The top reported proficiency rate is 81% in Math. The lowest is 46% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Tescott Elem
Tescott Elementary serves students from prekindergarten through sixth grade in the small rural town of Tescott, Kansas, roughly a half-hour drive northwest of Salina. It is part of the Twin Valley school district, which also includes a high school in Tescott and another high school in Bennington. The school itself is a small building on North Minnesota Street, and in the compact town, school and community life are closely intertwined.
The student population is very small, and the demographic makeup is overwhelmingly white. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a marker of the economic profile of the town. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available.
On the Kansas state assessments, results varied by subject and grade level, which is typical for a school with very small class sizes where a handful of students can shift a percentage significantly. In fourth-grade reading, students performed at a high level. Fourth-grade math showed a similar high performance. Fifth-grade results were more mixed. In fifth-grade reading, about two out of five students met the state proficiency benchmark. Fifth-grade math was higher, with roughly three out of five students proficient. Fifth-grade science was near the same level as reading for that grade. The school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades placed it among the top-performing elementary schools relative to other districts in Ottawa County, a comparison that includes only two districts total, so the range of comparison here is narrow.
Because Tescott Elementary serves only through sixth grade, there is no graduation rate to report. That metric applies to the high school level, not to this building.
The community context matters for understanding the school. Tescott is a very small town with a long-running population decline. The town’s median age is older, and no major new housing or development projects were identified in publicly available sources. Most residents likely commute to Salina for work, as the town itself has few businesses. The housing market is notably affordable compared to national benchmarks, which is consistent with rural Kansas. For a family considering a move, the cost of entry is low, but the town offers very limited walkability and few commercial services.
The Twin Valley district did not have any publicly reported recent changes, such as boundary adjustments, new program launches, or budget shifts that would alter the basic experience of attending this school. Families who enroll here should expect a stable, traditional rural school setting.
For a parent weighing this school, the picture is straightforward. Tescott Elementary is a small, rural building with strong fourth-grade results and more variable fifth-grade outcomes, set in a town that is shrinking slowly and offers very inexpensive housing. The school’s small size means a child will get individual attention, but it also means fewer peers in each grade. A family that values a close-knit community and a short drive to school will find that here. A family looking for diverse peer groups, extensive program offerings, or a growing community with many young families will not. The academic data is a snapshot of one year with very small numbers, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about year-to-year trends and how the school supports students who are not yet meeting benchmarks.
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