The top reported proficiency rate is 0% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Cody-kilgore Middle School
Cody-Kilgore Middle School serves grades six through eight in the small community of Cody, Nebraska, part of the Cody-Kilgore Public Schools district. This is a regular public school with a very small enrollment, typical of a rural Nebraska setting. The school’s size is a defining characteristic; the student body is small enough that each grade level has a handful of students.
The student population is predominantly white, with a notable share of American Indian or Alaska Native students, and smaller numbers of Black and Hispanic students. About half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a measure of economic need that is in line with many rural schools. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent looking into special education or language support services would need to ask the district directly.
On state assessments, the school’s performance picture is mixed and warrants attention. Across most tested grades and subjects, the most recent reported proficiency rates were very low, with zero percent of students scoring proficient in many categories. There is a complication in the data: the multi-year trend series shows that in earlier years, a substantial majority of students were proficient in math and ELA, and more than half were proficient in science. The most recent year’s results mark a steep drop to these very low numbers. Because the data notes a possible assessment change during this period, it is unclear whether the decline reflects a true shift in student learning or a change in the test itself. A family considering this school should discuss the recent results with the administration to understand what is behind the numbers.
Because Cody-Kilgore Middle School does not serve high school grades, it has no graduation rate to report. That metric simply does not apply here. Similarly, discipline and attendance data were not available in the provided material.
The community context is extremely rural. Cody, Nebraska, is a small village in Cherry County, the largest county by area in the state. The locale brief was unable to find specific information about the town’s character, employers, or development, as online searches defaulted to the much larger Cody, Wyoming. What the housing data shows is that home values in the area are well below the state and national benchmarks, making this one of the more affordable places to live in Nebraska. The local housing market has seen a decline in value over the past year, which may be a consideration for a family weighing home equity alongside school choice.
A neighbor comparison could not place this school’s performance relative to other districts in Cherry County because there were too few comparable entities to produce a meaningful comparison.
The district brief found little to report for the Cody-Kilgore Public Schools, describing it as a very small rural district without major recent changes that would affect a parent’s decision. The middle school itself operates as a straightforward neighborhood school for the area. For a family that values a tiny, tight-knit school environment where every student is known, this fits that description. The academic results, especially the recent sharp drop, create a question that should be answered directly by the school. A parent moving to the area will want to visit, talk to the principal, and understand how the school is addressing the current achievement levels before making a decision.
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