Great Bend USD 428

What Great Bend USD 428 does

Great Bend USD 428 is a unified public school district operating as a political subdivision of the State of Kansas, serving approximately 2,800-2,840 students from preschool through grade 12 across eight attendance centers: Little Panthers Preschool (ages 3-4), five neighborhood elementary schools serving K-6 (Eisenhower, Jefferson, Lincoln, Park, Riley), Great Bend Middle School (7-8), and Great Bend High School (9-12). The district is headquartered at the District Education Center at 1809 24th Street, Great Bend, Kansas, with additional support facilities for food services, transportation, maintenance, and the Parent Teacher Resource Center, and serves students primarily from Great Bend and adjacent portions of Barton and Stafford Counties.

The district operates on a stack of integrated edtech platforms including Skyward for student information and enrollment, SchoolMessenger SafeArrival for absence reporting, RevTrak for online payments, Incident IQ for help desk and work orders, BOUND for athletics scheduling, Frontline for absence management, and Applitrack for hiring. A district-wide 1:1 Chromebook Initiative delivers devices to all students, with deployment intensity scaling by grade level. Core academic delivery rests on Kansas standards-aligned instruction, Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) with Fastbridge assessment tools, and specialized programs for English Learners, McKinney-Vento eligible students, migrant students, and Title I At Risk students. Special education is delivered through the Barton County Special Services Cooperative in partnership with Ellinwood USD 355, Otis Bison USD 403, and Hoisington USD 431.

The district employs 596-656 staff with an average teacher tenure of nearly 15 years and an average class size of 16 students, and operates under a 5A athletic classification with a 90.3-92.4% graduation rate. Revenue derives primarily from local property taxes and state aid via the Kansas school finance formula, with federal programs supplementing for special populations; ancillary revenue streams include a $35 student athletic pass, facility rentals, the National School Lunch Program, and substitute teacher payroll at $120-$135/day. Governance rests with a seven-member elected Board of Education led by President Jacquie Disque, with Superintendent Khris Thexton serving as chief administrator. The district holds Capturing Kids' Hearts National Showcase District recognition for relationship-driven school culture.

Name

Great Bend USD 428

Legal name

Great Bend USD 428

Website

https://greatbendschools.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Great Bend USD 428 is a unified Kansas public school district serving approximately 2,840 students PreK-12 across eight attendance centers, funded by property taxes and state aid, with 596-656 employees and a 90%+ graduation rate.

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 School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE), Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability) (EDAJAKAH), Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH), IEP/504 Planning, Case Management & Compliance (EDAJAKAB)

Keywords

• K-12 public education
• Early childhood education
• Special education services
• School nutrition programs
• Student support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Great Bend

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public School Funding (Tax Revenue): USD 428 operates as a public school district funded primarily through local property taxes, state education funding (Kansas school finance formula), and federal grants. The district's business and finance department manages the annual budget, with budget documents and financial reports publicly available.
2. School Meals Program: Food services department operates the National School Lunch Program, providing breakfast and lunch to students. Free and reduced-price meals available based on eligibility. Summer meals program provides free meals to children ages 1-18.
3. Activity and Athletic Fees: Revenue from student athletic passes ($35 for 7-12th grade), activity fees, and pay-to-participate fees for extracurricular programs.
4. Facility Rental Fees: Community use of school facilities generates rental fees. Facility Use Request form available for scheduling.
5. Substitute Teacher Compensation: Substitutes are paid by the district at various rates ($120-$135/day for full day, $60-$67.50 for half day) based on license type. Long-term substitutes earn $256-$262/day.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Great Bend USD 428 operates a unified public school district serving approximately 2,800-2,840 students from preschool through 12th grade across eight attendance centers, including Little Panthers Preschool, five neighborhood elementary schools (K-6), Great Bend Middle School (7-8), and Great Bend High School (9-12). The district delivers core academic instruction aligned to Kansas standards, career and technical education pathways, athletics and extracurricular activities, special education through the Barton County Special Services Cooperative, English Learner services, and targeted student support programs. Operational departments include food services, transportation and maintenance, technology (with a 1:1 Chromebook initiative), and a Parent Teacher Resource Center.

