The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in Math. The lowest is 38% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Rawlins Elementary
Rawlins Elementary sits in the heart of Carbon County, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as part of Carbon County School District #1. It is a traditional public school on Darnley Road, drawing families from Rawlins itself, a town that functions as the county seat and a supply hub for the surrounding ranching and mining country. The community sits at high-desert elevation along Interstate 80, and its economy is anchored by the Wyoming State Penitentiary, Union Pacific Railroad, county and city government, and the school district itself. A nearby oil refinery in Sinclair also shapes the regional picture. The town has a modest downtown core with independent shops and restaurants, a public library, a recreation center, and a walking trail system that threads through the city and past the historic frontier prison grounds. Publicly reported sources note that Rawlins has seen population decline over recent census cycles, with no major new housing developments detailed in available materials.
The school enrolls a sizable student body for its grade band. Its racial and ethnic composition is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic presence and very small shares of other groups. A meaningful portion of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not reported, so those figures are absent from the picture rather than implying anything about the school's population.
On state assessments, Rawlins Elementary shows a clear split between mathematics and English language arts. Math results are a relative bright spot. Fourth and fifth graders performed well, with a clear majority of tested students reaching proficiency in both grades. Third grade math was lower but still solid. Participation was full across every tested grade and subject. In English language arts, the story is different. Third and fourth grade proficiency rates were low, with roughly a third of students meeting the bar. Fifth grade ELA improved to about half of students scoring proficient, suggesting some recovery as students move up, but the earlier grades remain a concern. Science was tested only in fourth grade, where just under half of students reached proficiency. A parent looking at the full picture may want to ask the school how it supports early literacy, since the ELA numbers in the lower tested grades are the weakest part of the academic record.
When measured against the small set of districts in Carbon County, Rawlins Elementary's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades lands in the bottom quartile. The comparison set is limited, with only two districts in the county, so this positioning should be read as a narrow local snapshot rather than a broad one. No graduation rate applies here because the school does not serve high school grades. Chronic absenteeism data was not reported.
Information on program offerings, course access, staffing ratios, and discipline was not available in the data provided. Title I status was also not reported. Without these pieces, a parent would need to contact the school directly to understand what specialized programs, intervention supports, or enrichment opportunities are in place.
The housing market around Rawlins is affordable relative to both Wyoming and national benchmarks. Typical home values sit well below the state median and roughly half the national figure, and the price-to-income ratio is low, which can make homeownership accessible for families with moderate incomes. Rent data was not available. The broader economic context includes a national unemployment rate that has held steady in a low range, and mortgage rates that remain elevated by recent historical standards, though the local affordability cushion helps offset that for buyers.
Rawlins Elementary fits families looking for a small-town setting with a large elementary student body and a peer environment that is mostly white and Hispanic. The school's math instruction appears to be producing results worth crediting, while its early literacy performance is the area most worth a parent's attention and follow-up. The community itself offers outdoor amenities and civic infrastructure, though it is a town in modest population decline with an economy tied to corrections, rail, and energy rather than rapid growth. For families already rooted in Carbon County or drawn to the area's affordability, Rawlins Elementary is a school where asking targeted questions about reading support and enrichment would be time well spent.
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