Ralston Public Schools

What Ralston Public Schools does

Ralston Public Schools is a K-12 public school district headquartered in Ralston, Nebraska, on the southern edge of the Omaha metropolitan area, serving approximately 3,400 students from Pre-K through 12th grade across eight schools (six elementary, one middle, one high school) plus an alternative center. The district operates as a government entity funded primarily through local and county property taxes (59% of General Fund Budget), state sources (35%), and federal sources (6%), with a total General Fund Budget of $43,741,761 and per-pupil expenditure of $14,408 — $1,491 below the Nebraska state average. It is governed by a seven-member elected Board of Education and led by Superintendent Jason Buckingham (since January 2023). The district is accredited by the Nebraska Department of Education and Cognia.

The district's core product is comprehensive public education delivered through neighborhood attendance zones, supplemented by tuition-free Pre-Kindergarten, Option Enrollment for out-of-district students, and specialized services including Special Education (birth to age 21), English Language Learners support for students from 60+ countries speaking 34 languages, High Ability Learners enrichment, a Suburban Schools Program for students who are deaf and hard of hearing, student health services, and counseling. The underlying technology stack is conventional educational-administration SaaS: Finalsite CMS for the public website, AESOP/Frontline for substitute scheduling, SIMS Classroom for teacher data access, FinWorkflow for payroll, R-KIDS as the family portal, Nebraska State Reporting System (SRS), Nutrishare for menus, Parchment for transcripts, MySchoolApps for meal benefits, and Safe2Help Nebraska for anonymous safety reporting. There is no public-facing API or proprietary AI/ML capability disclosed.

The business model is tax-funded public education: Resident students attend tuition-free, with no consumer pricing decision; revenue is determined by state funding formulas, a district levy of $1.1271 per $100 of assessed valuation against a $2.34 billion total assessed valuation base, and federal program allocations. Distribution is direct-to-family via geographic attendance zones and the ESU#3 online enrollment system, with go-to-market executed through weekly RPS Weekly Messages, an active multidisciplinary social media presence, regular Board of Education meetings, the Ralston Schools Foundation, and the Community Connection program linking RPS families to local youth activities.

Name

Ralston Public Schools

Legal name

Ralston Public Schools

Website

https://ralstonschools.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Ralston Public Schools is a K-12 public school district in Ralston, Nebraska, serving approximately 3,400 students from Pre-K through 12th grade across eight schools and one alternative center, funded primarily through local property taxes, state aid, and federal sources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH)

Keywords

• K-12 public education
• Pre-kindergarten programs
• Special education services
• English language learning
• School district operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Omaha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: Ralston Public Schools operates as a public school district funded primarily through local/county property tax revenue (59%), state sources (35%), and federal sources (6%). Total General Fund Budget: $43,741,761. Per-pupil expenditure: $14,408. District Levy: $1.1271 total per $100 of assessed valuation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ralston Public Schools delivers tuition-free K-12 public education to approximately 3,400 students across eight schools (six elementary, one middle, one high school) and one alternative center in the Ralston, Nebraska area. The district provides comprehensive academic instruction, Pre-Kindergarten, Special Education, English Language Learners support, High Ability Learners programs, counseling and health services, athletics, and extracurricular activities from Pre-K through 12th grade.

Product overview

Ralston Public Schools is a traditional K-12 public school district that operates as a single unified educational system, not a platform-plus-modules architecture. The district's core offering consists of comprehensive educational programs spanning pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, delivered through eight schools (six elementary, one middle, one high school) plus an alternative center. Supporting the core educational mission, the district provides specialized programs including Special Education Services, English Language Learners (ELL) support, High Ability Learners (HAL) enrichment, Student Health Services, Counseling Services, and a specialized program for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The district also participates in Nebraska's Option Enrollment program, accepting students from outside district boundaries. A significant infrastructure enhancement is underway through the Future Ready Ralston Bond Initiative—a $83.75 million facility modernization program that is updating each school's facilities and providing technology improvements district-wide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-12 Educational Programs Comprehensive K-12 public education programs serving approximately 3,400 students from Pre-K through 12th grade across 8 schools and one alternative center, including core academic instruction, college preparation, career readiness, and extensive athletics and extracurricular activities.
• Pre-Kindergarten Program Free 4-year pre-kindergarten program operating 4 days per week (Monday through Thursday) from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, focusing on developing language, pre-academic, cognitive, physical, and social skills through purposeful play and exploration for resident students who turn 4 between Aug 1 and July 31.
• Special Education Services Comprehensive services for students with disabilities ranging from birth to 21 years, including accommodations, instruction, physical and occupational therapy, speech therapy, vision and hearing services, school psychology, vocational experience, and assistive technology.
• English Language Learners (ELL) Services Language support services for students and families from more than 60 countries who speak 34 languages throughout the district, focused on English language development, cultural integration, and multilingual family engagement.
• High Ability Learners (HAL) Program Differentiated educational services for high-achieving and gifted students designed to meet advanced learning needs.
• Student Health Services District-wide health services including nursing staff, health assistants, wellness programs, and partnership with OneWorld Mobile Health Center for medical care including sports/school physicals, vaccinations, well-being checks, and primary care located at Ralston High School (Tuesdays) and Ralston Middle School (Fridays).
• School Counseling Services Comprehensive counseling services including academic advising, social work support, and partnership with Arbor Family Counseling providing up to 2 free mental health consultations for students and families, with extended services negotiated directly between families and the partner.
• Suburban Schools Program for Students Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialized educational program providing services and accommodations for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Option Enrollment Open enrollment program allowing students from across the Omaha metropolitan area to attend Ralston Public Schools through Nebraska's Option Enrollment process.

