The top reported proficiency rate is 24% in English language arts. The lowest is 10% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Gordon Parks Elem.
Gordon Parks Elementary is a single-school district in Kansas City, Missouri, serving grades from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. Because it is an elementary-only district, there is no high school graduation rate to report, and the data reflects a primary-grades population.
The district is small, with a total enrollment that fits a typical elementary school. The student body is diverse, with a majority of students identifying as Black, a substantial share identifying as Hispanic, and smaller proportions of White students and students of two or more races. Information on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are English learners was not available in the data provided.
On state assessments, results are reported for a limited set of grades and subjects. For math, scores for third grade were suppressed by the state, meaning the number of students tested was too small to report a meaningful rate. In fourth-grade math, the proficiency rate was low. In English language arts, third-grade scores were also suppressed, while fourth-grade results showed a small share of students meeting proficiency. One set of fifth-grade science scores from a prior year is on record, and it also showed a low proficiency rate. Across the tested subjects and grades for which a rate is available, overall proficiency is positioned in the lowest group among Jackson County's districts. A parent may want to ask the school directly about how students perform in the early grades and what instructional supports are in place.
Chronic absenteeism is a notable concern. The rate at which students miss a substantial number of school days is above the midpoint among the county's districts. Given the small enrollment and young age group, this is a metric a family may wish to discuss with the school to understand what programs are in place to encourage consistent attendance.
Per-pupil spending is in the upper range compared with other districts in Jackson County. This suggests a higher-than-average financial investment per student, which may reflect the small size of the district or specific program costs. No additional details on how those funds are allocated were available in the provided data.
Gordon Parks is located in Kansas City, in Jackson County. It is a single-school charter district. A search for recent district changes did not turn up lasting parent-relevant developments, so this profile is built entirely from the academic and demographic data on file.
For a family considering this school, the key picture is a small, diverse elementary setting with room for academic growth based on recent state test results. The chronic absenteeism rate is something to explore further. The district’s spending is high relative to area peers, but without information on how that translates to classroom supports or enrichment programs, a parent would benefit from a conversation with the school about its priorities and offerings.
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