The top reported proficiency rate is 83% in English language arts. The lowest is 61% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Clifton-clyde Grade School K-3
Clifton-Clyde Grade School K-3 sits in the small rural community of Clifton, a town that straddles the Clay–Washington county line and has seen a long-term decline in population. The school is one of three in the Clifton-Clyde district; the middle school shares the same town, while the high school is in nearby Clyde. This is a pre-kindergarten through third grade building, so families should expect their child to transition to Clifton-Clyde Middle School for fourth grade and then to the high school in Clyde.
Academically, the available state testing results cover only third grade, which is the first tested grade in Kansas. In the most recent assessment year, the large majority of third graders met the state’s proficiency benchmark in English language arts, and a solid share did so in mathematics. Because the school serves only early elementary grades, there is no graduation rate or high school course access to report; a parent looking at long-term academic outcomes would want to look at the middle and high school levels separately. Among districts in Washington County, which has only two districts, the school’s combined proficiency across tested subjects and grades placed it at the stronger end of that comparison.
The student body is small, typical for a rural Kansas grade school serving a handful of grade levels. The enrollment is overwhelmingly white, with small shares of Hispanic students and very small numbers of students identifying as Asian or American Indian. A notable share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the surrounding area. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the records we reviewed, so a parent with a child in those categories would want to ask the school directly about services.
The town itself is compact and walkable in principle, with a main street (Parallel Street, also Kansas Highway 9) lined by a diner, a few gift shops, a hunting lodge, and the Clifton Public Library. Berner Memorial Park provides recreational facilities including ball fields, a swimming pool, and camping hook-ups. The community hosts annual events such as a Fourth of July celebration, a Halloween parade, and a Veteran’s Day parade. Employment in town is limited; the school district and the city government are likely the largest employers, along with a handful of small businesses. There is no public transit; residents rely on cars for longer trips.
Housing in the area is very affordable relative to state and national benchmarks, with home values well below the Kansas median. Rents are also modest. The local housing market has seen moderate year-over-year appreciation, but overall the area is not a high-growth market. The town’s population has been declining gradually, and no major new housing developments or commercial projects were identified in publicly available information. The district itself reported no recent parent-relevant changes in its operations or policies, so the educational environment appears stable.
For a parent or resident considering this school, the picture is of a very small, rural early-elementary building where the majority of third graders meet state benchmarks in reading and math. The peer group is small and predominantly white, with a moderate share from lower-income households. The community is quiet, agriculturally rooted, and declining slowly but offers a low-cost housing option and a calm setting. The main academic consideration is that this is just the first few years of a child’s education; the middle and high school experiences, located in two different towns, will shape the full K-12 pathway. Anyone looking for more detailed information on special education services, discipline rates, or staffing ratios should follow up with the school directly, as those data fields were not available in the public records we examined.
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