2019 Best High Schools in the Kansas City Area

Best Schools

125 results

Blue Valley North High School
Blue Valley Unified School District (Overland Park), KS
9-12
298
1 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Alum: Hands down has to be one of the best high schools in the country. I received such an excellent education from BVN and was surrounded by a faculty who genuinely cared about my well-being and my success inside and outside the classroom! Also, it beyond prepared me for college!
Read 298 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
1,514 Students
17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Blue Valley High School
Blue Valley Unified School District (Overland Park), KS
9-12
290
2 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Alum: As a freshman in college this year, I find myself missing high school more and more, especially as I get to hear about what my friends still in high school are up to. I miss the atmosphere at BVHS, the amazing people I met there, and the opportunities I had. Choir, theater, showchoir, plays, and musical made high school perfect, and I'm not able to participate in those quite as easily in college. Amazing teachers such as Linda Eagleton and Marsha Moeller helped shape my academic and extracurricular paths in college, and I owe much of my success to them. I loved my time at Blue Valley High School!
Read 290 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
1,570 Students
18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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The Pembroke Hill School
Private School
Kansas City, MO
PK, K-12
63
1 Best Private High Schools in Kansas City Area
Senior: Pembroke Hill is a great place to go to school! The community is small so you get close with teachers and students. Everyone is always willing to help you and never judges you. The academic stress can get high, and it is defiantly not a relaxed environment, but you will receive a great education. The college counseling isn't the best. We pride our selves on being a college prep school, however, we don't get a college consoler until junior year. That would be my only complaint with my school!
Read 63 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
1,113 Students
9:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Rossman School
Private School
St. Louis, MO
PK, K-6
12
Parent: Rossman strikes a great balance between providing kids with a challenging academic program while at the same time creating an environment where kids are excited to go to school and learn. The teachers want to see your children succeed but just as importantly they want to establish a desire for learning that stays with them into high school and college. This starts in the JK classroom where kids learn about Van Gogh & Matisse by creating their own versions of famous masterpieces while at the same time getting an opportunity to establish friendships that last long beyond Rossman. On top of the impressive academics, the focus on building character is evident throughout the school day and kids in all grades subscribe to Rossman's core character values. When considering schools for our family we wanted a school where our children felt supported, happy and challenged every day and where as parents we felt part of a community. We feel very lucky to have found all of that at Rossman School!
Read 12 Reviews
NG
Overall Niche Grade
227 Students
7:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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The Barstow School
Private School
Kansas City, MO
PK, K-12
26
2 Best Private High Schools in Kansas City Area
Alum: Teachers are incredible- all very knowledgeable and committed to success of their students. The English and History department teachers are especially impressive. The administration, however, is top-heavy, and overly concerned with external image. Their interests seem to be monetarily focused rather than on the welfare and happiness of students. I attended Barstow for over 13 years and am grateful for the education I received and the relationships I made, but saw a significant drop in morale among both students and teachers in recent years.
Read 26 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
710 Students
9:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Blue Valley Northwest High School
Blue Valley Unified School District (Overland Park), KS
9-12
351
3 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Senior: I'll be a senior at Northwest in now 3 days. The schools prestigious accolades start with the job of the principal, Amy Murphy. She's one of a kind and always strives to create an environment that is welcome to everyone and everything. All the teachers on staff are friendly and look for your best interest. This is shown by before and after school sessions or responding back to questions through email. The halls of BVNW are filled with all sorts of people which is a compliment to our school welcoming everyone with open arms. The Northwest we have something for everyone and that's what I enjoy about the school. I am happily a member of the Northwest Family and am honored to be a Husky at Blue Valley Northwest High School!
Read 351 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
1,611 Students
18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Rockhurst High School
Private School
Kansas City, MO
9-12
118
3 Best Private High Schools in Kansas City Area
Alum: I loved Rockhurst High School because it allowed me to concentrate on growing up with only young men around me which was super comfortable because I didn't feel any pressure to be someone I wasn't just because there was a girl over there. It also gave me opportunity to be part of a brotherhood with 1000 other men. For me another extremely big advantage was the then-amazing swim team I was able to be a part of and also the quickly growing and improving music program that I've grown to loving so much, forming one of my passions in life.
Read 118 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
1,016 Students
11:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Blue Valley West High School
Blue Valley Unified School District (Overland Park), KS
9-12
235
4 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Senior: I enjoyed my time at West! Most of my teachers were good and helpful. They made a lot of improvements while I was there like power hour, study areas, and more late arrivals. For me, I know I’ll eventually forget the quadratic formula and the story of Hamlet but I’ll never forget the friendships and memories that have formed throughout these four years. These years completely changed me which I’m sure is true for everyone here. I am not the girl that I was freshman year. I can proudly say that my years at West have prepared me for my future.
Read 235 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
1,458 Students
16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Shawnee Mission East High School
Shawnee Mission School District, KS
7-12
329
5 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Senior: Although high school is not an easy transition from middle school, Shawnee Mission East has been so great to me. The administrators and staff are always there to support their students, and whenever I have had an issue they have always been there to help. Shawnee Mission East has so many opportunities for its students, and the teachers at East really want their students to succeed and are passionate about what they are teaching, which has helped me succeed so much in my high school career! I will miss Shawnee Mission East so much next year and all the wonderful memories I have made there.
