The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in Math. The lowest is 26% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Winnwood Elementary
Winnwood Elementary serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school in the North Kansas City 74 district, located in the Clay County portion of Kansas City. The school sits in a part of the city that is north of the Missouri River, an area that has seen suburban-style residential growth over time. Kansas City itself is a major urban center with a large footprint, known for its boulevard system, jazz heritage, and downtown cultural institutions, but the neighborhood around Winnwood is more typical of the city’s outer residential zones, with lower-density housing and commercial strips along main roads.
The student body is diverse. White students make up the largest single group, followed by Black students, Hispanic students, and students who identify as two or more races. Asian and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students are also present in small numbers. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a marker of economic need. The school serves prekindergarten through fifth grade, and enrollment is moderate for an elementary school in this grade band.
State testing results from the Missouri Assessment Program show a mixed picture. In third-grade math, the share of students scoring proficient or advanced was low. In fourth-grade math, the result was suppressed, meaning the data was not reported, often because the number of students tested was too small to release publicly. Fifth-grade math was stronger, with a share of students reaching proficiency that was notably higher than the lower grades. In English language arts, third-grade proficiency was low, fourth grade was somewhat higher, and fifth grade was higher still. Fifth-grade science results were suppressed. The overall pattern across tested subjects and grades places the school in the bottom quartile among elementary schools in Clay County districts, based on a combined proficiency index. A parent may want to discuss with the school how the curriculum and support structures vary across grade levels, particularly given the jump in performance between the early and upper elementary grades.
The school is part of the North Kansas City 74 district. The district brief did not surface any recent major changes such as bond measures, boundary adjustments, or curriculum shifts that would be immediately relevant to a family considering the school.
Housing in the area around the school is moderately priced relative to national benchmarks. Home values in the zip code are below the state average, and rents are also below the state average. The estimated monthly mortgage payment on a median-priced home is higher than the typical rent, which is common in many markets. The national unemployment rate at the time of this data was moderate, and mortgage rates were in the mid-single digits.
For a family considering Winnwood Elementary, the key takeaway is that this is a school where academic performance in the early grades is an area to explore further, while fifth-grade results suggest that students who stay through the upper elementary years may be on a stronger trajectory. The school serves a diverse and economically diverse student body, and the surrounding housing market is relatively affordable compared to the state as a whole. The North Kansas City 74 district did not have any recent major changes publicly reported that would alter the school's day-to-day experience.
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