Kanopolis Middle, Kanopolis KS - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Kanopolis Middle

Kanopolis Middle is a small school serving grades four through six in the rural community of Kanopolis, part of the Ellsworth school district. The town itself is very small, built on the site of a former military post, and has experienced gradual population decline over many decades. Students in Kanopolis attend this school for the upper elementary and early middle school years before moving on to higher grades elsewhere in the district.

The student body is small, predominantly white, with a small share of Hispanic students and a handful of students identifying as two or more races. About one in three students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a measure that points to moderate economic need across the school community. Data on English learners and students with disabilities were not reported, so the full picture of student support needs is not available from state sources.

On state assessments in the most recent year, results varied by subject and grade level. In math, fourth graders showed proficiency at a rate that left room for growth, fifth graders were at a similar level, and sixth graders reached a stronger level where roughly two-thirds met the state’s proficiency bar. This upward trend by grade is worth noting. In English language arts, fourth and fifth graders each scored at a level that was below half proficient, while sixth graders hit the halfway mark. Fifth graders also took science assessments and scored at about the same level as their sixth-grade peers in ELA. Because the state changed its cut scores in recent years, comparing these results to past years is not straightforward. A parent may want to ask the school for more context on how these proficiency levels align with classroom expectations and what support is available for students who are not yet meeting benchmarks.

The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. No data was available on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or course access, which limits what can be said about the school environment beyond test results.

Housing in the area is notably affordable compared to state and national benchmarks. The typical home value is well below the Kansas median and far below the national median, and monthly mortgage costs are moderate. This affordability, combined with the rural setting, may appeal to families looking for a lower-cost entry point into homeownership. The community of Kanopolis centers on its small town grid and is oriented toward nearby Ellsworth for most services, shopping, and secondary schooling. No recent district-level changes of lasting impact were found in public sources, suggesting stability in the governing structure.

Kanopolis Middle offers a compact, small-scale setting for upper elementary students. The academic picture is mixed, with stronger performance in sixth-grade math and fifth-grade science, and softer results in fourth- and fifth-grade English language arts. Families considering this school should feel comfortable reaching out directly for more detail on how the school supports students who are still developing foundational skills, especially in the younger grades.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 445%

School 45% · District 45%

▲ 5 pts above state median

Grade 549%

School 49% · District 49%

▲ 8 pts above state median

Grade 667%

School 67% · District 67%

▲ 26 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 441%

School 41% · District 41%

▼ 7 pts below state median

Grade 544%

School 44% · District 44%

▼ 5 pts below state median

Grade 650%

School 50% · District 50%

▲ 8 pts above state median

Science

Grade 551%

School 51% · District 51%

▲ 7 pts above state median

This schoolEllsworth, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 4Lower-income20%Higher-income59%39 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income41%Higher-income46%5 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income26%Higher-income63%37 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income30%Higher-income59%29 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income29%Higher-income62%32 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income53%Higher-income74%22 pp gap