B⁻

Schools in Valley Township · Paola Unified School District 368, Osawatomie Unified School District 367

Valley Township’s public schools outscore 54% of Kansas districts

The grade covers the two public school districts serving Valley Township, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within Kansas, not nationally.

K–12Where will my kid go?

From Kansas state tests taken in spring 2022, when 100% of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency

30%

▼ 2 pts vs KS 32%

2021–22

Math proficiency

29%

▲ 0 pts vs KS 29%

2021–22

Graduate on time

95–100%

▲ 7–12 pts vs KS 88%

class of 2023

Spent per student

$22.8K

▲ 52% vs KS $15.0K

FY2024 · Paola Unified School District 368

Students per teacher

12.8

KS 13.3

Schools in town

2,735 students on the public path

In brief

Valley Township’s schools, in brief

Above the state in math, below in reading

Reading proficiency is 30% and math 29% across both districts in spring 2022, against 32% and 29% statewide; 95–100% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 88%. Test scores ↓

Spending and class size

Paola Unified School District 368 spends $22,822 per student and Osawatomie Unified School District 367 $15,919, against $14,966 across Kansas (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind Valley Township’s grade

B⁻ Test scoresA Graduation

B−: better than 54% of Kansas school districts. Graduation is above the Kansas average; test scores are below it.

Kansas school districts we grade (283)Better than 54%

Lower resultsHigher results

Kansas towns with similar household incomes (667)Better than 54%

Towns in Miami County (13)Better than 23%

C⁺B⁺A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 1,476 test results and a graduating class of 135 could put Valley Township anywhere from C+ to B+. The tests are from spring 2022, when 100% of Valley Township’s students in the tested grades sat them (1,476 in math, 1,476 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Valley Township, with each school’s own grade.

Kindergarten in Valley Township · depends on your address

Cottonwood Elem

Grades PK–2 · 379 students · 14:1 students per teacher · in Paola

No scores

Swenson Early Childhood Education Center

Grades PK–2 · 172 students · 13:1 students per teacher · in Osawatomie

No scores

The path, start to finish

PK–22 elementary schoolsDepends on your addressNo scores

3–52 elementary schoolsDepends on your addressB to A

6–82 middle schoolsDepends on your addressD to B

9–122 high schoolsDepends on your addressD to C⁻

Valley Township runs its own schools through grade 12 (Paola Unified School District 368). From grade PK, students attend the Osawatomie Unified School District 367, shared with Mound, Osawatomie, Osawatomie and Stanton. Its elementary school is in Paola. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve Valley Township

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

Paola Unified School District 368Grades PK–12 · 4 schools · 1,732 students · 13.5 per teacher (KS 13.3)

$22,822KS $14,966 · FY2024

B⁺

Osawatomie Unified School District 367Grades PK–12 · 5 schools · 1,021 students, down 6% since 2020–21 · 11.9 per teacher (KS 13.3)

$15,919KS $14,966 · FY2024

C⁻

Test scores · 2021–22

Below the state in reading

Reading · PK–12, Paola Unified School District 36833%

State average 32.5% · 946 students tested

Math · PK–12, Paola Unified School District 36832%

State average 29.4% · 947 students tested

Reading · PK–12, Osawatomie Unified School District 36725%

State average 32.5% · 530 students tested

Math · PK–12, Osawatomie Unified School District 36725%

State average 29.4% · 529 students tested

Valley Township vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the Kansas towns that share Valley Township’s borders.

Schools next door

Town	Schools	Main districts
Valley Township	B⁻	Paola Unified School District 368 PK–12 · Osawatomie Unified School District 367 PK–12
Osage	—	Prairie View Unified School District 362
Osawatomie	C⁻	Osawatomie Unified School District 367
Osawatomie Township	—	Osawatomie Unified School District 367
Paola	B⁺	Paola Unified School District 368
Miami	—	Prairie View Unified School District 362 PK–12 · Paola Unified School District 368 PK–12
Middle Creek	A	Louisburg Unified School District 416 PK–12 · Paola Unified School District 368 PK–12
Stanton	—	Paola Unified School District 368 PK–12 · Osawatomie Unified School District 367 PK–12

4 of the 7 neighbors share Paola Unified School District 368 with Valley Township for grades PK–12, so their letters differ mainly through the lower grades.

Every school in Valley Township

8 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Kansas’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

Also serving Valley Townshipin other towns

Cottonwood Elem

Elementary · Grades PK–2 · Paola

379 students14:1Rate it →

Swenson Early Childhood Education Center

Elementary · Grades PK–2 · Osawatomie

172 students13:1Rate it →

Trojan Elem

Elementary · Grades 1–5 · Osawatomie

341 students12:1Rate it →

Sunflower Elem

Elementary · Grades 3–5 · Paola

373 students13:1Rate it →

Paola Middle

Middle · Grades 6–8 · Paola

413 students13:1Rate it →

Osawatomie Middle School

Middle · Grades 6–8 · Osawatomie

195 students13:1Rate it →

Paola High

High · Grades 9–12 · Paola

C⁻

567 students14:1Rate it →

Osawatomie High

High · Grades 9–12 · Osawatomie

295 students11:1Rate it →

Questions about Valley Township’s schools

Are Valley Township’s schools good?

They sit near the middle of Kansas: the public schools Valley Township children attend outscore 54% of Kansas’s school districts on tests and graduation, a B− Schools grade. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 54%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Valley Township in?

Two districts: Paola Unified School District 368 runs grades PK–12, and Osawatomie Unified School District 367 runs grades PK–12, shared with Mound, Osawatomie, Osawatomie and Stanton.

Where do Valley Township kids go to high school?

One of 2 high schools, depending on your address: Paola High and Osawatomie High.

What is Valley Township’s graduation rate?

95–100% of the class of 2023 in Paola Unified School District 368 graduated in four years, against 88% across Kansas.

How much does Valley Township spend per student?

$22,822 in Paola Unified School District 368 and $15,919 in Osawatomie Unified School District 367 (FY2024), against $14,966 across Kansas. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Valley Township families are saying about school.

Town Square →

Start the conversation

Looking for colleges? Colleges near Valley Township → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2021–22, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within Kansas. Stars are from neighbors.