The top reported proficiency rate is 90% in Science. The lowest is 62% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Willowdale Elementary School
Willowdale Elementary School serves students from preschool through fifth grade as a regular public school within Millard Public Schools, the district that covers a large portion of west Omaha. The school sits in a residential area of the city’s western edge, near the interchange of 168th and Q Streets, where the housing stock is predominantly single-family homes and home values are above the statewide average. The Omaha metropolitan area, anchored by major corporate headquarters in finance, insurance, engineering, and rail, has seen moderate population growth and ongoing development pressure, though the area around Willowdale is well established.
The student body is small for an elementary school that serves five grades, with a racial composition that is largely white and a modest share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Asian and Hispanic students each make up a small minority, and the number of Black students is very small. The share of students from low-income households is low relative to many Nebraska public schools, which means the school does not receive Title I funding and supports for economic disadvantage are not central to its mission. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available.
State assessment results from the 2024-25 school year give a mixed picture that a parent considering Willowdale will want to examine closely. In third grade, proficiency in both math and English language arts is strong. In fourth grade, proficiency dips noticeably, especially in math, where the share of students meeting state standards is markedly lower. Fifth graders rebound strongly: math proficiency climbs back up, English language arts is similarly high, and science proficiency is very high. The overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades places Willowdale just below the midpoint among elementary schools in Douglas County. Because only one year of test data was available, it is not possible to see whether the fourth-grade dip is a persistent pattern or a single-cohort anomaly. A parent with a rising fourth grader may want to ask the school how it supports students in that grade, particularly in mathematics.
The school serves only elementary grades, so there is no graduation rate or chronic absenteeism data to consider. Academic supports and enrichment programs were not detailed in the available information.
The housing market in the school’s immediate area reflects a community where the typical home value and monthly rent sit above both the Nebraska state median and the national median. Monthly mortgage costs and rents are comparable to each other, and the area is less affordable than many parts of the country, but the local unemployment rate is moderate and the broad Omaha economy is stable. For families moving to the region, this part of Millard Public Schools is a well-established suburban zone with little visible new development, though the district itself reported no major changes in its operations or boundaries in the most recent publicly available information.
Willowdale Elementary is a school where academic performance varies by grade, with clear strengths in third and fifth grades and a softer spot in fourth. The peer environment is economically homogeneous and predominantly white, which may be a consideration for families seeking greater diversity. The school’s size, location in a stable part of Omaha, and the district’s reputation for consistency give it a straightforward profile: a neighborhood elementary school that delivers above-average results in some grades and a performance that a parent will want to investigate further in the grade that matters most to them.
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