The top reported proficiency rate is 29% in Science. The lowest is 16% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Gammon Elem
Gammon Elementary is a prekindergarten through fifth-grade public school in the Wichita school district, serving a neighborhood on the city’s north side. It is a mid-sized elementary school by enrollment, with a few hundred students. The student body is notably diverse: the largest group in the racial and ethnic profile are Black students, followed by Hispanic, White, and Asian students, plus a smaller share of students who identify with two or more races. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a marker of economic need that is common in many urban elementary schools but that is worth parents understanding as part of the context for resource allocation and programming.
State assessment results from the Kansas Assessment Program are available for tested grades. In English language arts, the share of students meeting proficiency varied significantly by grade; one grade reported a proficiency rate that was close to the midpoint among the school’s own grade-level results, while another grade was markedly lower. In mathematics, proficiency rates were lower overall across the tested grades. Science results, which are administered only in fifth grade, fell in a similar range. Taken together, the school’s composite proficiency index places it in the bottom quarter when compared with other districts within Sedgwick County. This is a soft spot a parent may wish to explore further with the school or district to understand what supports and interventions are in place.
Because Gammon serves only early and elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report. No chronic absenteeism data was provided, nor were discipline or staffing metrics. The school is not a charter school, and its magnet and Title I status were not specified in the available data.
The housing market around the school reflects a mix of ownership and rental costs that are broadly in line with national trends. Typical home values in the area are above the statewide average, while rents are below the national benchmark. Affordability calculations show that renting is a more cost-effective option than buying at current mortgage rates, a dynamic that may matter to families deciding where to live.
Gammon sits within the much larger context of Wichita, Kansas’s largest city. The city’s identity has long been tied to aircraft manufacturing, with major employers including Spirit AeroSystems, Textron Aviation, and Bombardier Learjet. McConnell Air Force Base and Wichita State University also anchor the local economy. The city has a working-class industrial base alongside suburban-style residential neighborhoods that stretch across a considerable area. Daily life in Wichita is largely car-dependent, though the downtown core around Old Town and Douglas Avenue offers pockets of walkable street life with restaurants, bars, and seasonal events like Riverfest and First Fridays. The Arkansas River runs through the city and provides a recreational corridor. Population growth has been modest, and development activity has focused on downtown revitalization, while suburban growth continues in surrounding communities such as Andover, Derby, Maize, and Goddard.
A parent considering Gammon Elementary should understand that its academic performance as measured by state tests is below most schools in the county, and that the student population faces significant economic challenges. For a family that values racial and ethnic diversity and is looking for an urban public school with a strong community orientation, Gammon may be a suitable option, but it is one where close attention to academic supports and progress tracking will be important. The broader Wichita school district is large, and families may want to explore additional programming or magnet options if those are available.
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