The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in Science. The lowest is 52% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Spearville Jr/sr High
Spearville Jr/Sr High serves students from sixth through twelfth grade in the small rural town of Spearville, Kansas, about a modest drive east of Dodge City. It is a single building that houses both middle and high school grades, part of the Spearville school district. The town itself is quiet and agricultural, anchored by farming, manufacturing, the local school, and a wind energy facility with many turbines that gives Spearville its nickname as the City of Windmills. Housing values in the area are moderately below the national benchmark, and the town has seen some population growth in recent years. Daily life is car-dependent, with limited walkability and a compact grid of homes, a park, a swimming pool, a senior center, and a handful of local businesses.
Academically, Spearville Jr/Sr High posts proficiency rates on the Kansas Assessment Program that vary by subject and grade. In math, the share of students reaching proficient or above ranges from a bit below half to a bit above half across the tested grades. In English language arts, rates land near the midpoint for most grades, with one grade showing a stronger result. In eighth-grade science, roughly three out of five students meet the proficiency threshold. These figures come from a single year, and the state changed its cut scores for math and ELA, so direct comparisons with prior years are not reliable. When placed against other districts in Ford County, the school’s overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint of the county cohort. That means it performs somewhat better than the middle of the pack among its immediate neighbors, a positive signal for families weighing local options within the county.
The school is small, with an enrollment that fits its rural setting. The student body is predominantly white, with a noticeable Hispanic minority. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a measure of economic need that is relatively modest for a rural Kansas school. No data was available on the share of students receiving special education services or classified as English learners, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.
Because Spearville Jr/Sr High includes high school grades, a graduation rate would normally be reported, but none was present in the data. The reason is unclear; it may be that the state did not release it for this school or that it was not captured. Similarly, chronic absenteeism rates were not available. Families interested in those metrics should check with the school or district.
No information was provided on course offerings, Advanced Placement, dual-credit, or career and technical education programs. For a school that serves the full secondary range, the absence of that data is a gap. A parent considering this school would want to visit or call to learn what academic pathways exist beyond the core curriculum, especially if they are looking for advanced coursework or vocational options.
The district itself has no major recent changes publicly reported—no new facilities, boundary shifts, or leadership turnover that would meet a four-year bar for lasting impact. The school environment appears stable, in a town where the school is woven into the fabric of daily life rather than set apart on a remote campus.
For whom does this fit? Spearville Jr/Sr High suits a family looking for a small, rural secondary school with academic results that are solid relative to its county peers. It is a place where a student will graduate with a peer group of modest size, where the town’s economy is tied to agriculture and energy, and where the pace is unhurried. A family that wants extensive program offerings, robust special education data, or a clear record of graduation outcomes will need to dig deeper with the school itself. For those who value predictability and a close-knit setting in the Kansas plains, this school is a straightforward, no-surprises option.
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