The top reported proficiency rate is 92% in Math. The lowest is 73% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Warner Elementary - 02
Warner Elementary - 02 is the elementary wing of a single-school district in the very small town of Warner, South Dakota, just south of Aberdeen in Brown County. The district, Warner School District 06-5, houses all grades from kindergarten through high school in one building, making the school the town's primary civic institution. For families considering this area, that setup means the elementary classrooms share a roof with the middle and high school grades, which can create a close-knit environment where younger and older students coexist in the same facility.
Academically, this school stands out. On the most recent South Dakota state assessments, proficiency rates are strong across the board. Math proficiency is exceptionally high, with nearly all tested students meeting or exceeding the proficiency bar. English language arts results are also strong, with the large majority of students proficient. Science proficiency, tested at a single grade level with a small group of students, is solid as well, with roughly three-quarters proficient. Participation was full across all subjects, meaning every eligible student was tested. Average scale scores were not available, and no multi-year trend data was reported, so it is difficult to say whether these results represent steady performance or recent improvement. Still, the current snapshot is clearly a strength of this school.
The student body is small, which is consistent with the town's size. The enrollment is spread fairly evenly across the six grade levels from kindergarten through fifth grade. The student population is overwhelmingly white, with a small number of Hispanic students, students identifying as two or more races, and a single American Indian or Alaska Native student. The free or reduced-price lunch rate is very low, with only a handful of students qualifying, which points to an economically comfortable community. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not reported, so a parent wanting to understand special education services or language support would want to ask the school directly.
Warner itself is a tiny, predominantly residential bedroom community. Most residents drive to work alone, with short commutes, and the town has no downtown commercial district or retail corridor to speak of. The built environment is oriented around single-family homes and automobile use. Publicly reported sources describe the housing supply as tight, with homes rarely coming on the market. The median home value in the area sits below both the state and national benchmarks, and the price-to-income ratio is favorable, suggesting that for those who can find a home, affordability is reasonable relative to earnings. Home values have appreciated sharply over the past year, reflecting the broader pattern of steady gradual growth the town has experienced over decades. Median household income in Warner is reported as well above the Brown County median, and the town has attracted buyers looking for small-town life within easy reach of Aberdeen, which serves as the regional hub for healthcare, shopping, and other amenities.
No program offerings, course access details, staffing data, discipline data, or attendance figures were available for this school. The district brief turned up no parent-relevant changes such as referendums, curriculum overhauls, or property-tax shifts. Title I status was not reported. A neighbor comparison was not available, so this school's results cannot be positioned against nearby districts in the county. No civil rights data was provided. These gaps are worth naming: a parent evaluating this school has strong academic results to go on but limited visibility into program breadth, student support services, and staffing.
What the picture does show is a small, homogeneous, economically stable elementary school with genuinely strong proficiency outcomes in a tight-knit bedroom community near Aberdeen. Families drawn to quiet small-town living with access to a larger regional center may find the setting appealing, and the academic results suggest the school is delivering well on core instruction. Those needing specific information about special education, English learner support, or enrichment programs should reach out to the district directly, since the data here does not cover those areas.
See more original research from School Decision →