The top reported proficiency rate is 17% in English language arts. The lowest is 0% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Clarkson Elementary School
Clarkson Elementary School serves the small, rural agricultural town of Clarkson in Colfax County, northeast Nebraska, a community with a strong Czech heritage and a local economy centered on farming, nursery production, and small businesses. The school is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, and it is part of the Clarkson Public Schools district. The town itself is compact, with schools and civic life integrated into the center, and the district is in the midst of a major facility overhaul, including a new elementary wing expected to be ready for the 2026–27 school year and additional high school and shop space projected for completion by June 2027. This construction activity is a significant consideration for families evaluating the district's long-term infrastructure.
The student body is small and predominantly white, with a modest share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school serves pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, so there is no graduation rate to report, as that metric applies only to high schools. State testing data is available for the 2024–25 school year, and the results show a mixed picture. In English language arts, third graders posted a proficiency rate that was a clear strength, but fourth, fifth, and sixth graders all recorded a zero percent proficiency rate. In math, every tested grade from third through sixth recorded a zero percent proficiency rate. In science, the only tested grade, fifth, also recorded a zero percent proficiency rate. The overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades places the school in the bottom quartile relative to districts in Colfax County. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand the context behind these results, particularly the sharp drop between third and fourth grade in English language arts.
The school serves pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on special populations, such as students with disabilities and English learners, was not available. The school is not a charter or magnet school. Information on discipline, course access, staffing, and attendance was also not available.
The community context is a small agricultural town with a strong Czech heritage. The local economy is anchored by Bluebird Nursery, described as the largest perennial grower in the Midwest, along with farming, cattle and hog feeding, and small businesses. The town is compact and walkable, with a downtown core that received a full renovation in summer 2025. Housing values in the area are modest relative to national benchmarks, and the town has seen incremental, community-driven growth rather than rapid development. The district is in the midst of a major facility overhaul, with a new elementary wing targeted for completion in time for the 2026–27 school year and additional high school and shop space projected for completion by June 2027. This construction activity is a significant consideration for families evaluating the district's long-term infrastructure.
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