The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in Math. The lowest is 46% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Hendricks Elementary
Hendricks Elementary, located in the small rural town of Hendricks, is a regular public school serving students from prekindergarten through sixth grade. It is the sole elementary school within the Hendricks Public School District. For a family considering this area, the school offers a close-knit, community-anchored academic environment in a town that is quietly evolving around its recreational and agricultural roots.
The student body is small, and the demographic profile reflects the broader community. The overwhelming majority of students are white, with small numbers of students who are Hispanic, Black, or identify with two or more races. About two-fifths of students come from households with low enough incomes to qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a figure that positions the school with a moderate level of economic diversity for a rural school. No data was available for the share of students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or those classified as English learners, which means a parent with a child who may need special education or language support would want to ask the school about these populations directly.
Academically, the picture is mixed and worth a close look. Because the school only serves up to sixth grade, there is no graduation rate to report. On state assessments for the most recent school year, performance varied notably by grade level. In fourth grade, an exceptionally high share of students met proficiency benchmarks in both math and reading, signaling a strong year for that cohort. Third and sixth graders posted more moderate proficiency rates, with about half meeting standards in reading and a similar or lower share in math. A sharp drop appeared in fifth grade, where no students tested as proficient in either subject. The school’s overall proficiency index, combining all tested grades and subjects, sits below the midpoint among the limited number of districts in Lincoln County. That statistic, combined with the fifth-grade results, indicates that while some grade levels perform well, the school’s overall academic consistency is a soft spot a parent may want to explore further with the principal or by asking about how the school supports students as they move through the grades.
The locale brief describes Hendricks as a small, rural town of less than a square mile, built on a traditional grid and centered around Division Street. The town has historically served as a trade center for a broad agricultural area and sits near the northern edge of one of the country’s largest wind farms. The population has been in a slow, gradual decline for years, and development efforts have focused more on community amenities than new housing. Key anchors include Lake Hendricks with its attached park, a nine-hole golf course, and a campground, as well as the Red Barn Theater, which opened in recent years as a new cultural space. The school’s facilities are integrated into the town’s landscape rather than separated on a far campus. Major local employers include the Hendricks Hospital and Nursing Home, the school district itself, and the wind and agricultural industries.
No recent district-level changes or strategic initiatives were found in publicly reported sources, so nothing specific to note about shifts in programming, leadership, or facilities.
Housing values in the zip code area are below both the state and national benchmarks, and the area has seen a recent upward trend in home values that outpaces the national rate of appreciation. For a family buying a home, the affordability picture relative to local incomes appears reasonable when compared to national averages. For a family renting, no specific rental price data was available for this area.
Hendricks Elementary fits a family seeking a small, rural school where the class sizes are inherently small and the community is tightly woven around shared recreational and civic life. The academic results show that strong performance is possible, particularly in certain grade levels, but also that performance can vary widely from grade to grade. A parent who values consistent, high proficiency across every grade would want to ask the school about the supports in place for cohorts that fall behind. For a family comfortable with a town whose population is slowly contracting and whose economic base is in agriculture, wind energy, and local services, this school provides a straightforward, grounded elementary education in an intimate setting.
See more original research from School Decision →