The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in English language arts. The lowest is 50% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Bentwood Elem
Bentwood Elementary sits in Overland Park, a large and fast-growing suburban city in Johnson County that functions largely as a bedroom community and employment hub for the Kansas City metro. The city's economy is anchored by health care, retail, professional services, and information technology, with major employers including T-Mobile, Black & Veatch, and Overland Park Regional Medical Center. The built environment is thoroughly car-dependent, defined by wide roads, shopping centers, office parks, and residential subdivisions rather than a walkable downtown grid. Housing in the school's zip code carries a value well above the national typical home price and has appreciated modestly in the past year. Rents follow a similar pattern, running notably above the national benchmark, and monthly mortgage costs outpace rents, suggesting that buying here is a stretch relative to renting for many households. The area has grown rapidly through greenfield suburban development, and the school sits within the Olathe district, which has recently navigated tension between expansion and contraction; voters approved a bond in 2024 for a new elementary school and improvements, while the district also voted to close three elementary schools due to budget pressures and a drop in enrollment.
Bentwood itself serves prekindergarten through fifth grade. The student body is majority white, with smaller shares of Asian, Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students. A relatively small share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a student population that skews toward higher-income households. The school has a modest enrollment for an elementary building serving that grade band.
On the Kansas Assessment Program tests, Bentwood's results show a pattern that is strong in the earlier grades and softens by fifth grade. In third grade, proficiency rates in both English language arts and math exceed three-quarters of students. Fourth-grade results remain solid, with about three-quarters proficient in ELA and slightly more than seven in ten in math. By fifth grade, those numbers dip noticeably. ELA proficiency falls to just under six in ten, and math proficiency slides into the same range. Science, which is tested only in fifth grade, shows about half of students reaching proficiency. The proficiency index, a combined measure across all tested subjects and grades, places Bentwood in the top quartile among elementary schools in Johnson County, a reflection of its strong early-grade performance.
Program offerings at the school are not detailed in the available data, so a parent with specific interests in art, music, physical education, or enrichment would want to check with the school directly. The school has no reported staffing, discipline, or attendance data in this profile, and data on students with disabilities and English learners is also absent. Those gaps are not uncommon for an elementary school in this context, but a family considering Bentwood may want to ask the principal about class sizes, special education supports, and any supplemental academic programs, especially given the dip in fifth-grade scores.
The Olathe district's recent consolidation and boundary changes are relevant for any family looking at this school. While Bentwood itself was not among the schools slated for closure, rezoning may shift attendance areas, and it is worth confirming that a particular address is assigned to Bentwood before making a housing decision based on school assignment. The district's approved bond, meanwhile, signals continued investment in facilities and security upgrades that should benefit Bentwood over time.
For a family, Bentwood offers the feel of a suburban elementary school in a growing, relatively affluent part of Johnson County, with early academic performance that compares well to other schools in the county. The softening results by fifth grade are a point to watch, and the lack of detailed program and support data means a family should probe those topics during a school visit or with the principal. The broader district context of both new construction and school closures means the landscape around Bentwood is not static, and a family should keep an eye on boundary decisions in the coming years.
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