The top reported proficiency rate is 24% in English language arts. The lowest is 14% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Kepley Middle School
Kepley Middle School, located in Ulysses, Kansas, serves the community's sixth through eighth graders as part of the Ulysses school district. Ulysses is the county seat of Grant County, a small city on the High Plains that functions as the civic and economic hub for the surrounding agricultural and energy-producing region. The economy is rooted in wheat, corn, livestock, and oil and gas extraction, and a substantial share of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latino. The city has experienced a modest population decline in recent years, and the housing market is notably more affordable than national benchmarks.
The student body at Kepley is diverse, with a majority of students from Hispanic backgrounds and a significant share of white students, alongside smaller numbers of students from other racial and ethnic groups. A large majority of students come from households with lower incomes, as measured by federal meal program eligibility. The school’s enrollment is in the mid-hundreds, a size that is typical for a middle school in this part of the state.
State assessment results from the Kansas Assessment Program (KAP) for the most recent year show that the school faces clear academic challenges. In mathematics, the proportion of students scoring at the proficient level or above was below two in ten for sixth graders and eighth graders, and just over three in ten for seventh graders. In English language arts, the proficiency rates were higher for the middle grades, with sixth graders and seventh graders each showing about a quarter to nearly a third proficient, but eighth graders were at a lower mark. In eighth-grade science, the share of students meeting the proficiency bar was the lowest of the tested subjects. Across all three subjects and all grade levels tested, the majority of students did not reach the state’s proficiency benchmark.
Because Kepley is the only middle school in the district, and the county has only a small number of districts, the available comparison data is limited. Proficiency index comparisons were not possible due to the small cohort. A parent looking at these results will want to ask the school directly about how it supports students who are below grade level and what academic interventions are in place.
The district brief reported no major recent changes to district policy or programming that are of public record, so families should consult the district or school directly for information on current initiatives, curriculum updates, or staffing shifts.
The school’s location in a small Plains city means it serves a geographically compact area. The school building itself sits in the heart of Ulysses, on North Colorado Street, within a block of the county courthouse and city hall. While no walkability scores are available for the town, its layout is a compact grid centered on the courthouse, and the residential neighborhoods are within a short drive or bike ride of the school. There is no public transit system.
For a family considering Kepley, the picture is one of a school serving a high-needs population in a stable but slowly shrinking rural community. The academic outcomes are below what many families would hope to see, and the gaps are wide enough that a proactive conversation with the school about student support is warranted. The school’s strengths are not captured in the available statewide test data, but its role as the sole middle school in a close-knit county seat means it is the central academic and social environment for early adolescents in the area. The housing market is affordable, and the local economy, though tied to volatile sectors like agriculture and energy, provides a steady base. For a parent who values a small-town setting and wants to be directly involved in their child’s school experience, Kepley may be a fit, but they will likely need to partner closely with the school to address the academic challenges the data reveals.
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