The top reported proficiency rate is 45% in English language arts. The lowest is 0% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Ravenna Elementary School
Ravenna Elementary School serves students from preschool through sixth grade in the small agricultural and manufacturing town of Ravenna, Nebraska, about a half-hour drive from Kearney and Grand Island. The school is part of Ravenna Public Schools, a district that draws from a community where the economy includes railroading, ranching, farming, cattle feeding, dairy operations, ethanol production, and manufacturing. Major employers include Leprino Foods and Nordic Biofuels, and many residents commute to larger cities for work. The town itself has a grocery store, restaurants, a coffee shop, a hardware store, a bank, and other small businesses, giving it a compact, self-contained feel. Ravenna completed a 2023 Comprehensive Plan and has seen industrial growth, including a facility expansion by Leprino Foods and the start of ethanol production at Nordic Biofuels. The district brief turned up little in the way of recent parent-relevant changes such as referendums or curriculum shifts, so that context is not available.
Ravenna Elementary is a regular public school serving preschool through sixth grade. The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population making up a modest share and very small numbers of Black and multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school is not a charter or magnet school. Data on students with individualized education plans and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.
State testing results for the 2024-25 school year show a mixed picture. In math, fourth-grade students recorded a zero percent proficiency rate, as did third graders. Fifth-grade math also came in at zero percent. Sixth-grade math, however, showed a strong proficiency rate. In English language arts, fourth graders posted a solid proficiency rate, fifth graders reached a moderate level, and sixth graders were below half proficient. Third-grade ELA and fifth-grade science both recorded zero percent proficiency. The overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades places the school in the bottom quartile relative to districts in Buffalo County. Because the school serves only through sixth grade, there is no graduation rate to report. A parent may want to discuss these results with the school to understand the context behind the variation across grade levels and subjects.
The school sits in a town that is compact and walkable for daily errands, with a grocery store, restaurants, a coffee shop, a hardware store, a bank, and other amenities within the town itself. Nebraska Highways 2 and 68 provide road connections to Kearney and Grand Island, where many residents commute for work. The town has ball fields, parks, a swimming pool, a bowling alley, and a golf course, and hosts the annual Annevar festival each June. Housing values in the area are below the state benchmark, and the local unemployment rate has been stable. The district brief turned up no recent parent-relevant changes such as curriculum shifts or property tax developments, so that context is absent.
Ravenna Elementary is a small school by enrollment, with a predominantly white student body. The school's academic results vary considerably by grade and subject, with some grades showing solid proficiency in English language arts and math while others show none at all. Families considering this school will want to look closely at the grade-level patterns and ask the school how it addresses the gaps. The town itself offers a quiet, compact setting with basic amenities and a mix of agricultural and industrial employment, and the school serves as the elementary anchor for a community that is proud of its school and athletic teams.
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