The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in Science. The lowest is 47% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Cunningham Elem
Cunningham Elem serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in a very small rural community in western Kingman County. The town of Cunningham sits on US-54 about halfway between Wichita and Pratt, with a traditional Main Street corridor that holds the library, museum, post office, and community center. The school itself sits within this compact grid, integrated into the center of town rather than set apart on a campus. For a family considering this school, the immediate context is a tight-knit agricultural community where the school is one of the largest local employers and the center of civic life.
The student body is small and overwhelmingly white, with a modest share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. The school serves only elementary grades, so there is no graduation rate or high school pathway to report. Because the grades tested under the Kansas Assessment Program begin at third grade, results are available for grades three, four, and five in math and English language arts, and for grade five in science.
Academic performance shows a mixed picture that varies by grade and subject. Third graders posted solid proficiency rates in both math and ELA, with a majority of students meeting the state’s proficient or above threshold. Fourth graders showed a dip, especially in ELA, where fewer than half reached that level. Fifth graders recovered somewhat in ELA, with a majority proficient, but math results in fifth grade were notably lower. Science results for fifth graders were solid, with a majority proficient. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index placed it above the midpoint among Kingman County’s districts. That comparison set is small—only two districts in the county—so the top-quartile position reflects relative strength within a limited peer group. A parent may want to explore the grade-level variability further with the school to understand how instruction or cohorts shift from year to year.
The school does not offer high school programs such as Advanced Placement or career and technical education pathways because of its grade span, and no data on course access or staffing ratios was available. The same is true for discipline and attendance metrics; those fields were not reported in the data we have. For a family evaluating this school, the absence of that information is a gap worth noting, and it may be useful to ask the district directly about class sizes, teacher experience, and any enrichment offerings beyond the core academic program.
The community itself is stable but aging, with no major new housing developments identified in search results. The population has likely held steady or declined slightly. Housing values in the area are below the national median, and the cost of buying a home relative to income is modest by national standards, making it an affordable place for families who work in the area or who are willing to commute a longer distance to Wichita or Pratt. There is no public transit; the nearest passenger rail is in Hutchinson.
A notable recent development in the district is a significant capital construction project. Publicly reported fiscal data shows that the district spent heavily on construction in a recent year, which suggests a building renovation or expansion that would have a lasting impact on school facilities. This investment may benefit Cunningham Elem directly, though the specific project was not confirmed in news reports. Families moving into the district may want to ask what that construction entailed and whether it affects the elementary building.
For a parent weighing this school, Cunningham Elem offers a small, rural setting with a tight-knit community feel. The academic results are strongest in the early grades and in science, with some unevenness in later elementary math and reading. The affordability of housing and the recent capital investment in facilities are practical advantages. Families who want a very small school embedded in the life of a farming town, and who are comfortable with the limited extracurricular and program breadth that comes with that size, will find this a reasonable fit. Those seeking broader academic pathways or a more diverse peer environment would need to look elsewhere.
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