Weston County School District #1, WY

Original Research by School Decision on Weston County School District #1

Weston County School District #1 is a small, single-town district centered on Newcastle in northeast Wyoming. It operates four schools that carry students from kindergarten through high school: Newcastle Elementary K-2, Newcastle Elementary 3-5, Newcastle Middle School, and Newcastle High School. The enrollment is modest for a district spanning all grade levels, and the student body is predominantly white, with small representation across Hispanic, multiracial, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Black students. The district is not a charter or magnet system. It is a conventional public district serving the community of Newcastle and the surrounding area.

State assessment results from the current school year, using Wyoming's WY-TOPP test, tell a mixed story that varies more by grade and subject than by any single trend. In mathematics, the strongest results appear in the upper elementary grades, where proficiency rates are quite high, while the middle grades show more modest outcomes. Third and fifth grade math stand out as particular strengths. Fourth grade and sixth grade math sit lower, and seventh and eighth grade land in a middle range. In English language arts, results are more consistent across grades, with most grades showing a solid share of students reaching proficiency, though eighth grade dips. Science is tested in only two grades, and proficiency there runs lower than in the other subjects, with roughly half of tested students clearing the bar. Participation is effectively universal across every grade and subject tested, which gives the results credibility. A parent looking closely may want to ask the district about the dip in sixth grade math and the science outcomes, since those are the soft spots in an otherwise decent academic picture.

The district's comparison context is limited. Weston County contains only this single district, so a county-level peer comparison is not possible. Graduation rate data was not available in the materials provided. Chronic absenteeism figures were also not reported. Per-pupil spending comparisons could not be generated for the same reason. These gaps reflect the county's single-district structure rather than anything about the district itself, and a parent interested in graduation outcomes or attendance patterns would want to go directly to the district or state report card for that information.

Several other data points a parent might expect are missing from what was available. Free or reduced-price lunch counts were not reported, so the economic profile of the student body cannot be characterized from this data. Individualized education program rates and English learner counts were also absent. Civil rights data, course access details, staffing figures, and program offerings such as AP, career pathways, or dual credit were not provided, so nothing can be said about them. The district brief searched for recent parent-relevant changes and found none to report.

On the housing side, the area is affordable relative to both state and national benchmarks. Home values across the district's zip codes are well below the Wyoming state figure and the national figure, with a slight year-over-year decline. Newcastle carries the largest weight in the district's housing market, while Sundance and Upton contribute smaller shares. The price-to-income ratio sits below the level typically considered a stretch, suggesting that a family earning area wages could find homeownership within reach, though current mortgage rates add cost. Rental data was not available. The broader economic backdrop includes a national unemployment rate holding steady and a national median household income that has crept upward over recent years, but these are national figures rather than local ones.

What the picture amounts to is a small, stable rural district with reasonably strong elementary performance, some inconsistency in the middle grades, and limited publicly available information on graduation, programming, and student supports. For a family living in or considering Newcastle, the district offers a tight-knit setting where class sizes are small and most students participate in state testing. The academic foundation in the early grades appears solid. The questions worth asking the district directly concern what happens as students move through middle school into high school, what programs and supports exist beyond what is tested, and how the district tracks its graduates.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

754

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 2%

Black 0%

White 94%

Asian 1%

Two+ 3%

Am. Indian / AK Native 1%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

38%

74%

Gr 4

39%

77%

Gr 5

62%

78%

Gr 6

46%

73%

Gr 7

56%

81%

Gr 8

56%

55%

Math

Gr 3

69%

85%

Gr 4

36%

81%

Gr 5

73%

89%

Gr 6

39%

55%

Gr 7

40%

79%

Gr 8

56%

66%

Science

Gr 4

37%

77%

Gr 8

50%

52%

Schools in this District

4 schools are officially reported under this district.

Newcastle Elementary K-2

Newcastle High School

Newcastle Middle School

Newcastle Elementary 3-5

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

80%

Grade 3

59%

Grade 4

83%

Grade 5

49%

Grade 6

65%

Grade 7

62%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

63%

Grade 3

59%

Grade 4

72%

Grade 5

62%

Grade 6

72%

Grade 7

55%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

59%

Grade 4

51%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$244,092

Year-over-year change-1.0%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$240K to $399K

vs. state typical0.67x

vs. national typical0.66x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
82701	Newcastle	$240K	-1.1%	87.6%
82729	Sundance	$399K	+1.3%	2.1%
82730	Upton	$257K	-0.7%	1.9%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,232/mo

Home price / national median income2.9x

Comparison

State typical home value$363,685 (+1.4% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.