The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in English language arts. The lowest is 45% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Mclouth Elem
McLouth Elementary School serves students from preschool through fifth grade in the small, rural community of McLouth, Kansas, located in Jefferson County. The town is a compact, historically agricultural place with a railroad corridor running through its center, and the city website notes that it is within a reasonable drive of Topeka, Lawrence, Leavenworth, and Overland Park, offering a quiet small-town setting with access to larger cities. The population has been relatively stable with a slow decline in recent years, and no major new housing or commercial developments were identified from available sources. The school sits on a single campus that also houses the middle and high schools, a central arrangement that the city notes makes for convenient commutes for families attending events.
The student body is small, reflecting the community’s size. The majority of students are white, with a small Hispanic population and even smaller shares of Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, and multiracial students. Roughly half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of moderate economic need that is common in many rural communities. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the provided information.
State testing results from the Kansas Assessment Program show a mixed picture across grade levels and subjects. In mathematics, third graders showed proficiency at a rate around the midpoint, fourth graders performed somewhat better, and fifth graders had a softer result, where fewer than two out of five students met the proficiency bar. In English language arts, third graders performed at a level where roughly three out of five were proficient, fourth graders were close behind, and fifth graders again showed a weaker result. Science testing, which is administered in fifth grade, returned a result where under half of students were proficient. It is worth noting that the state changed test cut scores, making direct year-over-year comparisons uncertain, and a parent may want to ask the school about how this affects understanding of student progress.
The overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades places McLouth Elementary in the top quartile relative to other districts in Jefferson County. This means that, when averaged together, the school’s results are strong compared to its neighboring districts in the county. However, the pattern of declining performance in the upper elementary grades, particularly in fifth grade, is a point a parent may want to discuss with the school to understand what supports are in place as students approach the transition to middle school.
The school is part of McLouth USD 342. A search for recent district changes, such as bond issues, curriculum shifts, or tax changes, found no evidence of major developments in the available material.
For a family considering this school, McLouth Elementary offers a small, rural setting where the elementary school is tightly integrated with the town’s civic life and the broader campus. The academic results are competitive within the county but show a clear drop-off in fifth grade that warrants attention. The community is stable and has a strong agricultural identity, with an annual Threshing Bee and Fall Festival as a local anchor. The housing market in the area reflects values that are somewhat above state benchmarks, but the town’s slow population decline and limited new development suggest a market that is not under rapid growth pressure. The school fits a family looking for a small-town, rural K-5 experience where the school is physically central to the community and the county-level academic comparison is favorable, while being mindful of the late-elementary performance trend.
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