The top reported proficiency rate is 58% in English language arts. The lowest is 51% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Burlington Elementary School
Burlington Elementary School serves prekindergarten through fourth grade in the seat of Coffey County. It draws from a community whose economic anchor is the Wolf Creek nuclear plant, a facility that reshaped the area during its construction decades ago. The city itself is a compact county seat with a central business district, industrial sites on the south side, and a population that has been slowly declining in recent years. The district brief turned up little of lasting parent-relevant change.
The school's enrollment is moderate for an elementary serving only through fourth grade. The student body is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic population and a very small share of students who identify as two or more races; other racial groups are represented at negligible levels or not at all. Nearly half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a substantial share and signals that the school serves a mix of household incomes with a notable segment of economic need. Information on special education identification and English learner status was not reported in the data we have, so a parent with a child who may need those supports should ask the school directly about its programs and staffing for those populations.
On state assessments administered through the Kansas Assessment Program, results show that in third-grade math about half of students scored at the proficient level or above. Fourth-grade math came in at roughly the same level. In English language arts, third graders posted a rate just above half, and fourth graders cleared the three-fifths mark. Across all tested grades and subjects, the school's combined proficiency index places it in the top quartile among districts in Coffey County. That is a notably strong performance in this local context, and it suggests that the school is producing solid academic outcomes compared with its nearest peers. Because Kansas changed the cut scores on its math and ELA assessments in this administration, the data are not directly comparable with prior years, so a trend line cannot be drawn from these results alone.
The school does not serve upper grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. There is no chronic absenteeism rate available in the data either. The school is not a charter and its Title I status was not reported.
A few other characteristics the data did not provide. There are no reported figures on teacher experience, student-teacher ratio, or course access, which are elements some families weigh heavily. Discipline data was also absent. A parent looking to understand the full day-to-day environment would benefit from a visit or conversation with the principal.
For a family considering Burlington, the housing context is relevant. Home values in the area sit well below the national median, and they have risen at a faster year-over-year clip than the national average. Rents have been climbing as well. The estimated monthly mortgage payment at current rates would be modest relative to many parts of the country, and the price-to-income ratio suggests that housing is more affordable here than the national norm. That matters for families deciding whether to rent or buy.
The school itself fits a family looking for a small-town elementary with above-average test results in its county, a predominantly white student body, and a notable share of students from lower-income households. A parent whose child has an individualized education plan or is an English learner will want to dig into what services are available, since that information was not part of the dataset. The academics, at least as measured by state tests, are a clear strength relative to other Coffey County districts, and the setting is that of a traditional county seat where schools and civic life sit at the center of town.
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