The top reported proficiency rate is 62% in Science. The lowest is 47% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Fort Larned Elementary School
Fort Larned Elementary is the sole elementary school within the Ft Larned district, serving children from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the small Pawnee County seat of Larned. It is a conventional public school, not a charter or magnet, and it sits in a community where housing costs are modest relative to state and national benchmarks, making it an accessible option for families looking to put down roots in a quiet, rural part of central Kansas.
The school's academic picture comes from Kansas state assessments in math, English language arts, and science for grades three through five. The results vary noticeably by grade and subject. In third grade, around half of students met proficiency in math, while fourth graders posted a stronger showing. Fifth-grade math dipped, with a share of students reaching proficiency that would likely give a parent pause. In English language arts, the pattern is similar: third and fourth graders performed at moderate to solid levels, with a clear dip in fifth grade. Fifth-grade science, tested only at that grade level, showed a stronger result. Overall, when these results are combined into a single proficiency index, the school lands among the highest in Pawnee County's small set of districts. That top-quartile position is worth noting, but it comes from a county with only three districts, so the field is narrow. Kansas also changed its cut scores in recent years, which means year-over-year trend comparisons are not straightforward, and the school's own prior data was not available for a direct look at direction.
Enrollment is in the typical range for a K-5 building serving a town of this size. A substantial share of students come from households where income qualifies them for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic base of the community. The student body is predominantly white, with a notable Hispanic minority and small numbers of Black, multiracial, and other groups represented. No data was available on the share of students with disabilities or English learners, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about special education and language support programs.
The community of Larned itself is a stable, slow-growing county seat. Its economy is anchored by state-run healthcare and correctional facilities west of town, by agriculture, and by the school district itself. The downtown has a business district with local restaurants and shops, and the town sits along US-56 and the Arkansas River on the historic Santa Fe Trail. Housing values are well below the Kansas average, and rental costs are also low, which is consistent with a modest cost of living. Population growth has been essentially flat, with no major new housing or commercial developments reported in available sources. For a family, this means the school's enrollment is unlikely to surge; the peer group is largely the children of local healthcare workers, farmers, and small-business employees.
The wider Ft Larned district has been active on several fronts. It adopted a strategic plan running through 2028, with board-adopted goals covering academics, student well-being, staff retention, community engagement, fiscal responsibility, and facilities. It expanded a free preschool program called Be Your Best Academy to offer morning and afternoon sessions with door-to-door bus transportation, a concrete support for families with young children. For older students not at this elementary, the district added Career and Technical Education programs in welding and construction. And notably for a parent of an elementary student, the district purchased new elementary reading curriculum materials, a change that will affect how literacy is taught in the building going forward.
With no high school grades, there is no graduation rate to consider, and chronic absenteeism data was not available. The school's profile fits a family looking for a small-town elementary with a mix of academic results, a district that has recently invested in early childhood and literacy, and a community where housing costs are low and the pace of life is quiet. The fifth-grade math and ELA dips are points a parent may want to discuss with the school to understand what supports are in place as students approach the transition to middle school.
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