Product overview

Great Bend USD 428 is a public school district serving approximately 2,800 students from preschool through 12th grade across 8 attendance centers: Little Panthers Preschool (3-4 year olds), five elementary schools (K-6), one middle school (7-8), and one high school (9-12). The district operates as a unified platform of educational services supported by various technology systems and programs. Core educational offerings include rigorous academics aligned to Kansas standards, comprehensive athletics and extracurricular activities, special education through the Barton County Special Services Cooperative, and specialized programs for English learners, homeless students, and migrant education. Technology infrastructure includes a 1:1 Chromebook initiative, Skyward student information system, and multiple parent/student portals for attendance reporting, meal payments, and academic access. The district also provides operational services including food services, transportation, and a Parent Teacher Resource Center for classroom materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Little Panthers Preschool
• Elementary Schools (K-6)
• Great Bend Middle School
• Great Bend High School
• Athletic Programs
• Food Services
• Transportation & Maintenance Services
• Barton County Special Services Cooperative
• English Learner (EL) Program
• McKinney-Vento Homeless Support
• Migrant Education Program
• Parent Teacher Resource Center (PTRC)

Quantifiable outcome

• 90.3-92.4% Graduation Rate
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Ellinwood USD 355coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner district in Barton County Special Services Cooperative (BCSS). Ellinwood USD 355 partners with USD 428 to provide special education services for eligible students across the cooperative.
• Otis Bison USD 403coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner district in Barton County Special Services Cooperative (BCSS). Otis Bison USD 403 collaborates with USD 428 for shared special education programming and services.
• Hoisington USD 431coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner district in Barton County Special Services Cooperative (BCSS). Hoisington USD 431 works with USD 428 to deliver special education services through the cooperative.
• I Love U Guys FoundationcoreTechnology or IntegrationThe I Love U Guys Foundation developed the Standard Response Protocol (SRP), an all-hazard emergency response system used by USD 428. SRP provides standardized safety actions: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter.
• National School Lunch Program (USDA)coreTechnology or IntegrationUSD 428 Food Services participates in the National School Lunch Program, following USDA dietary guidelines and nutrition standards.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ellinwood USD 355: BCSS cooperative partner district in Barton County, Kansas. Comparable as a small rural Kansas unified school district sharing special education services with USD 428.
• Garden City USD 457: Western Kansas unified school district with comparable rural/small-city footprint and PK-12 service model. Strong fit as a peer given similar Kansas funding formula exposure.
• Hoisington USD 431: Neighboring Kansas unified school district and BCSS cooperative partner. Serves a similar rural Kansas community with K-12 offerings, making it a directly comparable peer in scale, geography, and funding model.
• Dodge City USD 443: Southwestern Kansas unified school district with similar small-city/rural service area and K-12 continuum. Comparable in funding model and demographic mix including English Learner populations.
• Hays USD 489: Larger western Kansas unified school district serving Hays and surrounding Ellis County. Comparable as a regional Kansas USD with similar rural/small-city demographic profile and comprehensive PK-12 programming.
• Otis-Bison USD 403: BCSS cooperative partner district serving a small rural Kansas community. Directly comparable in operating model, funding structure, and shared services relationship with USD 428.
• Salina USD 305: Regional Kansas unified school district serving Saline County with comprehensive K-12 programming and multiple attendance centers. Comparable in scale and Kansas public school district operating model.

Others

• Barton Community College: Higher education institution headquartered in Great Bend, KS. Adjacent to USD 428 through dual-enrollment pathways and shared community footprint; relevant for understanding local education ecosystem rather than direct competition.
• Capturing Kids' Hearts: Organization whose flagship program has earned USD 428 its National Showcase District designation. An ecosystem/program partner rather than competitor; relevant for understanding USD 428's culture differentiation strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Kansas State Department of Education: State-level agency overseeing all Kansas public school districts including USD 428. Not a direct peer but establishes the regulatory, assessment (Kansas Assessment Program), and funding framework that governs USD 428 operations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCU-04LADB-0LyDUu40lbvAg
• Facebookfacebook.com/USD428
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/great-bend-public-schools-usd-428
• Instagraminstagram.com/gbunified428

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 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 Great Bend USD 428