Paola

Located in eastern Kansas within the broader Kansas City metropolitan area, the Paola public school district operates as a fully active, traditional public school system serving a distant town community centered at 1115 E 303rd Street in Paola, Kansas. Encompassing four operational campuses, the district provides a continuous educational journey from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, fostering academic growth for a student body of 1,785 learners. The student population is evenly balanced between female (890) and male (895) students, representing a diverse mix of backgrounds—including White, Hispanic, multi-racial, Black, American Indian, Asian, and Pacific Islander students—spanning primary literacy building through high school graduation preparation.

To support its comprehensive PK–12 curriculum and ensure well-rounded student development, the district maintains a substantial personnel infrastructure tailored to meet individual learning needs. The district employs approximately 263 full-time equivalent (FTE) certified teachers, complemented by 256 instructional aides who deliver targeted classroom assistance and 472 dedicated support staff members who oversee daily operations, facility care, and administrative functions, bringing the total district workforce to 991 FTE positions. According to federal context from the 2024–2025 NCES dataset, this strong educator-to-student presence and focused community environment position Paola USD 368 as a cornerstone of learning and youth development in Miami County.