The top reported proficiency rate is 15% in Math. The lowest is 0% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Potter-dix Elementary School
Potter-Dix Elementary School serves the very small village of Dix in Kimball County, Nebraska, and the surrounding rural area. It is a regular public school within the Potter-Dix Public Schools district, enrolling students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. The school’s setting is deeply rural; Dix itself has contracted sharply from its peak population many decades ago and now functions primarily as a quiet residential community along the old Lincoln Highway. Housing in the area is notably affordable, with a median home value well below both the state and national benchmarks. For a family considering a move, this represents one of the most accessible housing markets in the region.
The student body is small, and demographically it is predominantly white, with only a handful of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. A substantial share of students come from low-income households. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent with a child who has an identified special need may want to ask the school directly about its services and staffing.
State assessment results paint an uneven picture. In math, the proficiency rate for sixth graders was solid, but for students in grades three, four, and five, the reported rate was zero percent. In English language arts, every grade level from third through sixth recorded a zero percent proficiency rate. Science results, measured only in grade five, were also zero percent. A multi-year trend in English language arts shows that the school’s rate has fluctuated considerably in recent years, with an earlier high mark that has since fallen notably. Math trends also show a steep decline from a high point in an earlier year to a low point in the most recent testing year. A parent reading these results will want a detailed conversation with the school about its curriculum, instruction, and what interventions are in place. The scores suggest that large numbers of students at this school are not yet meeting grade-level standards in the core subjects, and understanding the school’s approach to that challenge is critical.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate data. Because the enrollment is small and the grade band ends at sixth, many of the standard metrics used for larger schools—such as chronic absenteeism rates—were not available in the data. A parent considering this school should also be aware that there was no information found on the school’s program offerings, course access, or staffing ratios. Whether the school offers art, music, physical education, or any specialized academic supports is not captured here and would need to be confirmed directly.
The village itself offers little in the way of commercial activity or civic infrastructure. Historical sources describe a Union Pacific Railroad siding that once supported a variety of businesses, but today the remaining commercial presence is minimal. There is a city park near where the former train depot stood, and the village is near Interstate 80. The school building has a long history in the community, with earlier school structures dating back more than a century and a more recent consolidation under one roof. The district itself did not appear to have recent notable changes or initiatives of the kind that would be reported as newsworthy.
For a family that values an extremely small, rural school in a low-cost housing area and is prepared to engage directly with the school about its academic performance, Potter-Dix Elementary may fit. The test results are a serious concern, and a parent should expect to ask pointed questions about how the school plans to raise achievement. The community offers quiet and affordability but very few of the amenities or economic opportunities found in larger towns.
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