The top reported proficiency rate is 64% in English language arts. The lowest is 43% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Eisenhower Elementary
Eisenhower Elementary serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade in McPherson, a small, industrialized Kansas city with a strong agricultural and manufacturing history. The school is one of four elementary schools in the McPherson school district, and families in the attendance area will find the school distributed through the community rather than isolated on a single campus, alongside an early childhood center, a middle school, and a high school.
The student body is predominantly white, with a modest share of Hispanic students and a smaller number of students who identify as two or more races. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is below what is seen in many Kansas elementary schools, placing Eisenhower in a lower-poverty context relative to many schools statewide.
Academically, the school shows a pattern that varies by grade and subject on the Kansas Assessment Program. In English language arts, third graders demonstrate a strong performance, with a large share of students scoring at or above the proficient threshold. Fourth-grade results in English language arts are solid but lower than third grade, while fifth-grade English language arts results are softer. In mathematics, third and fourth graders both show moderate proficiency, with more than half of students meeting the proficient benchmark. Fifth-grade math results are lower, and fifth-grade science results are similar to the math number for that grade. The state changed the cut scores for these assessments, meaning results from prior years cannot be directly compared, but the single year of data available shows a school where younger grades tend to perform better than older grades in English language arts, while math performance is more consistent across grades until fifth grade. A parent may want to ask the school how it supports students as they move into the upper elementary grades, particularly in fifth grade where the numbers are less strong.
Compared to other districts in McPherson County, Eisenhower's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits in the top quartile. This is a meaningful comparison because the county contains several districts, and Eisenhower performs well against that local set.
Because Eisenhower does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and the school has chronic absenteeism data available. The district brief for McPherson, which was searched for recent changes such as bond issues or curriculum shifts, yielded little of lasting parent-relevant impact in recent years, so the account here focuses on the school itself.
The community context matters for families considering this school. McPherson blends residential neighborhoods with a strong industrial and agricultural base, anchored by major employers including an oil refinery, a large flour mill, and an insurance company headquarters. Two colleges add a student presence. Housing values in the area are somewhat below the state average, and rents are modest compared to national figures, making the area relatively affordable for many families. The city has a traditional grid street pattern with a compact downtown, including historic buildings such as the McPherson Opera House and the county courthouse. Walkable street life is concentrated downtown, while surrounding areas are more auto-oriented. The growth trajectory is modest and stable, with no rapid expansion pressures that might strain school resources.
For a family deciding whether Eisenhower is the right fit, the picture is of a small elementary school in a stable, affordable community where academic results are strongest in early elementary English language arts and generally above the county average. The lower fifth-grade results in math and science are the main soft spot in the data. A parent whose child is entering the upper grades may want to understand how the school prepares students for the transition to middle school, particularly in math and science. The school's size and the district's distributed campus model mean children move through the system with a cohort that stays relatively consistent from the elementary years through high school.
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