The top reported proficiency rate is 18% in English language arts. The lowest is 12% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Williams Wendell Es
Williams Wendell Elementary sits on J Street in Las Vegas, within the Clark County School District. It is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, drawing from a neighborhood where the housing market runs below state and national benchmarks. Home values in the surrounding zip code have softened recently, and rents have eased as well, which may widen options for families looking to move into the attendance zone. Mortgage costs remain elevated relative to local incomes, so renting stays the more accessible path for many households near the school.
The student body is small for an elementary campus in this district. Every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which places the school among the highest-poverty settings in the area. The enrollment skews heavily Black, with a large Hispanic share as well, and very small representation from other racial groups. This is a school serving a community where economic need is concentrated, and that context shapes what the campus is asked to do each day. We looked for data on English learners and special education enrollment but found none reported, so those proportions remain unknown here.
On state assessments, the most recent results show proficiency well below state norms in both math and reading. Math proficiency landed at a low level, with only a small fraction of tested students reaching proficiency. Reading performance was somewhat stronger than math but still low. Participation was solid, with nearly all eligible students tested, so these results reflect the campus broadly rather than a skewed sample. Science results were suppressed, likely because the tested group was small enough that reporting could identify individual students. A parent weighing this school may want to look into what interventions and supports the campus has in place for reading and math growth, and how leadership is responding to these outcomes.
No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say from the provided information whether performance is improving, holding flat, or declining over time. This is a gap a family could fill by asking the school directly for its internal growth measures.
Beyond test scores, the data here is thin. We found no information on staffing ratios, teacher experience, attendance rates, discipline patterns, course offerings, or before- and after-school programs. Clark County is an enormous district, and we searched for recent parent-relevant policy or program changes at the district level but found little that was specific and durable. The absence of a locale brief for the surrounding neighborhood also limits what can be said about community features near the campus. Families would benefit from visiting and asking about enrichment, extracurriculars for young children, and how the school communicates with families.
What the available picture does convey is a small, high-poverty elementary school in an urban Las Vegas neighborhood where the academic results are currently weak and where the housing market, while more affordable than much of the region, still carries costs that strain household budgets. For a family already in the area or considering a move to this part of the city, the school's small size could mean closer adult attention, and the pre-kindergarten offering gives an early entry point. The proficiency numbers, though, point to real challenges in core instruction, and understanding what the school is doing about them should be a central question for any parent exploring enrollment.
See more original research from School Decision →