The top reported proficiency rate is 85% in Science. The lowest is 0% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Malcolm Elementary School
Malcolm Elementary School is the only public elementary school in the small, rural village of Malcolm, Nebraska, and it serves the community’s children from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. The school is a regular public school and is part of the Malcolm Public Schools district. The village itself is a tight-knit, car-dependent community located within the Lincoln metropolitan area, and its character is distinctly rural. The local economy is small, with the school district itself being a major employer, and many residents commute to Lincoln for work.
The student body at Malcolm Elementary is overwhelmingly white, with a very small share of students identifying as Hispanic. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Enrollment numbers are consistent with a small-town elementary school. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate, and because it is a regular public elementary school, it has state testing data for its tested grades.
State assessment results are available for the most recent school year, and they present a mixed picture. In English language arts, proficiency rates were reported for grades three through six and varied by grade, with some grades showing stronger performance than others. In mathematics, the results were reported as very low for grades three through six. In science, which is tested only in fifth grade, the school reported a high rate of proficiency. When the school’s overall performance across all tested subjects and grades is compared to other school districts within Lancaster County, it lands in the bottom quartile. A parent considering this school may want to discuss the specific math results with the school administration to understand the context and any initiatives in place, as the data shows a significant gap in that subject area compared to the school’s relative strength in science and some grades’ performance in English.
The school building itself is likely undergoing changes. A bond issue was passed by voters in the Malcolm Public Schools district to fund a new elementary school addition and other facility improvements, an investment that was publicly reported as a response to enrollment growth and aging infrastructure. This is relevant for families because it will affect class sizes, the quality of the learning environment, and property tax obligations.
The broader community context is one of steady growth. The village of Malcolm has seen a population increase over the last decade, and its housing values are above state and national benchmarks, reflecting the area’s desirability as a bedroom community within commuting distance of Lincoln. The median household income in the area is also above the national median. For a family, this means the school serves a community that is relatively affluent by national standards and is growing, which can influence both the tax base and peer dynamics.
There is no specific information available on the school’s program offerings, such as art, music, or gifted programs, nor on staffing ratios or disciplinary climate. Similarly, there is no data on the share of students with disabilities or English learners, so a family with specific support needs would need to ask the school directly about those services. The district brief did not identify any recent curriculum changes or shifts in district policy beyond the bond issue, so a parent researching the school would be starting with the baseline of a small rural school that maintains a strong community identity, operates in a growing bedroom community, and is addressing facility needs through voter-approved debt, while its academic performance data shows clear areas of strength and one notable weakness in mathematics.
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