Read 329 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
1,743 Students
19:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Blue Valley Southwest High School
Blue Valley Unified School District (Overland Park), KS
9-12
255
6 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Senior: My time at Southwest has truly been the best 4 years of my life. I transferred about 2 weeks before freshman year, not knowing a soul. My life was changed, it was hot and humid, stormy and rainy. It was truly different than anything i had ever experienced, but I made lasting connections with peers and teachers that will forever change my life, for the better! I have made so many strong connections, and I am eager to make more!
Read 255 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
1,130 Students
16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Notre Dame de Sion School
Private School
Kansas City, MO
PK, K-12
96
4 Best Private High Schools in Kansas City Area
Freshman: Notre Dame De Sion makes you feel welcoming. Coming from a school that doesn't really care about education & then coming to a place where everyone cares about education & seeing you make it is amazing. Amazing students, staff, and parents there that will help you get where you need to be! This school also teaches you about college readiness, but gives you lessons to use later on in life.
Read 96 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
647 Students
11:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Olathe North High School
Olathe Unified School District, KS
9-12
463
7 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Alum: I really enjoyed my time at Olathe North. All of the teachers were fantastic and they would help you with anything if you asked. At North, I was able to find a community and friends where I felt like I belonged. The overall acceptance of my peers to people who were different always made me proud to call myself an Eagle. If you are looking for a sport to be a part of, I highly recommend our Cross Country team. It's way more than just a group of runners; these people become your family! I was really able to break out of my shyness shell thanks to the wonderful people around me, and I will always hold North in my heart.
Read 463 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
2,226 Students
16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Olathe Northwest High School
Olathe Unified School District, KS
9-12
538
8 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Senior: What I love about Olathe Northwest is the diversity and differences of all the the people at ONW. My school has done a very good job at trying to include everyone and insuring that all the students have an equal opprutunity at being successful. Another reason I love ONW is because of all the volunteer opportunities available for all the students. Lastely, the preparation for college that ONW includes in their curriculum is extremely important and helpful for students who are not as privileged as others. The volunteer hours highly benefit the students for college and just building their character. The success that ONW has created for our young minds is very impressive and deserves to be noticed. All hail to Northwest High!
Read 538 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
2,172 Students
16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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St. Teresa's Academy
Private School
Kansas City, MO
9-12
191
5 Best Private High Schools in Kansas City Area
Alum: Amazing school! The sisterhood is real and I have made friendships that will last a lifetime. The teachers are fantastic and really do what they can to see each girl succeed. The only aspect that needs a little tweaking is the diversity aspect, it would be great to begin to see a wider variety of cultures present on campus.
Read 191 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
626 Students
13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
Shawnee Mission School District, KS
7-12
300
9 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Parent: SMNW HS has been a great place with great educators and opportunities for my 3 children. Parent involvement is high. I would like to see more effort on the part of the school counselors in reaching out to students who are uninvolved in extra curricular activities or struggling with academics offering to provide assistance or find out if they could be of assistance. They seem to wait for students and/or parents to reach out without being proactive. Also the district administration has been very politically motivated and lacking in character in their spending of funds, upping their own salaries, appointing positions to "friends/connections" rather than better qualified candidates often causing forced retirement and displacement of tenured staff.
Read 300 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
1,805 Students
18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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St. Thomas Aquinas High School
Private School
Overland Park, KS
9-12
148
6 Best Private High Schools in Kansas City Area
Alum: Saint Thomas Aquinas is truly a college preparatory high school. When I first began at Aquinas, I felt like I was behind academically and I also stuck out like a sore thumb due to my race. I was academically challenged and it really prepared me to be successful in college. They have great extracurricular activities and a great community! The only thing I would encourage Aquinas to do is to expand their enrollment ethnicity wise. I was one of 5-10 African Americans in a high school with a thousand students. Besides that, I am proud to be a Saint!
Read 148 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
910 Students
16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Park Hill South High School
Park Hill School District, MO
9-12
204
10 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Senior: I've had an absolutely wonderful time at Park Hill South. The amount of opportunities provided by the school has greatly fit my passions and interests. Whether it's the AP classes provided, the intern opportunities through NCAPS, or the plethora of activities and athletics available, PHS has given me a desirable education. AP Music Theory, AP World History, Student Council, A Capella and Stage Craft were some of my favorites! Along with that, the Theatre Department is top notch, and has given me a second home. The teachers and administration really care about the students, and I have become very close with many of them. I'm genuinely going to miss Park Hill South, and hope it continues to develop and improve.
Read 204 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
1,605 Students
16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Lee's Summit West High School
Lee's Summit R-VII School District, MO
9-12
455
11 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Senior: I’ve really liked spending the last 4 years at LSW! I think the teachers are great, and the building is really nice. I also like the counseling center resources like college prep help and graduation requirement meetings, but I wish I would’ve known about them sooner. There is tons of school spirit, which makes for a fun environment. The student body numbers are getting too high, so the hallways are crowded, and there are classes in mobiles which are inconvenient. There is also a lot of favoritism as far as which sports and/or people get recognition for achievements. Overall, West is a great school, and I feel prepared for college after going there.
