The top reported proficiency rate is 63% in Science. The lowest is 42% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on C 4 Elem
C 4 Elem serves prekindergarten through fifth grade in a rural setting near Arkansas City, Kansas. It is a small public school, with an enrollment that matches its grade band. The student body is predominantly White, with a notable share of students who are Hispanic and a smaller share who identify as two or more races. Roughly two out of five students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a middle range of economic need.
The school is part of the Arkansas City district, which serves a community that has experienced economic shifts over recent decades. Arkansas City sits at the confluence of the Arkansas and Walnut Rivers, with a historic downtown core that has seen revitalization efforts, including streetscape projects and the conversion of the old Burford Theatre into a community arts center. The largest local employer is Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, which employs a substantial workforce. Housing in the area is moderately priced relative to state and national benchmarks, making it an accessible market for families.
State testing data for the most recent school year shows a mixed picture. In third grade, proficiency in English language arts was solid, while math was lower. Fourth grade saw a drop in both subjects, with proficiency in math and ELA falling noticeably. Fifth grade reversed that trend: math proficiency was strong, English language arts was moderate, and science also showed solid results. Because the state changed its cut scores in math and ELA this year, direct comparisons to prior years are not possible; a parent may want to ask the school how these results compare with previous cohorts under the older standards.
Across all tested grades and subjects, C 4 Elem’s overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Cowley County. That is a meaningful strength given the number of districts in the county boards. However, the small enrollment means that a handful of students can shift a grade-level percentage considerably, so these results may be less stable than in a larger school.
No program data was provided, so the range of offerings beyond the core academic subjects is not described here. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, and staffing were also absent. For an elementary school in a small district, a family may want to inquire directly about class size, enrichment activities, and support services for students who need extra help.
The school’s location on a rural road places it outside the immediate downtown area, but it remains within the district’s attendance zone. The district itself reported no notable recent changes or initiatives, based on publicly available information taken at the time of this profile.
For a family considering C 4 Elem, the picture is one of a small rural elementary with a solid overall record in the county context, albeit with uneven performance across individual grade levels and subjects. The community is economically modest, with a mix of industrial and agricultural roots and ongoing downtown renewal. A parent who values a tight-knit school in a low-cost area may find this a reasonable fit, but they should investigate the grade-level variability and confirm what enrichment or intervention programs are in place.
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