160 Years of Excellence in Omaha Public Schools

Omaha Public Schools was founded in 1859 as the first public school system in Douglas County, Nebraska, on a permanent basis. Two years prior to its opening, the first school board was elected (1857) and Omaha incorporated was divided into three wards for school. By 1871, the state legislature had consolidated all of current Omaha into one school district.

Howard Kennedy was named the first Superintendent of Omaha Public Schools. The school district opened with four schools and approximately 450 students. Today, the district has grown to more than 53,000 students served in 95 schools.

Over the years, the Omaha community has been supportive of high-quality facilities. They have regularly passed bond issues since the first one in 1871. The bond issues were used to maintain schools and build new schools for a growing enrollment.

In 1923, Technical High School opened in Omaha. It was the largest high school west of Chicago at the time. It was so highly sought after that it was filled by opening day with nearly 3,000 students! The school was closed in 1984 and remodeled as the Teacher and Administrative Center (TAC), which opened in 1989. The Teacher and Administrative Center is now home to district offices, teacher meeting rooms, the Career Center and the Omaha Virtual School.

Former second lady Mrs. Muriel Humphrey came to Omaha in 1965 to applaud the opening of Operation Head Start as a full-time program within the Omaha Public Schools.

Over the years, Omaha Public Schools students and staff have won countless local, regional and national awards.

During the 2019-2020 school year, please join us in celebrating a long history of #OPSProud for 160 years and counting!