The top reported proficiency rate is 88% in Science. The lowest is 41% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Gretna Elementary School
Gretna Elementary School serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade and is a regular public school within the Gretna Public Schools district. The school sits in a community that describes itself as a rapidly growing suburban bedroom community for Omaha, positioned between Omaha and Lincoln along the I-80 corridor. The city’s own materials emphasize a small-town atmosphere paired with proximity to the larger metro area, and the mayor has specifically cited the school district as a draw for new residents.
The student body is predominantly white, with a relatively small share of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. A modest portion of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is one indicator of the school’s economic composition. Enrollment is distributed fairly evenly across the elementary grades, with a prekindergarten program in place.
On state assessments, performance varies by grade and subject. Third-grade math and English language arts results show a majority of students meeting proficiency standards. Fourth-grade English language arts is a notably strong area, with a high share of students reaching proficiency. Fifth-grade English language arts also shows solid results. In science, the fifth-grade cohort performed at a high level. The math picture is more uneven: while third grade is solid, fourth grade is weaker, and fifth grade shows a result that a parent may want to look into further with the school. Overall, the school’s combined proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the bottom quartile relative to other schools in Sarpy County, though the range among county schools is narrow, and the school’s results in several individual subjects are competitive.
Because Gretna Elementary serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and no course access data for high-level coursework such as Advanced Placement or dual enrollment. Chronic absenteeism data was not available. These gaps are a function of the school’s grade band rather than any omission of performance measures.
The district as a whole is in a period of significant change. Voters have approved multiple bonds in recent years. A bond in 2021 funded Palisades Elementary School, which opened in 2023. A 2022 bond led to the construction of Gretna East High School, the district’s second high school, which opened in August 2023 and is expanding by one grade per year. In May 2024, voters approved another bond to build a new elementary school slated to open in fall 2026, along with district-wide safety and security upgrades and land acquisition for future sites. The district is one of the fastest-growing in Nebraska, and enrollment projections point to continued expansion. These bonds have also contributed to what has been publicly reported as one of the highest bond levy tax burdens for property owners in the state, a factor that residents considering the area should weigh.
The housing market in the zip code covering Gretna shows home values that are well above the state median, consistent with the area’s growth and its role as a commuter community for Omaha. Rents are also elevated relative to the state, and the estimated cost of buying relative to renting suggests that ownership carries a higher monthly cost.
Gretna Elementary is a school in a district that is actively building to keep pace with population growth, in a community that markets itself on small-town feel and school quality. The academic picture is mixed, with strong areas in fourth-grade English and fifth-grade science and softer spots in upper-grade math. For a family weighing this school, the broader district trajectory matters as much as the test scores: the growth is real, the tax implications are real, and the district’s response through new construction is ongoing.
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