The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in English language arts. The lowest is 9% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Zaneis
Zaneis is a small, rural school district in Carter County that serves children from prekindergarten through eighth grade. Because it does not include high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report and no state testing results for high school subjects. The district operates a single school, Zaneis Public School, which means the entire PK-8 student body attends one campus.
Enrollment is small, with roughly three hundred students spread across ten grade levels. Class sizes are accordingly modest, each grade typically holding a couple dozen or so students. The student population is diverse in its racial composition, with white students making up the majority and significant shares of students identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native, and as two or more races. Very small numbers of Black and Hispanic students are also enrolled. Data on economic disadvantage, special education identification, and English learner status were not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the range of student supports available.
State assessment results are reported only for those grade levels and subjects where the number of test-takers meets the threshold for public release. For the 2024-25 school year, reported proficiency rates were low in the grades and subjects where figures were available. That said, when the district's overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades is compared with other districts in Carter County, its standing falls above the midpoint, meaning other districts in the county saw similarly modest results. The comparison tells you more about the regional context than about Zaneis alone. State testing rules changed recently, which makes direct year-to-year comparisons tricky.
One area where the district stands out positively is student attendance. The chronic absenteeism rate was very low, and within Carter County it ranked in the top quartile, meaning students at Zaneis miss school far less often than their peers in neighboring districts. That kind of consistent attendance is a strong foundation for learning.
Per-pupil spending is in the upper range among the county's districts, suggesting the district allocates its resources at a level higher than many of its neighbors. Housing in the areas Zaneis draws from is modestly priced. The two ZIP codes that contribute to the district show home values that are below state and national benchmarks, with one side of the district reflecting a market that is roughly flat and the other side showing a small upward trend. The weighted average of home values across the district is below the statewide typical home value.
The district has not seen any major parent-relevant changes recently. Searches for referenda, curriculum overhauls, tax shifts, or instructional reforms turned up none, so families can expect continuity in how the school operates.
For a family considering Zaneis, the picture is of a small, community-rooted elementary and middle school where attendance is strong and per-pupil investment is solid, but where academic proficiency rates, like those in many surrounding districts, are low. Because the district ends at eighth grade, families will need to plan for high school elsewhere, likely in one of the larger districts in the county or through other options. The small size means children are likely to be well known by staff, and the rural setting offers a environment that some families will find exactly what they want and others may find too remote. The available data does not speak to course offerings, extracurriculars, or student-teacher ratios, so those are questions best asked of the school directly.
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