Bennington Elementary School, Bennington NE

Original Research by School Decision on Bennington Elementary School

Bennington Elementary is a regular public school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in Bennington, Nebraska, a residential suburb of northwest Omaha that has been growing rapidly. The school is part of Bennington Public Schools, a district that recently opened a second middle school and in 2025 placed a bond issue on the ballot to fund a second high school, reflecting sustained enrollment pressure across the district.

State testing data from the most recent school year shows this school performing solidly. In math, proficiency rates across grades three through five clustered in a range that most families would consider well above typical levels, and in English language arts the rates were similarly strong. Science results for fifth graders, the only tested grade in that subject, were very high. Compared with other schools in Douglas County, Bennington Elementary's overall proficiency sits above the midpoint of the sixteen districts in the county, which puts it in a favorable position relative to many nearby alternatives. Because this is a single year of available data, there is no trend to assess yet; the picture is strong but a multi-year view would be more informative.

The student population is predominantly white, with small shares of Hispanic students, students identifying as two or more races, Black students, and Asian students. Just over one in five students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that is modest relative to national averages and suggests a generally middle-income peer environment. The school reports no data on the share of students receiving special education services or English learner support, so families with children who may need those services should inquire directly with the school about available resources.

Bennington itself is a car-dependent suburb with limited walkability and a small-town feel. Housing costs are above both state and national benchmarks, reflecting the area's desirability and growth. The 2020 census showed substantial population increase over the prior decade, and estimates project continued growth through 2025. The town experienced a severe tornado in 2024 that heavily damaged dozens of homes, which may affect rebuilding and neighborhood patterns. The school district's bond issue for a new high school and the recently opened second middle school signal that the community is investing in infrastructure to keep up with rising enrollment.

Bennington Elementary serves only primary grades, so it has no graduation rate and no data on chronic absenteeism or discipline. Those measures simply do not apply at this level. The school's academic record is strong for its grade band, and the community context is one of rapid growth and rising housing costs, with district leadership actively expanding facilities. Families looking at this school will find a capable elementary option in a fast-growing suburban district, with a solid baseline of state test performance that ranks favorably within Douglas County.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 368%

School 68% · District 85% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▲ 68 pts above state median · ▲ 68 pts above county median

Grade 480%

School 80% · District 81% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 80 pts above state median · ▲ 80 pts above county median

Grade 578%

School 78% · District 79% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 78 pts above state median · ▲ 78 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 373%

School 73% · District 77% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▲ 73 pts above state median · ▲ 50 pts above county median

Grade 473%

School 73% · District 76% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

Grade 574%

School 74% · District 67% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 74 pts above state median · ▲ 74 pts above county median

Science

Grade 590%

School 90% · District 94% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▲ 90 pts above state median · ▲ 90 pts above county median

This schoolBENNINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income53%Higher-income87%34 pp gap