Print PageHarvey County’s primary, secondary, and post-secondary education institutions afford parents and young adults to determine the appropriate education environment.
High School Graduation Rates
The share of high school students who graduate within four years of beginning 9th grade is another important measure of the performance of local school districts. The four‐year graduation rate in Harvey County has been higher than state and national rates consistently since the 2011‐12 school year. Rates dropped slightly in 2012‐13 and again in 2015‐16, however maintained a lead of the comparative groups.
| School Year | Harvey County | Kansas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-12 | 89.8% | 84.9% | 80.0% |
| 2012-13 | 86.6% | 85.6% | 81.4% |
| 2013-14 | 91.3% | 85.8% | 82.3% |
| 2014-15 | 91.8% | 85.9% | 83.2% |
| 2015-16 | 86.1% | 85.9% | N/A |
Source: The College Board, Kansas Department of Education, Garner Economics
ACT Scores
The ACT exam is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States and is a widely accepted measure of education quality. These scores are especially relevant to businesses because they provide a measure of the “final product” of public schools and the educational quality. The trend is shifting from taking SAT tests to more students taking the rival ACT test.
This measurement is for public schools only and does not cover private institutions.
Harvey County has multiple school districts with a range of scores. For this exercise, an average of these district composite scores are used to represent the countywide score. School districts included in the study are Burrton, Halstead, Hesston, Newton, and Sedgwick. For two years, Harvey County had the higher scores in this comparison of state and national level achievement; however, beginning in 2014, scores began to decline.
| Year | Harvey County | Kansas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 21.5 | 21.8 | 20.8 |
Source: The College Board, Kansas Department of Education, Garner Economics