Quantifiable outcome

• Per-pupil expenditure of $14,408 - $1,491 below state average
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Weitz CompanycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction Manager at Risk for Future Ready Ralston bond projects including new Mockingbird Elementary construction and interior renovations of Blumfield, Meadows, and Wildewood Elementary Schools. Working alongside BCDM Architects.
• BCDM ArchitectscoreTechnology or IntegrationLead architectural firm for Future Ready Ralston bond projects including design of new Mockingbird Elementary, interior renovations of elementary schools, and multi-sport complex at Ralston High School.
• Arbor Family CounselingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing mental health counseling support for students and families. Students may receive 2 consultations at no charge. Extended services negotiated directly between families and Arbor Family Counseling.
• OneWorld Community HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMobile Health Center partnership providing on-campus medical care for RPS students and staff. Services include sports/school physicals, vaccinations, well-being checks, and primary care. Located at Ralston High School (Tuesdays) and Ralston Middle School (Fridays).
• Cox CommunicationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnect2Compete program providing low-cost home internet with WiFi for families with K-12 students, ensuring access to essential educational technology resources.
• Dr. Anne HarleyminorOthersBoard of Education member who was appointed in January 2023 and later appointed as Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning in 2024, demonstrating internal career progression and district commitment.
• Nebraska Department of EducationcoreOthersAccreditation body for all RPS schools. District maintains accreditation status through AdvancED (now Cognia). District participates in Nebraska Educational Profile reporting.
• CogniacoreOthersGlobal nonprofit education improvement organization providing accreditation review. RPS received Cognia visit in February 2024 as part of five-year strategic planning cycle.
• Westside Community CenterminorOthersTemporary transition site for Meadows, Wildewood, and Blumfield Elementary students during interior renovation construction as part of Future Ready Ralston bond projects.
• Educational Service Unit #3 (ESU#3)coreOthersRegional educational service unit providing support, assistance, and consultation to 18 school districts in the Omaha area. RPS utilizes ESU#3 services including online enrollment system (enrollment.esu3.org) and shared educational resources.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Omaha Public Schools: The largest K-12 district in Nebraska, headquartered in Omaha, providing a broader urban counterpoint to Ralston's suburban model and competing for nearby Option Enrollment students.
• Lincoln Public Schools: Nebraska's second-largest K-12 district, serving a comparable Nebraska public-school population at substantially larger scale, useful as a benchmark for statewide policy and per-pupil comparisons.

Direct peers

• Bellevue Public Schools: Omaha-metro K-12 district serving a neighboring suburban community, directly competing for Option Enrollment and providing a comparable benchmark for teacher compensation and facility investment.
• Millard Public Schools: Large Omaha-metro public K-12 district with comparable suburban family demographic and similar grade-band structure, directly competing for Option Enrollment students and serving as a benchmark for facility modernization and per-pupil investment.
• Elkhorn Public Schools: Fast-growing western Omaha-metro K-12 district with strong facility and program investments, directly competing for metro-wide Option Enrollment families.
• Westside Community Schools: Adjacent Omaha-metro public K-12 district serving a similar suburban population, directly competing for Option Enrollment families and benchmarking against Ralston on initiatives like the Westside Community Center that Ralston uses for temporary overflow space.
• Papillion La Vista Community Schools: Sarpy County suburban K-12 district immediately adjacent to Ralston, directly competing for Omaha-metro Option Enrollment and facing similar facility modernization and growth dynamics.

Regional players

• Gretna Public Schools: Suburban Sarpy County K-12 district southwest of Omaha, comparable in size and suburban character to Ralston, providing a regional benchmark for growth and bond-funded facility modernization.
• Springfield Platteview Community Schools: Small suburban K-12 district bordering the Omaha metro, comparable in scale and suburban character to Ralston, providing a regional peer for facility and enrollment dynamics.
• Council Bluffs Community Schools: K-12 district across the Missouri River in Council Bluffs, Iowa, serving a school-age population sharing the broader Omaha metro labor market and providing a cross-state comparison point.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RalstonSchools
• Facebookfacebook.com/RalstonPublicSchools
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ralston-public-schools
• Instagraminstagram.com/ralstonpublicschools

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ralston Public Schools