The top reported proficiency rate is 29% in English language arts. The lowest is 14% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Newburg Elem.
Newburg Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade as a regular public school in the Newburg R-II district. It is the only elementary school in a district that covers a very small, rural town in Phelps County. The student body numbers in the low hundreds for a PK-6 enrollment, reflecting a small-school environment where most families in town know each other. The student population is overwhelmingly white, with small numbers of students who are Hispanic, Black, two or more races, or American Indian or Alaska Native. A substantial share of students come from low-income households, as measured by eligibility for free or reduced-price meals.
State assessment results are mixed and in many cases the data is suppressed for small group sizes, which makes a full picture hard to see. In mathematics, the available results show that in third grade and fifth grade, the share of students scoring proficient or advanced was modest, while sixth grade math had a somewhat higher but still modest rate. In English language arts, the only grade for which a rate was reported was sixth grade, where the proficiency rate was modest. Science results for fifth grade were similarly modest. Because proficiency data for several grade levels and subjects was suppressed by the state, it is difficult to know how the school’s younger students compare across subjects. When the available test results are combined into a single index, the school places in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Phelps County. This is a weak academic signal, and a parent may want to ask the school directly about its academic supports and intervention strategies.
The school does not serve high school grades, so no graduation rate is reported. Similarly, data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing ratios, and course access were not available in this profile.
Newburg is a town that has been shrinking for several decades. Its economy was historically tied to the railroad, with Burlington Northern Santa Fe still maintaining a stop here, but the loss of the roundhouse and freight yards in the 1960s removed a major employment base. Many Route 66-era commercial structures are abandoned or in ruins, and the poverty rate is high. The median household income is low relative to the state and nation. Housing values, however, are modest: the typical home is valued well below the statewide and national medians, and monthly mortgage costs are relatively low, making homeownership more affordable than renting in this market. The town’s small size means that the elementary school is integrated into the community fabric, with no distant campuses.
No recent district-wide changes such as referendums, curriculum shifts, or property tax measures were found in publicly available sources, so the district appears to have been stable in recent years.
Newburg Elementary is a small, high-poverty school in a community facing economic and population decline. Its state test scores are low compared with other schools in the county, and a substantial amount of assessment data is suppressed, leaving gaps that a parent would want to explore further with the school. For families already rooted in Newburg, the school is the only elementary option in the district. For those considering moving to the area, the combination of a declining local economy, high poverty, and low academic performance warrants a close look at whether the school’s environment and support structures match a child’s needs.
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