The top reported proficiency rate is 0% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Jefferson Elementary School
Jefferson Elementary School serves students from preschool through fifth grade in Grand Island, Nebraska, as part of the Grand Island Public Schools district. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet.
The school sits in a mid-sized regional hub that blends agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, and retail. Grand Island describes itself as the retail center for a wide surrounding rural area, hosting the Nebraska State Fair and a major farm show. The local economy is anchored by a large hospital, an ammunition manufacturer, a law enforcement training center, and numerous manufacturing plants. The city is largely auto-dependent; its public transit system is demand-responsive rather than fixed-route, so families will likely need a car for school drop-offs and daily errands. The downtown Railside district offers a more concentrated, walkable area with dining and entertainment, but the school is located on West 7th Street, within the broader city fabric.
The student body is diverse. A large majority of students are Hispanic, with a smaller share of White students and a handful of students identifying as Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, or two or more races. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch was not reported, and data on students with disabilities and English learners was also not reported. These are gaps a parent may want to explore directly with the school to understand the full support picture.
State testing results for Jefferson Elementary are reported at zero percent proficient in math, English language arts, and science for the most recent testing year. The multi-year trend data tells a different story: in prior years, proficiency rates in English language arts and math were higher, registering in the range one might expect of a school, before dropping to zero in the most recent reported year. This suggests the 2024-25 scores may reflect a data reporting issue or a change in the assessment rather than a sudden and total collapse in student learning. A parent should ask the school or district to clarify the 2024-25 results. Compared with other districts in Hall County, Jefferson Elementary’s overall proficiency index falls in the bottom quartile. Because these are the only available test results on record, and because the data conflicts between the current and prior years, families should treat the current numbers with caution and seek further explanation.
The school’s enrollment is moderate for an elementary school. Class sizes are spread across kindergarten through fifth grade, with a smaller preschool program. Disciplinary data, staffing ratios, and chronic absenteeism rates were not available, so the reader has no full picture of school climate or student engagement from this data set.
Because Jefferson Elementary serves only grades PK through five, there is no graduation rate to report. The district itself, Grand Island Public Schools, recently opened a new elementary school, which may affect attendance boundaries and building capacity. A parent moving into the area should confirm which attendance zone their address falls into.
In terms of the local housing market, home values in the area are moderately priced relative to national benchmarks. Rents are below the national average, and homes are more affordable than in many parts of the country. The local unemployment rate is roughly in line with the national figure.
For a family considering Jefferson Elementary, the core facts to weigh are a school with a diverse student body in a mid-sized, manufacturing-and-agriculture-focused city, a puzzling test-score picture that needs clarification, and no reported data on special education or English learner supports. The school is a standard neighborhood elementary within a district that has recently added capacity, set in a community where driving is the primary way to get around.
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