The top reported proficiency rate is 22% in English language arts. The lowest is 6% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Franklin Elem
Franklin Elementary serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the Wichita public school district, the largest district in Kansas. The school is located on South Elizabeth Street in a part of Wichita that is largely car-dependent, with the city’s walkable street life concentrated in the downtown area. The school itself sits within a residential neighborhood in a city whose identity is anchored by aircraft manufacturing and where the built environment spans historic downtown corridors, industrial zones, and sprawling residential blocks.
The student body is diverse. Hispanic students make up a substantial share of the population, followed by white students, and then smaller populations of students who are two or more races, Black, Asian, and American Indian or Alaska Native. A very high share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This level of economic need is among the highest in the area and gives a clear picture of the community the school serves. Data on the share of students with individualized education programs or who are English learners was not available in the source material.
State test results from the most recent school year show low proficiency rates across all tested subjects and grade levels. In math, for every tested grade, fewer than one in ten students scored at the proficient level or above. English language arts results were higher but still low, with about one in five students meeting proficiency in grades three and five, and one in four in grade four. Science results for fifth graders were similar. The school’s overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile when compared to other school districts within Sedgwick County. Readers should note that Kansas changed cut scores for its state assessments, which means recent results may not be directly comparable to prior years, but the current numbers stand as a factual baseline. A parent considering Franklin Elementary will want to ask the school directly about academic interventions and support structures in place for students who are not yet meeting grade-level standards.
Because Franklin Elementary serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate or high school data to report. Information on discipline, course access, staffing ratios, and attendance was also missing from the available data, so this account cannot speak to those dimensions.
The housing context for the school’s zip code shows home values that are well below the statewide and national benchmarks, making this a relatively affordable part of the Wichita housing market. Rent is also below the national figure. For a family weighing options, the affordability of this neighborhood is a practical consideration.
Wichita itself has seen modest population growth in recent years, with development activity focused on downtown revitalization rather than the neighborhood around the school. The city’s major civic and cultural anchors — the Arkansas River corridor, Intrust Bank Arena, the downtown library, and the Old Town district — are all located away from this part of town, which means the daily experience of living near Franklin Elementary is shaped by the residential and industrial character of the area rather than a dense urban core. The school is part of the Wichita district, which operates facilities distributed across the city’s neighborhoods, and there is no publicly reported information available at this time about recent district-level changes or initiatives. This gap is notable for a parent hoping to understand the larger strategic direction of the schools in this area.
Franklin Elementary offers a clear picture of a high-need urban school with low academic proficiency results on state tests. The diversity of the student body and the school’s setting in an affordable part of a large, sprawling city are straightforward characteristics. The missing pieces — staff-to-student ratios, discipline data, and a district reform agenda — are areas a family would need to investigate further through direct contact with the school and the district office.
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