The top reported proficiency rate is 58% in English language arts. The lowest is 27% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Cedar Vale Elem
Cedar Vale Elem is a small public school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in Cedar Vale, a rural community in southeastern Kansas. The school is the elementary arm of the Cedar Vale district, and its building is integrated into the town’s compact grid rather than set apart on a separate campus. With a total enrollment that is modest even for a rural elementary school, it offers a setting where students and staff are likely to know one another well.
State testing results are available for a few grade levels and subjects, giving a partial academic picture. In fourth-grade math, just over two-fifths of students scored at the proficient level or above, a figure that sits below the midpoint among the handful of districts in Chautauqua County. Fourth-grade English language arts results were stronger, with a little more than half of students reaching proficiency. Fifth-grade science data, from a prior testing cycle, showed roughly a quarter of students at the proficient mark. Together, these results place the school’s overall proficiency index above the midpoint when compared to other districts in the county. Because the testing data covers only a couple of grades and subjects, and because Kansas changed its cut scores for math and reading in recent years, direct year-over-year comparisons are not possible. A parent may want to ask the school about how it monitors student growth across all elementary grades.
The student body is predominantly white, with a notable share of children identifying as two or more races and smaller groups identifying as Hispanic and American Indian or Alaska Native. Slightly more than half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic context of a town where median household income is low and a substantial portion of the population lives below the poverty line. Data on special education and English learner populations was not available in this profile.
Cedar Vale itself is a small, quiet town that has been losing residents over time, a pattern common in rural Kansas. The town covers a compact area, and most civic institutions—City Hall, a rural health clinic, a senior meal service, and a veterinary clinic—are within walking distance of the school. Four churches serve as community anchors. No public library or transit system was identified in the search. Major employers are limited to the school district, the health clinic, and local services. There are no signs of new housing or commercial development; the trajectory is one of gradual contraction.
For a family, Cedar Vale Elem offers a very small, community-embedded elementary school in a town where everyone is likely to be familiar with the school and its staff. The academic results are mixed, with English language arts the stronger area and math and science showing room for improvement. The high share of students from low-income households means the school likely qualifies for federal supports, though the profile did not confirm Title I status. The lack of recent district-level changes reported publicly suggests stability rather than disruption. The overall picture is of a school that fits families seeking a close-knit rural environment, where the elementary grades are taught in a setting small enough for individualized attention, but where academic performance on state assessments is uneven and may warrant a closer look.
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