Public Schools

The Greater Topeka area is served by six public school districts.

The six public school districts in Topeka/Shawnee County offer curricula that reflect current educational trends and technology for preschool through high school graduation. Computer labs, up-to-date science labs, interdisciplinary team teaching, award winning debate and library programs and championship athletic programs.

Topeka Public Schools (USD #501)
624 W 24 Street
Topeka, Kansas 66611
785.575.6100
2010-2011 total enrollment: 14,107
General Area: Topeka

Schools:

• 21 elementary (K - 5)
• 6 middle schools (6 - 8)
• 3 high schools. (9 - 12)
• 5 other schools reaching students outside mainstream K-12

Auburn-Washburn Schools (USD #437)
5928 SW 53 Street
Topeka, Kansas 66610
785.339.4000
2010-2011 total enrollment: 5,800
General Area: southwest of Topeka

Schools:

• 7 elementary (K - 6)
• 1 middle school (7 - 8 grades)
• 1 high school (9-12)
• 1 alternative high school

Seaman Schools (USD #345)
901 NW Lyman Road
Topeka, Kansas 66608
785.575.8600
2010-2011 total enrollment: 3,796
General Area: north of Topeka

Schools:

• 5 elementary (K - 6)
• 1 middle school (7 - 8)
• 1 high school (9 - 12)
• 1 alternative school (7-12)

Shawnee Heights Schools (USD #450)
4401 SE Shawnee Heights Road
Tecumseh, Kansas 66542
785.379.5800
2010-2011 total enrollment: 3,474
General Area: southeast of Topeka

Schools:

• 4 elementary (Pre-K - 6)
• 1 middle school (7 - 8)
• 1 high school (9-12)

Silver Lake Schools (USD #372)
200 Rice Road
PO Box 39
Silver Lake, Kansas 66539
785.582.4026
2010-2011 total enrollment: 758
General Area: northeast of Topeka

Schools:

• 1 elementary (K - 6)
• 1 junior-senior high school (7 - 12)

Kaw Valley Schools (USD #321)
411 W Lasley
St. Marys, Kansas 66536
785.437.2254
2010-2011 total enrollment: 1,312
General Area: northwest of Topeka, includes schools in Rossville (Shawnee County), and St. Marys, Delia, and Emmett (other counties).

Schools:

• 3 elementary
• 2 junior/senior high schools

Private Schools

Catholic Education
The Catholic School System in Topeka is part of the Kansas City, Kansas Archdiocesan system.
2010-2011 total enrollment: 1,962 (includes high school enrollment)

5 Elementary Schools (K-8):
Most Pure Heart of Mary Elementary: 453 students
Mater Dei: 242 students
Holy Family: 135 students
Christ the King: 429 students
St. Matthews: 186 students

Hayden High School (Catholic, 9-12)
401 SW Gage
Topeka, Kansas 66606
785.272.5210
2010-2011 enrollment: 517 (included in total Catholic enrollment)

Private Schools
Cair Paravel-Latin School, K-12 (Christian)
635 SW Clay
Topeka, Kansas 66606
785.232.3878
2010-2011 enrollment: 301

Heritage Christian School, Pre-K-12
2000 NW Clay
Topeka, KS 66608
785.286.0427
2010-2011 enrollment: 150

Kennedy Academy, Pre-K-6
206 SE Lakewood Court
Topeka, Kansas 66609
785.266.5150
2010-2011 enrollment: 82

Topeka Adventists School, K-8
2431 Wanamaker
Topeka, Kansas 66614
785.272.9474
2010-2011enrollment: 9

Topeka Collegiate, Pre-K-8
2200 SW Eveningside Drive
Topeka, Kansas 66614
785.228.0490
2010-2011 enrollment: 237

Topeka Lutheran School, K-8
701 SW Roosevelt
Topeka, Kansas 66606
785.357.0382
2010-2011 enrollment: 114

Center For Young Children (Lutheran), Infant Toddlers, Pre-K
1732 SW Gage
Topeka, Kansas 66604
785.272.1704
2010-2011 enrollment: 99

Home Schooling
Cornerstone Family Schools
An independent educational organization dedicated to assisting Christian families who have chosen to train their children in a responsible manner primarily at home.
785.234.0330

High School Diploma Programs
New Directions Learning Academy (West)
923 SW Fairlawn, Suite 141
Topeka, Kansas 66606
785.228.2336

New Directions Learning Academy (East)
Oakland Community Center
801 NE Popular
Topeka, Kansas 66616
785.234.9887
New Directions offers a high school diploma program for students 18+ years old. Classes are computer-based with assistance provided by certified instructors.

Freedom Education Center
1430 SW Topeka Boulevard, 3rd Floor
Topeka, Kansas 66612
785.266.1035
High school diploma program for offenders.

Technical and Vocational Schools

Numerous technical schools are located within a 50-mile radius of Topeka. Washburn Institute of Technology is located in Topeka and is closely aligned with Washburn University. Specialties include: business, human resources, health, computer, electronic, graphic and mechanical technology. The WIT program also has a Business and Industry Training Program which provides customized training programs for companies and organizations.

