The top reported proficiency rate is 61% in Math. The lowest is 59% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Westphalia
Westphalia is a very small public school in a tiny rural community, serving students from prekindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the Garnett school district, and for high school, students in this community travel about a moderate distance to Garnett, where Anderson County Junior-Senior High School is located. The school and the community fit a specific profile: a place where a parent is looking for a very small, close-knit elementary and middle school setting in a rural area, knowing that high school will be in a different town.
The school’s enrollment is small, and the student body is entirely white. A substantial share of students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a marker of the economic context of the community. The town itself is a very small rural settlement that has seen long-term population decline from a much larger historical peak, though recent estimates suggest a modest uptick. Housing values in the area are near the national median, and the typical commute time for residents suggests many work outside the immediate town, likely in Garnett or other nearby communities. The town has minimal commercial activity and civic infrastructure; residents depend on the county seat for most services.
Academically, the most recent state testing data available is from several years ago, and it paints a mixed and incomplete picture. In math, performance in one tested grade was solid, while in another grade it was around the midpoint. In English language arts, one grade tested above the midpoint, and the other was at the midpoint. The overall proficiency index, which averages the tested subjects and grades, places the school in the top quartile relative to the other districts in Anderson County. This is a meaningful comparison because the county has only two districts, so the top quartile position reflects being the stronger of the two. However, the data is dated, and the school’s small size means that a year-to-year change of just a few students can shift results noticeably. A parent should consider that these results are not current and that the school may look different now.
Because the school serves only through eighth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to report. There is no information on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or course access, and civil-rights data such as special education or English learner counts was also missing. The school is not a charter and does not appear to be a magnet school. No information was available on the school’s staffing ratios, programs offered, or Title I status.
The Garnett district recently made a notable change that affects this community indirectly. Greeley Elementary School closed due to low enrollment and the need for facility repairs, and its students were consolidated into another operating elementary school in the district. This suggests that the district is responsive to enrollment and facility pressures, which could be relevant for a family considering the long-term stability of a small school like Westphalia.
For a family, this school is a match for those who prioritize a very small, rural elementary and middle school where the student body is homogeneous and the setting is quiet and removed. The academic data, while dated, suggests performance that was solid relative to the county, but the small numbers mean a family should visit and ask about current instruction and programming. The trade-off is that high school is not in this town, and the community offers few amenities beyond the school itself. This is a straightforward, no-frills educational path in a place where the school is a central part of a very small town.
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