South Barber 7-12, Kiowa KS - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on South Barber 7-12

South Barber 7-12 serves students in a small rural district in Kiowa, Kansas, a town whose population has been declining for decades. The school shares the community’s fundamentally residential and agricultural character; most local jobs are in health care, social assistance, agriculture, and retail, and the typical commute is short. Housing is very affordable, and a substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which gives a clear picture of the economic context families are navigating.

The school is small. It enrolls students from seventh grade through twelfth grade, and the grade-by-grade numbers are such that many classes will be quite small. The student body is predominantly white, with limited racial or ethnic diversity. This is a setting where a student is likely to be well known to staff and where class sizes allow for individual attention, but also one where the range of peer exposure is narrow compared to a larger or more diverse school.

On state assessments, the picture is mixed. In English language arts, seventh and eighth graders posted proficiency rates that would be considered solid, especially for a school of this size and rural setting. Math results in both grades were lower, and science proficiency among eighth graders was notably low. A parent may want to ask how the school supports students who are behind in math and science, and whether the new STEM initiatives referenced for the district have reached the middle and high school level yet. The comparison to other districts in Barber County places South Barber’s overall proficiency slightly above the midpoint, which is a useful benchmark given that only two districts make up the county set. Graduation rate data was not available for this report.

The district has publicly reported that it is expanding STEM offerings through a Gold Bond partnership and continues to emphasize college and career readiness through its AVID program and Agricultural Education pathways. For a small rural school, these represent a deliberate effort to create structured academic and career tracks. The available academic data suggests that English language arts is a relative strength, while math and science are areas where the school is working to improve.

For a family considering South Barber 7-12, the decision is likely to hinge on fit rather than a broad set of options. A student who thrives in a very small school where they can be involved in multiple activities and receive close adult attention will find that here. One who needs a wide array of advanced courses, large peer groups, or a culturally diverse environment may find the school limiting. The town itself offers a quiet, affordable, low-growth setting, and the school reflects that reality.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

>=50%Cohort of 14 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

348 schools plotted. 12 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 746%

School 46% · District 46%

▲ 12 pts above state median

Grade 839%

School 39% · District 39%

▲ 4 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 762%

School 62% · District 62%

▲ 21 pts above state median

Grade 862%

School 62% · District 62%

▲ 24 pts above state median

Science

Grade 823%

School 23% · District 23%

▼ 13 pts below state median

This schoolSouth Barber, 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.