Bryan College
1527 SW Fairlawn Road
Topeka, KS 66604
785.272.0889

B-Street Design School of International Hair Styling
3602 SW Topeka
Topeka, KS 66611
785.267.7701

Topeka Electrical Joint Apprenticeship & Training
1620 NW Gage
Topeka, KS 66675
785.232.5154

Washburn Institute of Technology
5724 SW Huntoon
Topeka, KS 66604
785.273.7140

Plumbing and Pipefitters Apprenticeship School
2132 S Kansas Avenue 
Topeka, KS 66611
785.234.2006

WTI-Topeka
3712 SW Burlingame Road
Topeka, KS 66609
785.354.4568

Colleges and Universities

Washburn University

Total Enrollment: 7,230 (Fall 2010)
Full-Time: 4,692
Part-Time: 2,538
UG Full-Time: 4,088
Grad/Law Full-Time: 604

Washburn provides broadly-based liberal arts and professional education by combining the most effective modes of educating: accomplished faculty, small class sizes, state-of-the-art technology, modern learning techniques and unique opportunities available through an interactive campus and community relationship.

National recognition: Washburn is annually ranked as one of the best colleges in the Midwest by U.S. News and World Report.

Classes: 41% of undergraduate classes have fewer than 20 students.

Faculty/student ratio: 15:1

Faculty: 86% of full-time faculty holds doctorates or the highest degree in their discipline.

Academic programs: Washburn offers more than 200 programs leading to certification, associate, bachelor, master's and juris doctor degrees through the College of Arts and Sciences and the Schools of Applied Studies, Business, Law and Nursing.

An affiliate of the university is Washburn Institute of Technology, which provides high school and adult students significant opportunities to develop skills and knowledge relevant to contemporary career fields, such as health occupations, computer repair and networking and a variety of technology and industrial programs.

Graduates: More than 1,200 degrees and certificates are awarded annually.

Financial aid: More than $65 million in financial aid is available to students annually. Scholarships awarded from university resources are $6 million.

Endowment funding: Washburn Endowment Association assets of approximately $132 million rank Washburn second in the state on a per-student basis among the public institutions.

Internships: Each year, approximately 1,000 students participate in internship opportunities at more than 125 sites in Topeka.

Athletics: Ten athletic teams compete at the NCAA Division II level in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Conference. WU sports are baseball, basketball (men and women), football, golf, soccer (women), softball, tennis (men and women) and volleyball.

Alumni: The University boasts more than 38,000 alumni. WU alumni are found in every county in Kansas and in every state in the U.S.

University funding sources: The University is funded by local sales tax, a state operating grant and student tuition.

Mascot: The Ichabod. Washburn's mascot honors the school's early benefactor, Ichabod Washburn, a 19th century Massachusetts industrialist. The original design of the studious-looking, tuxedo-clad figure was created in 1938 by Bradbury Thompson (ba '34), who became an internationally recognized graphic artist.

Also on campus:
A major renovation of Whiting Field House was completed in 2009. Other recent enhancements to campus in the past decade include the renovation of Stoffer Science Hall and the construction of a Student Recreation & Wellness Center, an art building and Washburn Village, a 192-bed apartment-style housing complex.

The Mulvane Art Museum is the oldest accredited art museum west of the Mississippi River. The museum's permanent collection, though international in scope, emphasizes the work of artists of Kansas and of the Midwest.

Washburn is home to KTWU, the first public television station in Kansas.

Crane Observatory houses an 1898 Warner & Swasey refracting telescope.

The Kuehne Bell Tower features a quartet of bells once housed in the clock tower of Thomas Gymnasium, which was destroyed during a 1966 tornado.

Is Washburn private or public?

Washburn is a publicly funded, independently governed, state coordinated university. The school was established in 1865 as Lincoln College by a charter issued by the State of Kansas and the General Association of Congregational Ministers and Churches of Kansas. In 1941, the citizens of Topeka endorsed Washburn by voting to establish a municipal university, supported in part by the city and governed by a local board of regents. In 1999, the university's primary funding was moved from city property tax to county sales tax sources, with the school retaining status as a municipal subdivision of the state. In addition to local financial support, Washburn has received state funds since 1961, which have been coordinated by the Kansas Board of Regents since 1991. Washburn is governed by its own nine-member Board of Regents.

Washburn's place

Washburn's place in the community extends beyond the traditional classroom. Hundreds of young people are welcomed to campus each summer as participants in sports camps, while others explore their creativity through programs offered by the Mulvane Art Museum. Washburn also hosts the Quest Academic Competition that brings high school students from across the state to Topeka to vie for the opportunity to participate in championship matches produced and televised by KTWU./p>

The campus is also a center for cultural, sporting and educational activities. Annual events include Sunflower Music Festival and the Mulvane Mountain/Plains Art Festival as well as regular performances at the Andrew J. and Georgia Neese Gray Theatre.

For more information visit Washburn University or call 785.670.1010.

Other Area Higher Education Institutions