The top reported proficiency rate is 78% in Science. The lowest is 28% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Wilson Focus School
Wilson Focus School is a regular public elementary school serving Omaha, Nebraska, that covers a narrow grade band from third through sixth grade. It is part of the Omaha Public Schools district, a large urban system that is Nebraska’s biggest. The school has a relatively small enrollment for its grade span, with a student body that is fairly diverse racially and ethnically. White students make up the largest single group, followed by Black students, Hispanic students, and a smaller share of students who identify as two or more races. Asian and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students together account for a modest share of the population. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are classified as English learners were not reported. A family looking at Wilson Focus School should understand that key context about economic disadvantage and special population support is not available in public data, and they may want to ask the school directly.
The school’s academic results on the Nebraska state assessments present a particular pattern that a parent will want to examine closely. In the most recent testing year, proficiency rates varied substantially by grade level. In English language arts, rates were strongest in fourth grade and sixth grade, while third grade and fifth grade showed lower results, though still with a meaningful share of students meeting the bar. Math proficiency was more uneven. Fourth grade and sixth grade showed rates in a moderate range, but third grade and fifth grade reported results that indicate very few students in those cohorts scored proficient. Science, tested only in fifth grade, showed a strong result, with a large majority of students meeting the proficiency standard. This pattern of a sharp drop in math at two grade levels alongside solid performance in science stands out. Parents may wish to ask how the school approaches math instruction and support for students in third and fifth grades.
When compared against other schools in Douglas County, the overall proficiency index for Wilson Focus School places it in the bottom quartile among the seven districts for which data were available. The neighborhood comparison set is limited because only seven of the county’s sixteen districts had usable data for this metric, so the ranking should be interpreted with that narrow frame in mind. The school’s graduation rate and chronic absenteeism data were not reported, which is consistent with its grade band since it does not serve high school grades.
Omaha is the state’s largest city, a place with a mix of corporate headquarters, historic districts, and car-dependent suburban-style neighborhoods. The economy is anchored by several major companies, and the city has a range of cultural and civic attractions. The Omaha Public Schools district has launched a systemwide initiative called Moonshot, which commits to having all students reading on grade level by 2030 through a structured literacy curriculum grounded in the Science of Reading. This means that through the elementary years, families at Wilson Focus School can expect a sustained focus on reading instruction that represents a pedagogical shift, not a one-time adjustment.
Housing in the area surrounding the school, based on the ZIP code data, shows home values and rents that are below the state average and well below the national average, which may factor into a family’s consideration of affordability. The typical rent in the area is moderate relative to national benchmarks.
Wilson Focus School serves a narrow age range, has a modest overall enrollment, and displays a mixed academic picture. The consistent strength in English language arts in two of the four tested grades and the strong fifth-grade science result are points a family could discuss with the school. The weak math results in third and fifth grades, combined with the bottom-quartile county comparison, are areas that merit direct inquiry. The lack of data on free or reduced-price lunch, special education, and English learner populations leaves a gap in understanding the full context of student support needs. The district’s reading initiative may be a relevant factor for families weighing how literacy instruction will be delivered during the years their child attends.
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