The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in Math. The lowest is 23% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Carver Dual Language School
Carver Dual Language School is an elementary school in the Kansas City 33 district, serving students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. As its name signals, the school’s defining feature is a dual-language program, a choice that shapes the academic experience for its students. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and it sits within the Kansas City Public Schools system, a district that regained full state accreditation in 2022 after a period of provisional status — a meaningful shift for families who had faced uncertainty about the district’s oversight.
The school’s enrollment is moderate for its grade band and draws a student body that is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial Black student population and very small shares of White, Asian, and multiracial students. Every student at Carver qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic circumstances of the surrounding neighborhood. The school is located in Kansas City’s urban core, a major Midwestern city with a sprawling footprint and a car-dependent layout, though walkable pockets exist downtown and along the Streetcar corridor. Home values in the area are well below the state and national medians, and rents are also relatively low, making the neighborhood comparatively affordable.
On state assessments, the proficiency rates show a mixed picture that parents will want to examine closely. In mathematics, the share of students scoring proficient or above varied by grade in the most recent testing year: third grade had a moderate result, fourth grade a lower one, and fifth grade rebounded somewhat. Sixth-grade math results were not reported, which may be due to small group sizes or data suppression rules. In English language arts, proficiency was reported for fourth and fifth grades and was similar to the math pattern, while third- and sixth-grade ELA results were also suppressed. Science results, tested only in fifth grade, were at about the same level as the ELA and math results for that grade. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint when compared with other districts in Jackson County. That placement is a relative strength within the county, though it is important to note that the proficiency rates themselves are below what many families might hope to see — a parent may want to ask the school how it supports struggling readers and mathematicians, especially in the grades where performance dipped.
Because Carver serves only through sixth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing, and course access were not available in the provided records, so a full picture of school climate and supports is incomplete. The school’s website and district office may be able to fill those gaps.
The dual-language mission is the school’s most distinctive attribute. For families who want their children to become bilingual and biliterate — and who are comfortable with a school where a large majority of students are Hispanic and nearly all come from low-income households — Carver offers a dedicated program that likely shapes instruction, peer interaction, and school culture in ways that a standard elementary school would not. The academic results suggest there is room for growth, but the school’s relative standing among Jackson County districts indicates it is not alone in facing those challenges. The district’s regained accreditation provides some stability, though families moving to the area will want to consider how the school’s performance compares with other options in the Kansas City Public Schools system and with nearby charter or private schools that serve the same age range.
See more original research from School Decision →