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Excellent

#167 of 967 schools in NE

Top 17% in state

Central Elementary School

Elementary School · Kearney Public Schools · Kearney, NE

A Kearney Public Schools elementary school where students score 10 points above what's typical for similar communities.

300 W 24TH ST, Kearney, NE 68845

  • Math 67% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 52% proficient (2022)
  • 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.1Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-1.59 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics8.2Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency67% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency52% (2022 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency60% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)50% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected+9.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile73th
Resources & Environment5.2Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.3:1
District spending per student$11,473
Chronic Absenteeism10.3%

Students at Central Elementary School score 60% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 50%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NE average.

Math Proficiency67%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency52%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 5 points since 2019, to 60% in 2022, across a 14-year record (2009–2022).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
87%
ELA
57%
2010
Math
72%
ELA
67%
2011
Math
77%
ELA
72%
2012
Math
82%
ELA
82%
2013
Math
87%
ELA
82%
2014
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2015
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2016
Math
87%
ELA
57%
2017
Math
72%
ELA
57%
2018
Math
72%
ELA
57%
2019
Math
72%
ELA
57%
2020*
Math
57%
ELA
52%
2021*
Math
57%
ELA
52%
2022
Math
67%
ELA
52%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 76% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 66% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from NE state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

73.8%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Central Elementary School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 91Walker's Paradise
  • Bike 62Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,938/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Kearney), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$75,350

Median home value

$274,200

Median rent

$896/mo

College educated

40.9%

Homeownership

57.6%

Poverty rate

11.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 68845; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Park Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.3PK–50.5 mi275Compare →
Zion Lutheran SchoolPrivate · tuition5.2privatePK–80.5 mi118Compare →
Kearney Education CenterEnrollment path unverified3.6PK0.6 mi355Compare →
Bryant Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.5PK–50.7 mi243Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Kearney Public Schools

Schools in district
15
Rank in district
#3 of 14
District spending per student
$11,473NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
8.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

Central Elementary School is listed in KEARNEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Central Elementary School

Central Elementary School is a public elementary school in Kearney, NE, part of Kearney Public Schools, serving approximately 271 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.1 out of 10 and ranks #167 of 967 schools in NE. State assessment records show 76% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 66% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Central Elementary School

What grades does Central Elementary School serve?

Central Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Central Elementary School?

Central Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 271 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 14.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Central Elementary School rank in NE?

Central Elementary School ranks #167 of 967 schools in NE.

What is Central Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Central Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.1 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Central Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Central Elementary School has 76% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 66% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Central Elementary School a charter school?

No, Central Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Central Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Central Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Central Elementary School?

73.8% of students at Central Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
271
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
19
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Town
County
Buffalo County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
10.3%
Area population (ZIP 68845)
21,012
Area average commute
15.6 min
Area median age
33.1
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 68845; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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