Olathe School District
Welcome to Johnson County, home of Olathe Unified School District 233, one of the finest school districts in the country. With thirty-four elementary schools, nine junior high schools, and four high schools, Olathe Public School District is the second largest district in Kansas, and is the fastest growing in the region.
National Reputation for Quality Education
Perhaps one of the best indicators of a school district’s health is national recognition for its educational strategies and academic success. Olathe Public School District continually places well in national rankings and surveys. Expansion Management Magazine, for instance, has given the district its highest honor—a National Gold Medal—for all around quality in education. In 2007, RelocateAmerica.com named Olathe one of the “Top 25 Places to Live and Go to School.”
Continually Raising the Bar for Student Success in the State of Kansas
The 4,286 teachers and administrators of Olathe Public School District work tirelessly to support and inspire students. Olathe district teachers have received more Presidential Awards for Excellence than any other district in the state. Olathe is also the only district in Kansas to achieve a Level III Kansas Award for Excellence in education services.
Of course, exceptional student performance is another feather in the cap of Olathe Public School District, with students surpassing the 2010-11 Kansas AYP targets in math and reading by 16.1 points and 12 points, respectively. Olathe students also consistently outperform the national average for SAT and ACT scores, making Olathe district students more competitive when it comes time to apply to college.
Indeed, 90% of Olathe high school graduates pursue higher education. So, college and career preparedness is a major aspect of the Olathe Public School District curriculum. Students are encouraged to take Advance Placement courses, SAT/ACT prep courses, and College Now (a program for high school students wanting to earn college credits).
Sound Budgeting and Community Involvement
With a climate of budget cuts and belt-tightening hovering over most schools in the nation, Olathe Public Schools is implementing innovative and comprehensive approaches to making sure students and teachers in the district get the support and resources they need.
One major innovation in the district has been The Olathe Public Schools Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 1997. The foundation reaches out to local businesses, which then help provide funds for deserving students and teachers through grants and scholarships. By bringing the needs of the district to the private sector, Olathe Public Schools Foundation is not only generating much-needed funds, but is building bridges of reciprocity between Olathe district schools and businesses, which further solidifies education as a priority for the entire community.
Olathe Public Schools has been recognized for its efforts to wisely and fairly fund education. Standard & Poor’s recently gave the district a 99% efficiency rating for how it spends state education funds; only 25 other districts in the country received a 99% rating or higher. Olathe Public Schools has also been named “Best District for the Buck” by Forbes magazine. Moreover, every year for the past fifteen years, the Association of School Business Officials International has awarded Olathe Public School District with the “Meritorious Budget Award” for its exceptional budget presentations.
Positively Impacting Students Beyond the Classroom
In addition to academics, Olathe district students have ample opportunity to participate in championship-level athletics, whether it be baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming, track and field, wrestling, or bowling. They can also compete intellectually in Speech and Debate, Mock Trial, Science Olympiad and Scholar Bowl. Additionally, the arts are highly valued in the district, as is evident by its nationally recognized music program. Olathe Public School District recognizes the benefits of such programs because it understands that well-rounded students grow up to be the truly informed and inspiring leaders of the future.
Come see education through the Olathe Public School District lens—as a process of developing the whole student through inspirational instruction, innovative approaches to securing the best resources, and encouraging interdisciplinary learning.