Schools 82^nd of 212 Nebraska school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Sterling High School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Sterling High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile
2006	39.04	174^th	226	23.0%
2007	16.64	209^th	227	7.9%
2015	69.04	55^th	256	78.5%
2016	77.06	36^th	255	85.9%
2017	75.05	47^th	236	80.1%
2018	61.47	88^th	225	60.9%
2019	75.00	46^th	247	81.4%

See the entire list of Nebraska High School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school White students at Sterling High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	52.37	95^th	203	53.2%
2019	60.43	74^th	222	66.7%

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 Sterling High School

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Rank History for all high school students at Sterling High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NE State Percentile
2006	79.46	17^th	249	93.2%
2007	71.12	47^th	247	81.0%
2008	53.51	143^rd	252	43.3%
2009	64.33	85^th	251	66.1%
2010	23.31	224^th	249	10.0%
2011	71.71	59^th	252	76.6%
2012	74.11	39^th	245	84.1%
2013	47.89	135^th	247	45.3%
2014	79.40	32^nd	247	87.0%
2015	72.21	48^th	242	80.2%
2016	85.91	20^th	246	91.9%
2018	53.78	102^nd	219	53.4%
2021	13.48	190^th	209	9.1%
2022	33.98	136^th	202	32.7%
2023	85.21	26^th	215	87.9%

See the entire list of Nebraska High School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Female students at Sterling High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NE State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	82.11	21^st	136	84.6%

See the entire list of Best Nebraska High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school White students at Sterling High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	45.21	114^th	205	44.4%
2021	8.64	191^st	200	4.5%
2022	26.10	153^rd	196	21.9%
2023	71.33	47^th	206	77.2%

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.

Data source: Nebraska Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Sterling High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	90	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	90
1989	104	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	104
1990	98	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	98
1991	104	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	104
1992	104	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	104
1993	133	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	133
1994	140	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	140
1995	138	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	139
1996	138	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	139
1997	132	0	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	135
1998	126	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	128
1999	129	0	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	132
2000	113	1	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	115
2001	107	1	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	109
2002	102	2	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	106
2003	102	2	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	106
2004	99	3	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	102
2005	100	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	101
2006	104	3	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	107
2007	101	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	102
2008	107	3	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	111
2009	63	1	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	65
2010	69	1	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	71
2011	70	1	1	0	1	0	0	73
2012	68	2	1	0	1	0	0	72
2013	64	2	1	0	1	0	0	68
2014	72	2	1	0	0	0	0	75
2015	97	2	1	0	0	0	0	100
2016	96	2	1	1	0	0	0	100
2017	90	1	1	1	0	0	0	93
2018	84	0	1	2	0	0	0	87
2019	95	1	0	4	0	0	0	100
2020	88	1	0	6	0	0	0	95
2021	83	0	0	6	0	0	0	89
2022	84	0	0	6	0	0	0	90
2023	81	0	0	8	0	0	0	89

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 Sterling High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	90	10.3	8.7	26.7
1989	104	10.3	10.0	22.1
1990	98	10.2	9.6	22.4
1991	104	10.1	10.2	16.3
1992	104	10.1	10.2	14.4
1993	133	11.1	12.0	19.5
1994	140	11.3	12.4	20.7
1995	139	11.8	11.8	20.1
1996	139	11.8	11.8	20.1
1997	135	11.4	11.8	14.8
1998	128	11.4	11.2	10.9
1999	132	11.6	11.4	13.6
2000	115	11.3	10.2	10.4
2001	109	10.5	10.4	11.9
2002	106	11.0	9.6	23.6
2003	106	11.0	9.6	23.6
2004	102	11.0	9.3	27.5
2005	101	10.4	9.7	35.6
2006	107	10.4	10.3	22.4
2007	102	10.4	9.8	24.5
2008	111	10.8	10.3	20.7
2009	65	7.9	8.2	21.5
2010	71	7.9	8.9	32.4
2011	73	7.3	9.8	21.9
2012	72	7.4	9.6	20.8
2013	68	7.4	9.1	25
2014	75	8.2	9.1	17.3
2015	100	10.0	10.0	22
2016	100	11.0	9.0	18
2017	93	10.9	8.5	16.1
2018	87	10.8	8.0	25.3
2019	100	8.9	11.1	26
2020	95	11.0	8.6	25.3
2021	89	11.5	7.6	32.6
2022	90	11.1	8.0	34.4
2023	89	9.3	9.4	34.8

