The top reported proficiency rate is 76% in Science. The lowest is 16% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Oakland Craig Elementary
Oakland Craig Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade as a regular public school in the town of Oakland, Nebraska. The school is part of the Oakland Craig Public Schools district, a combined district that also draws from the nearby community of Craig. Oakland itself is a small incorporated city in Burt County with an agricultural and commercial history, holding a Swedish heritage identity and hosting a biennial Swedish Festival. The local economy rests on construction, retail trade, and health care and social assistance, alongside long-standing businesses like Oakland Lumber, the Oakland Independent newspaper, and 1st National Bank N.E. The town has a downtown commercial area, a 40-acre city park, a golf course with a regional draw, and the Burt County Fairgrounds.
The school enrolls a modest number of students for its PK-6 grade band, a size that will feel familiar to families accustomed to small rural elementary schools. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Racially and ethnically, the student body is predominantly white, with much smaller numbers of students identifying as two or more races, Hispanic, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Black. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available from the school.
State assessment results for the school show an uneven picture. In math, third graders met the proficiency bar at a rate that would be considered a clear strength, but fourth, fifth, and sixth graders all showed a zero percent proficiency rate. That pattern repeats in English language arts: a zero percent proficiency rate appeared for third grade and sixth grade, while fourth graders posted a proficiency rate near the halfway mark and fifth graders slightly above it. In science, only fifth graders are tested, and they scored at a notably higher rate. The proficiency index, which averages performance across all tested subjects and grades, placed the school in the bottom quartile among the districts in Burt County. The county contains three districts, so this is a small comparison set. A parent may want to discuss these results with the school directly to understand the variation between grade levels and subjects, and to ask what supports are in place for students who are not meeting proficiency benchmarks.
Because the school serves only elementary grades, it has no high school graduation rate to report. Attendance data was also not available, so no chronic absenteeism rate is included here.
The district itself did not yield any recent publicly reported changes or strategic initiatives in a search. Families should expect a stable administrative environment without major announced shifts in programming or facilities.
Housing in the area is priced below both the state and national medians, reflecting the rural setting. Home values have risen at a moderate pace. The town's population has fluctuated over decades, showing modest cyclical growth rather than sustained expansion, with no major new housing developments or commercial construction projects identified in available sources.
Oakland Craig Elementary offers a small-school setting in a rural Nebraska town with a distinct community identity. Families considering this school should weigh the strengths shown in early elementary math and fifth-grade science against the very low proficiency rates in upper elementary math and in reading across multiple grades. The school's size means individual attention may be more feasible, but the test results suggest some academic areas need attention. A direct conversation with the school about instructional strategies and intervention programs would be a reasonable step for any parent trying to understand whether this is the right fit for their child.
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