The top reported proficiency rate is 79% in Science. The lowest is 32% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Shoemaker Elementary School
Shoemaker Elementary School serves students from preschool through fifth grade as a regular public school in Grand Island, Nebraska, part of the Grand Island Public Schools district. The school sits in a community that functions as a regional hub for central Nebraska, where manufacturing, healthcare, and agriculture anchor the local economy. Grand Island is an auto-dependent city with a demand-responsive transit system, and the city has seen ongoing reinvestment in its downtown Railside district and the relocation of the Nebraska State Fair. The district itself completed and opened a new elementary school in a recent school year, signaling some capacity growth.
The student body at Shoemaker is moderately sized for an elementary school serving these grade levels. In terms of composition, about half the students are White, a substantial share are Hispanic, and smaller numbers identify as two or more races, Black, or Asian. More than half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of the economic circumstances many families in the attendance zone face. The school serves a grade range that is not tested for high school outcomes, so there is no graduation rate, and the most recent state testing results come from a single year, which means no trend across multiple years is available to observe.
On state assessments in the most recent testing year, Shoemaker’s results show a mixed picture. In English language arts, third graders achieved proficiency at a rate that, while below the midpoint among Hall County districts, was the highest of the three tested grades at that school; fourth and fifth graders posted rates in a similar range. Math proficiency was notably uneven: third graders and fifth graders each showed rates near the midpoint for the county, but fourth graders had a reported zero percent proficiency rate. This is an unusual result that a parent would want to inquire about directly with the school to understand the context. In science, which is tested only in fifth grade, the proficiency rate was substantially higher than in math or reading.
When placed against other districts in Hall County, Shoemaker’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits in the bottom quartile. That comparison places the school’s academic performance below the midpoint of the county’s districts. The gap is significant, and families considering the school may want to discuss with staff how the school supports students who are not yet meeting proficiency benchmarks, and what interventions are in place, particularly in fourth-grade math.
Housing in the area around the school reflects typical costs for Nebraska. Home values are near the state average, and rents have been rising at a pace faster than the national average, which has implications for families weighing the stability of their housing situation. The broader Grand Island housing market is moderately priced relative to national benchmarks, with the typical home value and rent near what is common across the state.
For a family evaluating Shoemaker, the school offers a regular elementary program in a mid-sized Nebraska city with a strong industrial and agricultural economic base. The academic data points to clear areas of strength, particularly in science, and areas where performance is lower, especially in math for some grades. The school’s high share of economically disadvantaged students is a factor that often correlates with resource needs, and the district’s recent school construction suggests attention to capacity. A parent would be well served by visiting, meeting the principal, and asking about the specific instructional strategies used in fourth-grade math and how the school identifies and supports students who are below grade level.
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