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 Sterling High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	90	10.3	8.7	26.7
1989	104	10.3	10.0	22.1
1990	98	10.2	9.6	22.4
1991	104	10.1	10.2	16.3
1992	104	10.1	10.2	14.4
1993	133	11.1	12.0	19.5
1994	140	11.3	12.4	20.7
1995	139	11.8	11.8	20.1
1996	139	11.8	11.8	20.1
1997	135	11.4	11.8	14.8
1998	128	11.4	11.2	10.9
1999	132	11.6	11.4	13.6
2000	115	11.3	10.2	10.4
2001	109	10.5	10.4	11.9
2002	106	11.0	9.6	23.6
2003	106	11.0	9.6	23.6
2004	102	11.0	9.3	27.5
2005	101	10.4	9.7	35.6
2006	107	10.4	10.3	22.4
2007	102	10.4	9.8	24.5
2008	111	10.8	10.3	20.7
2009	65	7.9	8.2	21.5
2010	71	7.9	8.9	32.4
2011	73	7.3	9.8	21.9
2012	72	7.4	9.6	20.8
2013	68	7.4	9.1	25
2014	75	8.2	9.1	17.3
2015	100	10.0	10.0	22
2016	100	11.0	9.0	18
2017	93	10.9	8.5	16.1
2018	87	10.8	8.0	25.3
2019	100	8.9	11.1	26
2020	95	11.0	8.6	25.3
2021	89	11.5	7.6	32.6
2022	90	11.1	8.0	34.4
2023	89	9.3	9.4	34.8

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 Sterling High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$377 (2.1%)	$16,246 (88.9%)	$18,273
2020	$322 (1.7%)	$17,410 (90.8%)	$19,174
2021	$469 (2.3%)	$18,342 (90.1%)	$20,348
2022	$414 (2.1%)	$18,167 (90.4%)	$20,095
2023	$322 (1.6%)	$18,527 (90.8%)	$20,395

Data source: Nebraska Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sterling 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.

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Sterling High School)	60	62	2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Sterling Public Schools)	60	62	2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)	49	54	5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Sterling High School)	65	56	9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Sterling Public Schools)	65	56	9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)	48	66	18%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	100	89	11%
African American	1	0	100%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	4	8	100%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	95	81	14.7%
Two or More Races	0	0
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	26%	34.8%	8.8%

Schools Near Sterling High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				NSCAS English Language Arts (2023)		NSCAS Mathematics (2023)		NSCAS Science (2023)	ACT English Language Arts (2023)	ACT Mathematics (2023)	ACT Science (2023)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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 (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NSCAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	NSCAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	NSCAS Mathematics 7th Grade	NSCAS Mathematics 8th Grade	NSCAS Science 8th Grade	ACT English Language Arts 11th Grade	ACT Mathematics 11th Grade	ACT Science 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Sterling High School	Public	7-12	250 Main St	Sterling	68443	Johnson County	Sterling Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 866-4761	89	9	9.4	34.8%	81 (91.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (9.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	85.2	26^th of 215 public high schools	87.9%		34	136^th of 202 public high schools	32.7%	110	62.0		56.0			52.6	42.1	47.4	$20,395	$322	$18,527
Freeman High School	Public	7-12	415 Eighth St	Adams	68301	Gage County	Freeman Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 988-2525	199	17	11.5	18.6%	197 (99.0%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19	182^nd of 215 public high schools	15.3%		78.7	33^rd of 202 public high schools	83.7%	149	72.0	90.0	91.0	82.0	85.0	28.0	20.0	12.0	$17,212	$293	$15,151
Johnson County Central High School	Public	9-12	358 N 6th	Tecumseh	68450	Johnson County	Johnson County Central Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 335-3328	153	16	9.7	47.1%	104 (68.0%)	2 (1.3%)	42 (27.5%)	1 (0.7%)	2 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.3%)	14.3	194^th of 215 public high schools	9.8%		11.8	184^th of 202 public high schools	8.9%	10						26.9	7.7	15.4	$23,915	$451	$20,152
Lewiston High School	Public	7-12	306 Tiger Ave	Lewiston	68380	Pawnee County	Lewiston Consolidated Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 865-4675	71	11	6.5	59.2%	65 (91.5%)	1 (1.4%)	4 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.4%)								(n/a)									$34,906	$147	$30,251
Norris High School	Public	9-12	25211 S 68th St	Firth	68358	Lancaster County	Norris School District 160	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 791-0010	757	46	16.3	12.2%	680 (89.8%)	2 (0.3%)	50 (6.6%)	6 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (2.2%)	79.4	35^th of 215 public high schools	83.7%		48.4	106^th of 202 public high schools	47.5%	71						50.9	41.1	39.4	$14,074	$95	$11,952
Junior-Senior High School At Palmyra	Public	9-12	425 F St	Palmyra	68418	Otoe County	Palmyra District O R 1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 780-5327	163	20	8.0	24.5%	147 (90.2%)	2 (1.2%)	7 (4.3%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.1%)	76.4	39^th of 215 public high schools	81.9%		77.3	36^th of 202 public high schools	82.2%	3						56.1	36.6	36.6	$23,621	$160	$19,581
High School At Syracuse	Public	9-12	1500 Education Dr	Syracuse	68446	Otoe County	Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 269-2381	217	19	11.4	23.5%	204 (94.0%)	1 (0.5%)	7 (3.2%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.8%)	72.8	52^nd of 215 public high schools	75.8%		82.3	26^th of 202 public high schools	87.1%	26						48.0	44.0	32.0	$20,353	$469	$16,545

Frequently Asked Questions about Sterling High School

Is Sterling High School a good school?

Sterling High School ranks 26^th of 215 Nebraska high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools feed into Sterling High School?

Sterling High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Sterling Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Sterling High School?

Students at Sterling High School are 91% White, 9% Hispanic.

What district is Sterling High School in?

Sterling Public Schools

How many students attend Sterling High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 89 students attended Sterling 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 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.