Unified School District #407 is a comprehensive K-12 school system located in North Central Kansas on Interstate 70. The district operates six attendance centers: Simpson Elementary, Bickerdyke Elementary, Luray/Lucas Elementary, Ruppenthal Middle School, Russell High School, and Lucas/Luray High School. All attendance centers are accredited with the State Department of Education.

USD #407 encompasses 792 sq. miles; serves approximately 1,000 students; and employees 100 certified teachers, seven administrators, and approximately 100 classified employees in positions as bus drivers, cooks, secretaries, custodians and paraprofessionals.

The General Fund Budget for the 2007-08 school year is $7,034,704. The Local Option Budget is $1,826,504 and the Capital Outlay Budget is $1,328,682. The combined mill levy is 41.177 mills.

The Board of Education meets in regular session on the third Monday of each month. Meetings, with the exception of one meeting each year at Lucas and one meeting each year at Luray, are held at the Administration Office located at 802 North Main Street in Russell, Kansas beginning at 5:30 p.m.