The top reported proficiency rate is 34% in Math. The lowest is 23% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Grove Lower Es
Grove Lower ES serves prekindergarten through third grade and is one part of a multi-building school complex that sits east of downtown Grove, the largest and fastest-growing city in Delaware County. The school shares a campus with the district’s Early Childhood Center, Upper Elementary, and Middle School, creating a concentrated educational zone separated from the Main Street and US-59 commercial corridor near Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees.
The student body is diverse in its racial and ethnic makeup. A substantial share of students identify as white, a meaningful share as American Indian or Alaska Native, and a smaller but noticeable share as two or more races. Hispanic students make up a smaller portion, with very small numbers of Asian, Black, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students also enrolled. The data do not indicate what share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, nor what share receive special education services or are English learners. A parent who wants to understand the school’s population of economically disadvantaged students or the extent of its special education and language support programs would need to ask the school directly.
The school serves a community shaped by Grand Lake. Tourism drives a seasonal economy from Memorial Day to Labor Day, bringing visitors for fishing tournaments, boating, and lake recreation. The Grand Lake Casino is a notable local employer. The town skews toward retirees and lake-lifestyle residents, and the school complex is a short drive from lakefront access, Wolf Creek Park, and other civic anchors. Housing values in the area are above the state benchmark but below the national figure, and the local economy has shown stable employment conditions.
On state assessments administered to third graders, the data provide a mixed picture. In math, the proficiency rate was below the midpoint of what a parent might expect, with about one-third of students scoring at the proficient or advanced level. In English language arts, the proficiency rate was lower still, with roughly one-quarter of students reaching that bar. However, the state changed its cut scores for these tests during the period, so the results may not be directly comparable to prior years, and a parent may want to ask the school how it is addressing these figures. When compared across the districts of Delaware County, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades landed in the top quartile, meaning its performance is higher than most other schools in the county despite the modest absolute rates.
The school has no graduation rate to report because it does not serve high school grades. Chronic absenteeism data were not available. The district brief turned up no recent parent-relevant changes such as boundary adjustments, program launches, or policy shifts.
This is a school for the earliest grades in a district that separates elementary students into three buildings by age. The campus layout means children move from the Early Childhood Center to Grove Lower Elementary to Upper Elementary as they progress. The peer environment reflects the broader Grove community, with a notable presence of American Indian students and a strong share of mixed-race students. The academic picture is one where the school performs relatively well within its county context, though the absolute proficiency numbers in English language arts are soft enough that a parent might want to ask how reading support works in the classroom and whether the lower scores have prompted specific interventions.
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