The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in Science. The lowest is 30% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Altoona-midway Elementary
Altoona-Midway Elementary serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade in the small, rural community of Altoona, Kansas, a village along the Verdigris River that has seen a long, steady decline in population since its railroad-era peak. The school is part of the Altoona-Midway district, which consolidated to serve multiple small towns in the area and, as part of a broader shift, moved to a four-day school week a few years ago, a change that has lasting effects on family schedules and childcare arrangements. For a parent considering this school, the four-day week is one of the most consequential facts to weigh from the start.
The student body is very small. The school's enrollment is dominated by white students, who make up the overwhelming majority, and a substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The elementary does not serve grades that would produce a graduation rate, and data on special education and English learner populations was not available in the records examined; a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.
On state assessments, the school shows a mixed picture. In third-grade math, the share of students reaching proficiency fell well below a majority. In third-grade English language arts, a clear majority met the proficiency bar. Fifth-grade science results, from a slightly earlier testing year, showed a strong majority reaching proficiency. Taken together, the school's overall test performance places it in the top tier among the handful of districts in Wilson County. That is a real strength in this local context, though the cohort is small and the county's overall numbers are modest.
The community context is equally important. Altoona itself is a very quiet residential village. There is no walkable commercial district, no described pedestrian infrastructure, and no identified public parks or library within town. The nearest county seat is a short drive away. Housing is inexpensive, with home values well below national and state benchmarks, which makes the area accessible for buyers on a modest budget. But the town has been losing population for decades, and no new development or construction projects were identified in available sources. This is a stable, shrinking community, not a growing one.
For families who already live in the area, Altoona-Midway Elementary is the local school, and its four-day week may align with certain work schedules or rural lifestyles. For a family relocating to the region, the trade-offs are clear: low housing costs, a very small and tight-knit school setting, and a consolidated district that serves a wide rural area, but also a town with little commercial life, no growth, and no public amenities within walking distance. The school's academic picture is uneven, stronger in science and English language arts than in math, and a parent may want to discuss the math results and any targeted interventions with school staff. The district's consolidation and four-day schedule both reflect the realities of serving a low-density, depopulating rural area; families used to a traditional five-day week with more options in town would find this a different kind of experience.
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