Berryton Elem, Berryton KS - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Berryton Elem

Berryton Elementary sits in an unincorporated community on the rural-suburban fringe of the Topeka area, serving pre-kindergarten through sixth grade as part of the Shawnee Heights school district. It is the only school in Berryton itself, a quiet residential area of single-family homes, open space, and a few civic anchors like a post office, two churches, and an event center. There is no downtown or municipal government, and the high school that students eventually attend is located elsewhere in the district. The area has seen modest population growth and remains a stable, low-density settlement where housing values sit solidly above the state benchmark, consistent with a middle-class residential profile.

The student body is predominantly White, with smaller shares of students who are Hispanic, two or more races, or Black. Asian American and Native American populations are not represented in the enrollment data. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a share that places the school in a moderate range for economic need. Data on special education identification and English learner status was not available in the materials reviewed, so those dimensions of student support cannot be characterized.

Academically, the school's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Shawnee County. That is a clear strength. The picture within that broad metric is more varied by grade and subject. Reading and language arts results show roughly half to just under two-thirds of students scoring proficient, depending on the grade. Third grade is the strongest, with a large majority reaching that bar, while sixth grade dips to a level that may give some families pause. In math, the pattern is less consistent. Third graders perform well, but fourth grade is more mixed, fifth grade shows a notable soft spot where proficiency is lower, and sixth grade recovers to roughly even with fourth grade. Parents of students moving into the upper elementary grades may want to ask the school how it supports math learning in fifth and sixth grade.

Science is tested in fifth grade only, and the proficiency result there lands in a similar middle range as the midlevel reading and math scores. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate or data on advanced coursework like Advanced Placement or dual credit. The district passed a bond issue a few years ago that funded facility upgrades, security improvements, and classroom additions at the high school and middle school, which could mean better facilities down the line for Berryton students as they move up. Program offerings beyond the standard curriculum were not provided, so it is not possible to say what enrichment, music, art, or other options are available.

The overall academic picture is one of a school that performs well against its county peers, particularly in early elementary grades, but with some unevenness as students get older. For a family considering Berryton, the school's small scale and rural setting may be a draw. The lack of a downtown or concentrated commercial activity means that most out-of-school destinations require a drive. The housing market in the area is relatively expensive by state standards, which reflects the kind of residential stability that often accompanies higher-income communities. The district's recent investment in infrastructure suggests a forward-looking approach to facilities, even if the academic trajectory in the upper grades is worth a closer look.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 367%

School 67% · District 43% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

Grade 450%

School 50% · District 48% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 535%

School 35% · District 37% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 647%

School 47% · District 46% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 360%

School 60% · District 49% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 453%

School 53% · District 51% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 553%

School 53% · District 50% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 637%

School 37% · District 39% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Science

Grade 553%

School 53% · District 43% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

This schoolShawnee Heights, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income50%Higher-income65%15 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income42%Higher-income60%18 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income31%Higher-income64%33 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income26%Higher-income47%21 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income54%Higher-income73%19 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income46%Higher-income52%7 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income19%Higher-income42%23 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income31%Higher-income61%29 pp gap