The top reported proficiency rate is 69% in Science. The lowest is 0% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Cozad Elementary School
Cozad Elementary School is a regular public school serving students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as part of Cozad Community Schools. It sits in Cozad, a small rural Great Plains town in Dawson County, Nebraska, with a compact grid street pattern and a historic downtown district. The local economy rests on manufacturing, health care, and retail, and the town has been investing in cultural placemaking—a state-designated Creative Arts District and new public art—even as its population has slowly declined, reflecting broader trends across the rural Plains.
The school enrolls a student body that is predominantly white, with a Hispanic or Latino share of close to one-fifth and smaller groups of students identifying as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, multiracial, Asian, Black, or American Indian. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing this school in a context where economic need is present for roughly half the families. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not provided, so a family with specific support needs in those areas may want to ask the school directly about its services.
On state assessments, the academic picture is mixed and shows a notable soft spot. In reading, proficiency rates across grades three, four, and five ranged from roughly a third to just under half of students meeting the bar. In science, the single tested grade posted a rate approaching seven in ten students proficient, which stands as a relative strength. The more striking figure is in math, where the school recorded proficiency rates at zero percent across all tested grades in the most recent year—a figure that parents will want to follow up on directly with the school. The state assessment data carries a note that the trend comparability status is unknown, meaning a change in the test or cut scores may have affected the results, but the school itself is the best source of explanation.
Looking at the multi-year trend, performance in all three subjects has declined from prior levels. In reading, the all-grades average in a previous year was near six in ten; the most recent year saw that drop. In math, the pattern is similar. Science also moved lower. The school’s overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Dawson County, a comparison set that includes four other districts.
Cozad itself offers a familiar small-town setting. Housing values are well below national and state medians, and the town’s homeownership rate is healthy, though the population contraction means some homes may sit vacant. The town is car-dependent; there is no public transit. Civic life centers on the downtown district with its library, museums, and annual events like Cozad Hay Days. The school campus is located on East 14th Street, close to the residential core.
This is a school where a parent would want to engage directly with administrators to understand the math results and the trajectory of academic performance. The school serves a community with modest economic resources and a stable if slowly shrinking population. For families who value a small-town elementary with a diverse-enough peer group and a school district that shares the same name as the town, Cozad Elementary is the primary option in this part of Dawson County.
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