Communities › Lawrence › School district
Lawrence Public Schools (USD 497)
Every Lawrence Public Schools school, plus the district news that matters if you’re buying here. USD 497 serves the city of Lawrence plus Clinton, Pleasant Grove and surrounding rural areas, mostly in Douglas County with small portions in Leavenworth and Jefferson counties.
Schools
Every school in the district
Tap an address for directions, or jump to a school’s website. Attendance is set by address, so confirm assignments for a specific home with the district.
Early childhood
Kennedy Early Childhood Center
Elementary schools
Cordley Elementary School
Deerfield Elementary School
Hillcrest Elementary School
Langston Hughes Elementary School
New York Elementary School
Prairie Park Elementary School
Quail Run Elementary School
Schwegler Elementary School
Sunflower Elementary School
Sunset Hill Elementary School
Woodlawn Elementary School
Middle schools
Billy Mills Middle School
Liberty Memorial Central Middle School
Southwest Middle School
High schools
Lawrence High School
Lawrence Free State High School
Alternative, virtual and transition programs
Lawrence College & Career Center
Lawrence Virtual School
Community Connections at Pinckney
District office
Lawrence Public Schools District Office
Homes for sale
Homes in USD 497
Homes for sale in Lawrence right now, live from the MLS. District boundaries don’t follow city lines, so confirm the school assignment for any address.
District news
What’s new in USD 497
Board votes to repurpose former Centennial building and expand Langston Hughes Elementary
On Sept. 24, 2025, the school board voted 7-0 to turn the former Centennial Elementary at 2145 Louisiana St. into a flexible high school choice program and to add classrooms at Langston Hughes, the only elementary over capacity at 591 students. Both projects were funded from capital outlay with an August 2026 target opening.
Enrollment down 2%; superintendent says no closures needed now
Enrollment for 2025-26 was reported at 10,148 students, down 2% from the prior year. Superintendent Jeanice Swift said the figures would not lead to proposals to reconfigure, reuse or close any buildings at this time.
$4.16M approved to prepare Centennial for Choice Campus
On March 9, 2026, the board approved about $4.16 million in bids for interior, exterior and roof work at the Centennial building for the Choice Campus at Centennial, a flexible-schedule high school option. Work was paid from capital outlay funds, with an August 2026 opening.
Stricter student cell phone policy and new bus contractor
On Aug. 10, 2026, the board unanimously approved a policy barring student personal electronic devices during the school day. The 2026-27 year also began under a new busing contract with Durham School Services.
2026-27 budget set at 52.345 mills; $8.5M in summer capital projects
The board approved the 2026-27 budget 6-0 at a 52.345-mill rate, a 0.141-mill decrease, while rising valuations increase total collections. Separately, the district reported about 10 summer 2026 capital projects totaling $8.5 million, including Centennial work, Woodlawn solar and seven new preschool classrooms.
USD 497 FAQ
Questions buyers ask about USD 497
How many schools are in Lawrence Public Schools?
The district lists 11 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, 2 high schools, an early childhood center and several alternative and virtual programs. The Choice Campus at Centennial, a flexible high school option at 2145 Louisiana St., was approved to open in August 2026.
Has USD 497 passed a recent bond?
The most recent bond was an $87 million issue approved by voters in May 2017 for middle and high school improvements. Recent projects, including the Centennial renovation and Langston Hughes expansion, have been paid from the district’s capital outlay fund rather than a new bond.
Have any Lawrence schools closed recently?
The most recent closures were Broken Arrow and Pinckney elementary schools, which closed at the end of the 2022-23 school year. In November 2025 the superintendent said current enrollment did not call for further closures; the Pinckney building now houses Community Connections at Pinckney, and a boundary committee has been studying a possible feeder system.
How do I confirm which school a home is assigned to?
Call the Lawrence Public Schools district office at 785-832-5000 with the property address. Attendance boundaries can change, so confirm the assignment directly with the district before relying on it.
Sources: Lawrence Public Schools · The Lawrence Times · Lawrence Journal-World · Wikipedia: Lawrence USD 497 · Hero photo: Ian Ballinger, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. School information only; we don’t publish school ratings. Confirm boundaries with the district.
HOA & city rules check
Can I do that there?
See the HOA covenants and the city code side by side before you fall in love with a house, plus amenities, schools, tax rates and special assessments for 10,000+ Kansas City-area subdivisions.
Full-service real estate across the Kansas City metro, Lawrence and Topeka, on both the Kansas and Missouri sides.
(913) 543-3332
Angela@shopwithshopper.com
7300 W 110th St, Overland Park, KS 66210
Buy & Sell
Wingman Real Estate – The Shopper Team is a team of licensed real estate agents brokered by REAL Broker, LLC. Licensed in Kansas and Missouri. Equal Housing Opportunity. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. © 2026 Wingman Real Estate – The Shopper Team. Privacy Policy · Terms