The top reported proficiency rate is 38% in Science. The lowest is 25% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Santa Fe 5/6 Center
SantaFe 5/6 Center serves a narrow window of elementary and middle school grades, fifth and sixth, for the Newton school district in Harvey County. It is a conventional public school, not a charter or magnet, and it sits on Broadway in downtown Newton, a mid-sized county seat shaped by its railroad and agricultural history. Because the school covers only two grade levels, it is a transitional building between the district’s elementary schools and Chisholm Middle School.
The student body is small for that grade band, with roughly enough students to fill two grades. Just over half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a substantial share and suggests a community with a notable level of economic need. Racially and ethnically, the majority of students are white, while a little more than a quarter are Hispanic. Smaller groups include students who identify as two or more races, Black, Asian, and American Indian or Alaska Native. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the information we reviewed, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about its special education and English language services.
On the Kansas state assessments from the 2024-2025 school year, the proficiency rates were modest. In math, about a quarter of fifth graders and a quarter of sixth graders scored at the proficient or advanced level. In English language arts, roughly three in ten fifth graders and a slightly lower share of sixth graders reached that bar. Science is tested only in fifth grade, and just under four in ten fifth graders were proficient. These are average figures across the two grades, and they place the school below the midpoint for overall proficiency when compared to other districts in Harvey County. The cut scores for math and English language arts changed in recent years, which makes direct comparisons with earlier results unreliable, so we cannot say whether these numbers represent an improvement or a decline.
Because Santa Fe 5/6 Center does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and chronic absenteeism data was also absent from the materials we had. No information about course offerings, programs like gifted education or career pathways, or disciplinary patterns was provided. A parent interested in those areas would need to follow up with the school.
Newton itself has a mixed character. The city’s population has declined slightly in recent years, and its strategic plan focuses on revitalizing downtown and established neighborhoods, investing in quality-of-life amenities, and marketing the community as a place to live and work. The school district, with its acknowledged Career and Technical Education pathways at the high school level, is one of the larger employers in town. Housing in the area is moderately priced relative to state and national benchmarks, and rents have been rising notably in the local market.
For a family considering this school, the key factors are its focused grade span and its academic results. The proficiency numbers are low compared to other districts in the same county, which is a soft spot that a parent would want to understand better. The school may offer specific supports or approaches that are not captured in the assessment data alone. The absence of information on programs and special populations means the picture is incomplete, but the available evidence points to a school serving a diverse, moderately low-income student body in a community that is working to strengthen its economic base and neighborhood vitality.
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