According to the 2016-2017 Classification and Enrollment numbers from the Kansas State High School Activities Association, the Great Bend school district was the 9th smallest school in Class 5A out of 32 school districts. The enrollment numbers were based from the high school last year. The 2017 official enrollment numbers are not due until September 20.
USD 428 Superintendent Khris Thexton says he would like to see a steady growth of students each year because what is good for the district is usually good for the community.
Khris Thexton Audio
Enrollment for the most part has been on a downward trend in Central and Western Kansas. Thexton says with just north of 2,800 total students in all classes this year, Great Bend has been fortunate to stay fairly flat with their enrollment.
Khris Thexton Audio
Thexton says when he first arrived in Great Bend in 2013, Riley Elementary School had three classes for each grade level. That statistic has since dropped to two classes per grade. Monitoring the class size, if any elementary classroom gets too full, USD 428 will reassign incoming or new students to a different grade school within the district.