The top reported proficiency rate is 66% in English language arts. The lowest is 57% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Walnut Grove Elem
Walnut Grove Elementary serves prekindergarten through fifth grade and sits within the Olathe school district in Johnson County. The school is one of many elementaries across the city, which is a large suburban area southwest of Kansas City with a mix of residential neighborhoods and commercial and industrial parks. Major employers in Olathe include Garmin, Honeywell, and Farmers Insurance, and the city has seen sustained population growth in recent years.
The school itself enrolls a moderately sized student body for an elementary. Its student demographics are predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic population and smaller shares of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a marker of economic need but not an unusually high rate for the area. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the profile.
On state assessments, Walnut Grove’s results show a clear strength in English language arts. Across third, fourth, and fifth grades, the share of students scoring proficient or above on the Kansas Assessment Program is solid, with fifth graders performing at the highest level. Math proficiency is also respectable, especially in fifth grade, though it trails behind the English scores at every grade level. In fifth-grade science, the school posts a proficiency rate that is similar to its math results. It is worth noting that Kansas changed its cut scores for these assessments recently, so trend comparisons with prior years are not reliable. The school’s overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Johnson County, a benchmark that includes the county’s many well-regarded suburban schools.
The broader Olathe district context matters for families considering Walnut Grove. In April 2024, voters approved a bond issue that will fund a new elementary school, security upgrades, technology improvements, and facility maintenance without increasing the mill levy, because existing bonds are being paid off. At the same time, the school board voted to close three elementary schools — Clearwater Creek, Havencroft, and Pleasant Ridge — at the end of the 2024-25 school year, citing budget constraints and declining district enrollment. Those closures will redraw attendance boundaries across the district. Walnut Grove itself was not among the schools closed, but families should be aware that attendance zones may shift districtwide as the boundary changes take effect, and this could affect which students attend which school in coming years.
The housing market in the area reflects the broader Olathe context. Home values and rents are well above state and national benchmarks, and the cost of a typical mortgage exceeds the average rent, making homeownership a stretch for many. Johnson County is one of the more expensive housing markets in Kansas, and Olathe’s growth has pushed prices upward. For families looking to rent, the monthly rent-to-income ratio remains manageable at a moderate share of a typical household income.
Walnut Grove does not have publicly available data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, course access, or staffing, so it is difficult to assess non-academic dimensions of the school environment. Parents may want to ask the school directly about class sizes, teacher turnover, and the availability of specialists or enrichment programs. The school serves only elementary grades, so there is no graduation rate to report, which is typical for this grade band.
Overall, Walnut Grove presents a picture of a solid suburban elementary school with academic performance that is strong, especially in reading, and sits in a growing district that is navigating both investment in new facilities and the consolidation of under-enrolled buildings. A family moving into the area should confirm the current attendance boundary for their address, given the recent closures and redrawing of lines.
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