The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in English language arts. The lowest is 0% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Elliott Elementary School
Elliott Elementary serves students from preschool through fifth grade in central Lincoln. The school draws from a densely built, older part of the city, one with mature trees and early-twentieth-century homes. Housing values in the surrounding ZIP code are about average for the metro area, while rents are moderate and have risen only modestly. A parent looking at the neighborhood will find a mix of apartments and single-family houses within a short walk or bike ride from the building.
The school itself is part of Lincoln Public Schools, a district that recently completed a substantial building program. Two new high schools opened in 2022 and 2023, a new elementary was added, and existing schools were renovated, all funded by a bond issue that was the largest in district history. Attendance boundaries shifted as a result. Lincoln Public Schools also shifted early literacy instruction toward a science-of-reading approach across all elementary buildings beginning in 2023, so Elliott’s youngest students are learning under that framework.
Academically, state test results for the 2024-25 school year present a mixed picture, and one a parent will want to look into further with the school. In fourth grade, about half of students met the proficient bar in math, and close to six in ten did so in reading. But third-grade reading proficiency was lower than that, and fifth-grade reading was notably lower still. In fifth-grade math and science, the state reported a zero-percent proficient rate, a figure that typically indicates the tested population was too small to report or that no students reached the proficiency mark; a parent should ask the school for the details that lie behind that number. Across all tested grades and subjects, Elliott’s overall proficiency index placed the school in the bottom quarter when compared to other elementary schools in Lancaster County.
The student body reflects the diversity of this part of Lincoln. Children who identify as Hispanic make up the largest share, followed by white students, Asian students, and students of two or more races. Black and American Indian or Alaska Native students also attend in smaller numbers. Free- or reduced-price meal eligibility data was not available, and neither were counts for students with individualized education plans or English learner designations. A parent who wants to know how the school supports children who need extra academic help or language services will need to ask the school directly.
Lincoln itself is the state capital and home to the University of Nebraska, meaning the local economy rests on government, education, healthcare, and a growing high-tech sector. The city has been growing steadily, and the district’s recent school construction reflects that growth. For a family considering this part of town, Elliott sits in a stable, accessible urban neighborhood with a range of housing options, and the school offers the full early-elementary and upper-elementary span through fifth grade. The academic data suggests that families moving in should ask what is being done to raise reading and math achievement in the upper grades, and how the school supports students who arrive below grade level. The district’s science-of-reading initiative may be a relevant conversation starter for a parent of a kindergartner or first-grader. For a family that values a straightforward neighborhood school in a city with strong civic and university anchors, Elliott is a place to examine closely, with active questions in hand.
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