The top reported proficiency rate is 38% in English language arts. The lowest is 15% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Blackmore Elementary
Blackmore Elementary serves children from prekindergarten through fifth grade in El Dorado, Kansas, and is part of the El Dorado school district. It operates as a neighborhood public school with no charter or magnet status. The enrollment is moderate for an elementary school serving seven grade levels, with roughly two-thirds of the student body in grades kindergarten through five and a notable pre-K cohort. The student population is predominantly white, with Hispanic students and students of two or more races each making up a small but visible share. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a rate that places the school in a high-poverty context relative to national norms.
State assessment results from the most recent testing year show that on the Kansas Assessment Program, proficiency rates across tested subjects were low. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or above declined from third to fourth grade and remained low in fifth grade. In English language arts, the pattern was somewhat higher but still fell below the state average; third-grade reading proficiency was notably stronger than math in the same grade, while fourth and fifth graders performed near the same modest level. In science, only fifth graders were tested, and the proficiency rate was on par with the school’s math results. The elementary does not serve grades that are tested beyond fifth, so there is no data for middle or high school measures. The state changed its cut scores for math and English language arts in recent years, which means these results cannot be directly compared to earlier years, but the school’s overall proficiency index across all subjects and tested grades places it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Butler County. A parent reviewing these scores may want to ask the school about the specific instructional strategies and supports in place for math and science, where outcomes are weakest.
The school sits in El Dorado, a city of moderate size that serves as the Butler County seat. The community has a mixed character: a traditional downtown grid around Main and Pine, residential neighborhoods spread across the city, and a significant industrial presence in the form of a large oil refinery on the southwest edge. Butler Community College is an important local institution. The city is part of the Wichita metropolitan area and lies about a half-hour drive east-northeast of Wichita. Housing in the area is moderately priced compared to national benchmarks, and home values have been rising modestly in recent years. Rent prices have seen a slight decline. The school is one of several elementary buildings in the district, and the city’s school attendance boundaries split El Dorado, with the west side served by a different district headquartered in Towanda.
No recent district-level changes, such as bond measures, curriculum overhauls, or boundary adjustments, were confirmed in the available information. The district did pass a significant bond measure in prior years for facility renovations and safety upgrades, but that fell outside the recent window typically relevant to current parents. The school’s own program offerings, staffing ratios, discipline data, and chronic absenteeism rates were not available, so those aspects remain unexamined. A parent considering Blackmore Elementary should look into what specialized academic support the school offers, particularly in math and science, and what enrichment programs or interventions are available given the high share of students from low-income households. The prekindergarten program may be a draw for families seeking early childhood education within the public school system. The elementary’s relatively small size and single-building setting mean most student interactions are among peers from the same attendance zone, which can foster a close-knit environment but also limits demographic diversity. Overall, the school serves a community with real economic need and shows academic proficiency rates that are a concern, especially in math; families would want to explore how the school is addressing these outcomes before enrolling.
See more original research from School Decision →