Read 455 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
2,037 Students
19:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Blue Springs South High School
Blue Springs R-IV School District, MO
9-12
299
12 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Sophomore: Blue Springs South is an amazing school! I love the teacher-student relationships and the relationships between students themselves. This school has an outstanding music program between band, orchestra, and choir. Blue Springs South holds a record of being the school with the most 1 ratings at Missouri State Solo and Ensemble. The JROTC program has received the Extinguished Unit with Merit Award - inspectors came to the school to observe the program and reported no discrepancies from the program, instructors, or cadets.
Read 299 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
2,041 Students
22:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Lee's Summit Senior High School
Lee's Summit R-VII School District, MO
9-12
260
13 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Senior: My experience at LSHS was average. My first two years were the best and now as a senior I am ready to graduate and leave! It was a great experience from the teachers to sports to academics. My favorite teachers at LSHS are Mrs.Thomas, Mr.Hoffman, and Mr.Fleck! I think I will still remember them when I leave because they made an impact and my school year wonderful. I did have bad experiences but good ones as well. I did play sports for my first two years which were basketball and track which I enjoyed. Overall I was glad to attend this school and feel that it helped me prepare for college and I think i'm going to do great!
Read 260 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
1,823 Students
14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Park Hill High School
Park Hill School District, MO
9-12
293
14 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Sophomore: Park Hill High School continues to be the grandest school of all in the state of Missouri! It contains committed staff viewing passing students as their greatest responsibility in their jobs, with students overall being proud to be a part of the community. The school challenges their students to strive for excellence and succession in all they do, with rigorous testing and challenging subjects, but with all the support students could ask for. School culture is diverse in all aspects as it encourages student to be proud of their school as well as themselves and has several during co-curricular activities and after school activities from the arts to sports and clubs of particular interests, and proudly welcomes foreign students to study in our great facility . In conclusion my school puts our lives in the path towards college.
Read 293 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
1,877 Students
16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Olathe East High School
Olathe Unified School District, KS
9-12
347
15 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Senior: East is a welcoming environment that promotes student involvement and school pride! Not only are the teachers excellent sources of information, but they exhibit a natural drive to help support students on their journeys. There is plenty of activities and clubs to be involved in ranging from national honors society to football! Our athletic department is among the best in the state, earning us over 50 state championships over the course of 25 years! If athletic life isn't for you, our drama and choir departments are also among the best, earning blue star nominations and 1 ratings every single year. East is also a very diverse school. Flags of every country can be seen waving from the ceiling of our cafeteria, symbolizing our different races. Plus, every year, our facility hosts the Asian Cultural Festival! Overall, East is an honorable high school that I am proud to get the opportunity to go to!
Read 347 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
1,980 Students
16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Mill Valley High School
DeSoto Unified School District, KS
9-12
280
16 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Senior: Great school! The majority of teachers are wonderful and really care about their students. Activities are well attended and there are multiple student organizations devoted to making sure all activities are given their share of fame. There's a large diversity of clubs, and the sports teams are multiple time state champions. The food can be a little sketchy, but it's never completly awful.
Read 280 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
1,366 Students
16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Shawnee Mission South High School
Shawnee Mission School District, KS
7-12
270
17 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Senior: This school provided me with so many opportunities. The arts programs are absolutely stellar, and they allowed me to participate at the highest level in both choir and band. They also provide numerous involvement activities, including sports, many clubs, and student leadership. I was able to take classes in my chosen field - computer science - every single year! They maintain a wonderful engineering program and give individualized levels of challenge to each student. Overall, I’d highly recommend this school!
Read 270 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
1,435 Students
17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Sumner Academy of Arts & Science
Kansas City Public Schools, KS
8-12
411
18 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Junior: My experience at Sumner Academy of Arts & Science has overall been an amazing experience. The school has overcame many changes that have taken place including administration changes including a new principal this past year. The administration give a positive environment for students. I believe that Sumner's IB Program specifically gives student an opportunity to expand their education. Sumner offers a variety of courses including extracurricular activities including sports and programs outside of school. Our college counselor, Shannon Shelton, is always on the students about applying for scholarships and getting things done!
Although, while attending the school can be viewed as a hardship due to stress. Being a member of 20/20 Leadership, we are aware of problems like such and are working with our 20/20 Olympics project to support students and make improvements within our school.
Read 411 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
981 Students
16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Staley High School
North Kansas City School District, MO
9-12
278
19 Best Public High Schools in Kansas City Area
Senior: Transferring from Turner High School in Kansas to Staley High School, I can genuinely say that the amount of opportunities and quality of education and is much better here than in other schools. I consider myself lucky to attend this school. We offer tons of programs that allow me and other students to expand their thinking and achieve whatever they desire. Teachers and administrators are extremely supportive of ther students.

