The top reported proficiency rate is 41% in English language arts. The lowest is 32% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Udall Elem
Udall Elementary serves a small rural community in Cowley County, Kansas, as the only elementary school within the Udall school district. The town of Udall sits in a landscape where agriculture, local industry, and civic life blend together; the school campus is integrated into this setting, with its address on 3rd Street a short walk from Main Street, where City Hall anchors the core of the town. The population has seen modest growth in recent years, and the housing market reflects a typical small-town pattern where homes are more affordable relative to state and national benchmarks.
The school enrolls students from prekindergarten through fifth grade. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller share of Hispanic students and students identifying as two or more races. About half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that indicates a substantial number of families rely on this support. The district reports that it is a single campus serving all grades pre-K through twelve, which means the elementary students share a campus with older students, though the school itself is organized as a separate elementary entity within that district structure. No data on special education identification or English learner enrollment was available in the source material.
On state assessments, the school’s results tell a story that varies by grade and subject. In third grade, proficiency in both English language arts and math falls at a level that a parent would want to look into further with the school. Fourth grade shows an increase in both subjects, with math proficiency reaching a level that is closer to the middle of the range, while fifth grade posts the strongest results of any tested grade, with solid majorities of students scoring proficient or above in both English language arts and math. Fifth-grade science proficiency, however, trails those same students’ performance in the other tested subjects, suggesting that science is an area where a parent might ask how the school supports that particular content. Because the state changed cut scores for its math and English language arts assessments, the proficiency classifications and trend data are not directly comparable to prior years, so it is not possible to say how these results compare to earlier performance at this school.
When compared to other school districts in Cowley County, Udall Elementary’s overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint of the county districts. There are six districts in the county, and the proficiency index is calculated as the average across the tested subjects and grades. No chronic absenteeism or graduation rate data was available; for an elementary school serving only through grade five, a graduation rate does not apply, and absenteeism data was simply not reported in the material provided.
The school does not operate as a charter or magnet school. There is no public information about whether it receives Title I funding or about its discipline rates, course access beyond the standard elementary curriculum, staffing ratios, or attendance patterns. A parent looking for a fuller picture of enrichment offerings, class sizes, or the school’s approach to student support would need to ask the district or school directly. The district brief turned up no parent-relevant changes in recent years, such as boundary adjustments or leadership turnover, that would affect a family’s decision.
For a family considering a move to a small Kansas town, Udall Elementary fits the profile of a school that serves a close-knit community where most students are white and a notable share comes from households with lower incomes. The academic results are mixed: the youngest students in third grade struggle with the state standards, but by fifth grade, the same cohort shows a much stronger command of reading and math. The weak spot in science at fifth grade is worth a conversation with the school. The housing in Udall is comparatively affordable, and the town offers basic civic services and a modest downtown. Families who want a tight community feel and are willing to pay attention to academic support in the early grades may find this a workable option.
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