The top reported proficiency rate is 54% in Science. The lowest is 28% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on St. Paul Elementary School
St. Paul Elementary School serves the small, rural community of St. Paul in Neosho County, Kansas, and is part of the Chetopa-St. Paul school district. The school covers prekindergarten through fifth grade. With a modest enrollment for a school of this grade band, the student body is predominantly White, with a Hispanic population representing the next largest group. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a significant portion of families face economic challenges. The town itself is not growing; its population has been essentially flat to slightly declining, and the local economy shows signs of strain, with the city having taken over operation of the local grocery store.
For a parent trying to understand the academic picture here, the state testing data from the most recent school year shows a mixed story that varies considerably by grade and subject. In third grade, a little over half of students met proficiency standards in English language arts, but the share of students proficient in math was far lower, a pattern that a parent may want to discuss further with the school. By fourth grade, the proficiency rates dipped substantially in both subjects. In fifth grade, the results looked stronger, with a majority of students meeting standards in both math and English language arts, and a similar share reached proficiency in science. These dramatic year-to-year swings in a small school could reflect the influence of a single cohort of students on the overall numbers. Kansas changed the cut scores for these assessments, meaning these results cannot be directly compared to prior years. Overall, when combining all tested grades and subjects, the school’s proficiency index placed it at the top end among the small number of districts in Neosho County. It is worth noting that for a reader hoping to understand student support services, data on special education and English learner populations was not available.
The district has publicly reported recent changes that directly affect instruction at St. Paul Elementary. Both elementary campuses in the Chetopa-St. Paul district have implemented the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Model for Reading, meaning every student receives specific reading interventions aimed at ensuring they reach grade level. The district also integrated new Reading and Math curricula into the instructional calendar. These are systematic, school-wide changes that shape what and how children are taught, and they reflect an active effort to address literacy and math achievement. The district also recently formed a recreation commission, expanding youth athletics and adding visual and performing arts offerings for children in both communities.
For families considering this school, the principal takeaway is that St. Paul Elementary sits at the center of a small, struggling rural community where the school system is one of the larger local employers and a hub of activity. The academic data shows real challenges, particularly in math and at certain grade levels, alongside stronger performance in some subjects and grades. The district has made direct investments in reading instruction and new curricula that parents will want to understand in detail, including how their own child's teacher implements the MTSS model. The peer environment is small, predominantly White, and economically diverse, and the school serves a population where many families qualify for income-based assistance. There is no growth pressure in the town's housing market, and homes are considerably more affordable than state or national benchmarks. This is a school community with committed district-level programming changes, but with academic results that a parent will want to monitor closely.
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