The administration is great, but I’d love to see more recognition and funding for the arts, as for many other schools that are wishing the same. During school, we constantly have announcements over the speaks for the football and/or soccer team and this year we even held an entire assembly for the cheerleaders making it to state competition, but art students recieved no recognition when some of their art pieces were chosen for an art gallery event that was held at Missouri State University later that year.
Read 278 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
1,525 Students
18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Kirov Academy of Ballet
Private School
Washington, DC
7-12
4
Works Here: I have been working at the Kirov Academy since 2017, and have found the staff & students friendly. The students are very talented, even performing for a week at the Kennedy Center in conjunction with a major company! The teaching staff, both academic and artistic are professional, run an excellent program that prepares the students well for both companies and university placement.
Read 4 Reviews
NG
Overall Niche Grade
43 Students
2:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Whitfield School
Private School
Saint Louis, MO
6-12
14
Parent: Sweeeeet and studious kids! Very inclusive, yet competitive and achievement-oriented. Great college prep!
Read 14 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
440 Students
7:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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1 of 5

Blue Valley North High School

Blue Valley High School

The Pembroke Hill School

Rossman School

The Barstow School

Blue Valley Northwest High School

Rockhurst High School

Blue Valley West High School

Shawnee Mission East High School

Blue Valley Southwest High School

Notre Dame de Sion School

Olathe North High School

Olathe Northwest High School

St. Teresa's Academy

Shawnee Mission Northwest High School

St. Thomas Aquinas High School

Park Hill South High School

Lee's Summit West High School

Blue Springs South High School

Lee's Summit Senior High School

Park Hill High School

Olathe East High School

Mill Valley High School

Shawnee Mission South High School

Sumner Academy of Arts & Science

Staley High School

Kirov Academy of Ballet

Whitfield School