Kathryn O'loughlin Mccarthy Elem, Hays KS

Original Research by School Decision on Kathryn O'loughlin Mccarthy Elem

Kathryn O'Loughlin McCarthy Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Hays, Kansas, as part of the Hays school district. It is a regular public school, not a charter, and sits in a city that functions as the economic and cultural hub of northwestern Kansas. The school is named for the first woman elected to the United States Congress from Kansas, a figure with local roots.

The academic picture is one of clear strength. Across the tested grades, the share of students scoring proficient or above on the Kansas Assessment Program is consistently well above the midpoint among districts in Ellis County. In English language arts, the proficiency rates are highest, landing in a range that would put this school in the top tier locally. Math proficiency is also solid, climbing from the early grades to a notably stronger result by fifth grade. Science, tested only in fifth grade, shows a similar strong outcome. The overall proficiency index, which averages all tested subjects and grades together, places the school in the top quartile compared to other schools in Ellis County districts. This is a school where academic performance is a standout feature.

The student body is relatively small for a K-5 building, with enrollment spread fairly evenly across grades. The demographics show a predominantly white student population, with Hispanic students making up a moderate share and Asian and Black students each present in smaller numbers. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a meaningful range of household incomes in the community. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the sources reviewed, so a parent seeking that information would want to follow up with the school directly. Civil rights data and discipline data were also absent from the available record.

Hays itself is a compact city built around a traditional downtown grid, with the Ellis County courthouse anchoring the civic core and Fort Hays State University integrated into the southwestern part of town. The economy is heavily service-oriented, with HaysMed, the regional hospital, and the university as the largest employers. The city has a notable Volga German heritage that still shapes local culture. Housing values in the area are roughly in line with the state average, and rents are moderate relative to national benchmarks, making this a region where the cost of living is not out of step with typical earnings. The city sits at the intersection of Interstate 70 and a U.S. highway, providing straightforward road access for families commuting from the surrounding rural area.

For a parent or resident, this school fits a family who values strong academic performance in a smaller elementary setting within a stable regional hub. The proficiency results are the strongest signal here. The school does not offer secondary-level programs like AP or career pathways because it serves only elementary grades, so those considerations are not applicable. The Hays district itself, based on the available information, has not undergone recent major changes that would be of lasting concern to parents. The overall context is a school that is performing well academically, situated in a city that provides a full set of services and amenities for a region of its size, with a modest and predictable character that matches the broader western Kansas landscape.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 357%

School 57% · District 56% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median

Grade 460%

School 60% · District 57% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 20 pts above state median

Grade 567%

School 67% · District 56% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 375%

School 75% · District 67% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median

Grade 473%

School 73% · District 63% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 25 pts above state median

Grade 572%

School 72% · District 62% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median

Science

Grade 568%

School 68% · District 46% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median

This schoolHays, 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 3Lower-income55%Higher-income86%32 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income57%Higher-income85%29 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income62%Higher-income81%19 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income36%Higher-income67%31 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income55%Higher-income63%9 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income59%Higher-income73%13 pp gap