The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in English language arts. The lowest is 17% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Almena Elem
Almena Elementary serves a small, rural community in northwest Kansas, housed in the same building that also holds the district’s high school. The school runs from prekindergarten through fourth grade, a limited grade span that means older students attend elsewhere in the same building or possibly in the district’s other facilities.
The student body is small and predominantly white, with smaller shares of Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, reflecting the economic profile of the surrounding area. The school does not report data on students with disabilities or English learners, so a parent should ask the district directly about those supports.
State testing results are available for one grade only, fourth graders in math and English language arts. In math, about a sixth of tested students met the state’s proficiency benchmark, a figure that lands below the midpoint of comparable schools across the county. In English, half of the tested students scored at the proficient level or above, a notably stronger outcome. Because the state changed its scoring standards in recent years, the district brief notes that direct comparisons to earlier years are not reliable. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages the two subject scores, sits above the midpoint when placed against other districts in Norton County.
There is no graduation rate to report, because this school does not serve high school grades. Similarly, the school environment data does not include details on discipline, attendance, staffing, or course access. Those gaps are common for a school of this size and grade span, but they mean a parent has less public information to evaluate day-to-day conditions.
The community of Almena is a very small, primarily residential rural town, historically a railroad junction but now a quiet agricultural place. The town has experienced long-term population decline over many decades. Housing is modest; home values in the area are well below state and national averages, and mortgage costs at current rates are relatively low, which may make this a more affordable setting for families who can work remotely or commute. The town offers limited commercial activity and few identified civic amenities beyond the city office and the school itself. Publicly reported sources note that the town sits north of Prairie Dog Creek and is a short drive from Norton, the county seat, where broader services are located.
The school district, Northern Valley, is headquartered in Almena. The district brief turned up no major recent changes or new initiatives in publicly available sources. Families moving into the area should expect a small, tight-knit school environment where the elementary and high school share a building, and where state test results are mixed, with reading performance notably stronger than math in the one grade for which data exists. Parents who want a fuller picture of special education services, English learner support, or classroom resources would need to contact the school directly, as that information is not present in the public data reviewed here.
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