The top reported proficiency rate is 24% in English language arts. The lowest is 6% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Chase High
Chase High serves eighth through twelfth grade in the small rural community of Chase, Kansas. It is a school of roughly that size for a secondary school, part of the Chase-Raymond school district. The student body is overwhelmingly white, with a modest Hispanic share and a very small number of Black and multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
State testing data for the most recent school year covers only the eighth grade level, the school’s youngest cohort. On the Kansas Assessment Program, the eighth-grade proficiency rate in English language arts was above that in math and science, which both came in well below it. The math proficiency rate was very low, and the science rate was also low. The eighth-grade cohort is a small group, and these results come from a single grade in a single year; a parent may want to follow up with the school to understand whether these scores reflect the experience of the broader student body as they move through the upper grades. When placed against other districts in Rice County, Chase High’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades falls in the bottom quartile. A graduation rate was not available in the data, which may be due to the small size of the graduating class or reporting gaps, so that important measure is missing from this picture.
Chase itself is a very small, rural town with a 2020 census population that was modest and a total area of just a few square miles. It was originally laid out as a station on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway branch line and retains the character of a small plains railroad town. The economy is rooted in agriculture, and the town is overwhelmingly residential with limited commercial activity. The population is declining, not growing, with a decrease from the prior decade to 2020 and a projected continued annual decline. No major new housing developments or growth initiatives were identified. The town’s built environment consists of low-density rural residential properties on the central plains, and most destinations are within walking distance by default, though there is no pedestrian-oriented commercial streetscape.
No recent district-level changes such as referendums, bonds, curriculum shifts, or property tax changes were found in the research that cleared a four-year, lasting-impact threshold. The district brief turned up only basic profile information.
For a family considering Chase High, the picture is one of a very small rural school in a shrinking town. Academically, the state test results for the one grade tested are weak, and the school sits in the bottom tier of its county on proficiency. A parent with a student in a tested grade may want to ask the school about interventions in math and science specifically and about how academic performance looks across the high school years when state test data is sparse. The high poverty rate among the student body is a fact of the community context, and a parent may want to understand what support systems the school has in place. The school’s size means small classes and close relationships, which can suit a student who thrives in a tight-knit setting. The community is rural and agricultural, with a declining population and limited local employment, so families should be clear on what kind of environment they are seeking. The housing market in the zip code is very affordable by national standards. For a student who fits a small, rural school and whose family is comfortable with the academic results on the table, Chase High is a straightforward choice; for a family focused on strong measured academic performance or growth context, this school may not be a match.
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