The top reported proficiency rate is 0% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Northeast Secondary School
Northeast Secondary School serves grades seven through twelve in Lyons, Nebraska, as part of the Lyons-Decatur Northeast Schools district, a consolidation of two former rural districts. The school is a regular public school with a small enrollment, and its student body is predominantly White, with a smaller share of Hispanic students and American Indian or Alaska Native students. More than half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a substantial portion of the school's families experience lower household incomes.
Academically, the picture is stark. State assessment results for math and English language arts in the most recent testing year show that no tested students in grades seven and eight met the proficiency benchmark. Science results for grade eight are similarly at zero. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages results across tested subjects and grades, places Northeast Secondary in the bottom quartile relative to the three districts in Burt County. Multi-year trend data, which covers a broader set of grades and years, suggests that the school’s performance in English language arts has declined over time, falling from a much higher rate in earlier years to a lower rate more recently. Math and science proficiency trends also run low. A parent may want to ask the school directly about the instructional strategies, curriculum, and supports in place to address these outcomes. Graduation rate data was not available for this school, so how many students finish high school is unknown from this data set. Other metrics such as chronic absenteeism and course access were also missing, making it harder to assess the overall student experience beyond the test scores.
The school is located in Lyons, a small rural community in Burt County that has experienced population decline over the past several years. The town has a compact, walkable grid, a Main Street with small businesses and civic institutions such as a public library and community center, and a heritage rooted in agriculture and bluegrass sod production. Home values in the area are modest, and the housing market shows vacancy. Recent capital investments have focused on upgrading civic infrastructure—a new swimming pool, a remodeled community center, a new fire department building—rather than on new housing development. The town’s economic base revolves around the Center for Rural Affairs (a nonprofit headquartered here), the school district itself, and municipal government, with no large industrial employers evident.
For families considering this school, the key considerations are these. The academic outcomes on state assessments are very low, and the school’s performance ranks at the bottom of the county. At the same time, the school serves a small, close-knit rural community where housing costs are relatively low and where school facilities have seen some recent investment, including a new football field and all-weather track funded by a bond. The student body reflects the area’s demographics, with a notable proportion of students from lower-income households. Missing data on graduation rates and chronic absenteeism means some important pieces of the high school experience are not visible in this profile. Parents who value a small rural setting and want to understand exactly how the school is working to raise achievement would do well to visit and speak with the principal and teachers about current academic initiatives and support programs.
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