In a 2001 report by Population Connection, Overland Park was chosen the number one "Kid Friendly City" in the nation, based on factors such as education, health, and public safety, which all impact overall achievement in the K-12 population. Overland Park is served by four public school districts: Blue Valley, Shawnee Mission, Spring Hill, and Olathe.
The Blue Valley School District covers 91 miles in southwestern Johnson County and boasts a growing enrollment that reached 19,104 students in the 2004-2005 academic year. One of its innovative programs is the Wilderness Science Center—this outdoor laboratory encompasses 30 acres of prairie, forest, river, and wetland ecosystems. Students at the WSC put their classroom science theories to work along the trails and learning stations sprinkled throughout the open space.
The Shawnee Mission School District has an enrollment of approximately 29,000 students in suburban Johnson County; each school serves students who live within prescribed attendance areas. Spring Hill School District is comprised of two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school serving a primarily rural area located just south of Olathe.
The Olathe Unified School District (OUSD) was formerly five separate districts; its enrollment is the third largest in the state of Kansas. Besides its 30 elementary schools, 8 middle schools and 4 high schools, the OUSD provides the Heart-land and Prairie Learning Centers for children with special needs and a Head Start program for pre-kindergartners. Approximately 10.5 percent of OUSD students reside in Overland Park, while the majority of the students are from Olathe. The student/teacher ratio in OUSD is 16.5:1, allowing for more individualized attention.
The following is a summary of data regarding Overland Park public schools as of the 2004–2005 school year.
Total enrollment: 73,427
Number of facilities elementary schools: 87
middle schools: 24
high schools: 14
Student/teacher ratio: Elementary schools, 24:1; high school, 19:1 (Blue Valley School District)
Teacher salaries
minimum: $30,908
average: $60,641
Funding per pupil: $6,083 (Blue Valley School District)
Public Schools Information: Blue Valley School District, 15020 Metcalf, PO Box 23901, Overland Park, KS 66283-0901; telephone (913)239-4000. Olathe Unified School District, 14160 Black Bob Road, PO Box 2000, Olathe, KS 66063-2000; telephone (913)780-7000. Shawnee Mission School District, 7235 Antioch Road, Shawnee Mission, KS 66204; telephone (913)993-6200. Spring Hill School District, 101 East South Street, Spring Hill, KS 66083; telephone (913)592-7200
Johnson County Community College (JCCC) offers its students a range of undergraduate courses in a two year post-secondary education program that further develops the local workforce and prepares students for transfer to four-year universities or colleges. JCCC is Kansas' third largest institution of higher learning, with an enrollment of more than 34,000 students in classes for credit or continuing education. The college encourages academic, career, and personal growth through programs such as Student Life and Leadership, the Gallaudet University Regional Center (hearing impairment technical assistance and seminars), International Student Services, the Writing Center, and the Math Resource Center.
Graduate and undergraduate studies in business and management make up the core of Baker University, a private college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The campus in Overland Park is a branch of the main university and is dedicated to the School of Professional and Graduate Studies. Associate degrees and certifications in management, business, information management, medical assisting, and paralegal studies are available at the National American University.
Overland Park is also home to local branches of St. Mary's College, a Jesuit institution offering liberal arts education; Ottawa University, a small private college with Christian underpinnings offering baccalaureate and masters degrees in the Arts, Education, Human Resources, Professional Counseling and Business Administration; and the University of Kansas Medical Center, located within 15 miles and offering a range of undergraduate and graduate degrees in the health professions.
Vocational training facilities abound in the Overland Park area, as well as in nearby Kansas City.
The Johnson County Library system's main location is the Central Resource Library, with 12 branch libraries covering the entire county. Library patrons can access more than one million items in formats such as audio books, video and DVD movies, magazines, newspapers, and hard and soft cover books. Computer services at the library allow visitors to tap into more than 70 databases and online services to search full-text articles and reference books. The Johnson County Library is a repository for federal government documents, available both in hard copy and online. Assistive technology is available for community members with disabilities, and the library serves homebound populations with outreach and delivery programs. Various special events for children and teens are offered throughout the year.
The Billington Library on the campus of Johnson County Community College contains more than 107,000 titles in book or audiovisual form, along with a collection of more than 400,000 microforms and 600 current periodicals.
The Dykes Library, the Clendening History of Medicine Library and the Farha Medical Library, all located at the Medical Center at the University of Kansas in Kansas City, contain a wealth of health-related books, periodicals, digital collections and databases. The Medical Center also houses several research institutes conducting investigations into life processes, function of the human body, disease processes and health care models.
Public Library Information: Johnson County Libraries, 9875 W. 87th Street, Overland Park, KS 66212; telephone (913)495-2400