The top reported proficiency rate is 17% in Science. The lowest is 10% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Clark Elem
Clark Elem serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the Wichita Public Schools system, the largest district in Kansas. It sits in the southeast part of the city, in a zip code where home values and rents are near the middle of the national range. The housing market has seen modest appreciation and rent growth, and the area offers a mix of older single-family homes and apartment complexes. Families living nearby can expect a commute that suits a sprawling, car-dependent city like Wichita.
The school enrolls around 240 students, a size that is typical for an elementary school in an urban district. The student body is diverse, with roughly two out of every five students Black, one in five Hispanic, a similar share White, and the remaining students from two or more races or other backgrounds. A very large share of families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a signal that the school serves a predominantly low-income community.
Academic performance on the Kansas Assessment Program (KAP) in the most recent testing year was low. In third-grade math, about one in five students scored proficient or above; in fourth grade, the share was drastically lower, and in fifth grade it remained very small. English language arts results followed a similar pattern, with proficiency rates declining from the earlier grades to the later ones. In fifth-grade science, fewer than one in five students met the proficient bar. The state assessment data does not include participation rates, so families may want to check directly with the school on how many students took the tests, but the tested counts reported for each grade suggest that most enrolled students were assessed. Placed alongside other schools in Sedgwick County, the overall proficiency measures fall in the bottom quarter of the distribution.
Because Clark Elem is an elementary school serving only through fifth grade, there is no graduation rate to examine. The data also does not include information on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing ratios, or program offerings such as gifted or English-learner supports. A parent considering this school would benefit from asking the school directly about these areas, especially student support services and how the school addresses academic gaps.
Wichita itself is Kansas's largest city, with an economy anchored in aerospace manufacturing and a working-class industrial base. The built environment is mostly low-density residential and commercial strips, with limited walkability outside the downtown core and Old Town. Housing costs in the school's zip code are moderate relative to national prices, with typical home values slightly below the Kansas state average. The city's growth has been modest, and new development has focused on downtown revitalization and suburban expansion in neighboring towns. McConnell Air Force Base and Wichita State University are nearby employers and anchor institutions.
For a family living in this part of Wichita, Clark Elem is a neighborhood school that reflects the economic realities of the surrounding community. The peer environment is economically homogenous, with most families sharing similar financial constraints. The academic results are well below state averages across all tested subjects. No data is available on district-level changes or initiatives that might be affecting the school, as the brief for Wichita Public Schools did not return recent strategic updates. A parent who values a diverse, urban elementary experience but wants strong academic outcomes may need to explore what interventions or additional supports the school offers, or investigate magnet or choice options within the district. The school's profile fits best for a family already tied to the attendance zone who is prepared to supplement instruction at home and engage actively with the school to support their child's progress.
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