The top reported proficiency rate is 75% in Math. The lowest is 61% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Southridge Elementary
Southridge Elementary sits on Casper's west side, serving kindergarten through fifth grade as part of Natrona County School District #1. It is a traditional public school, neither a charter nor a magnet, and its enrollment is moderate for an elementary building in this district. The student body is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic presence and a small share of multiracial students. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a relatively modest level for the area. Data on individualized education programs and English-learner status were not reported, so those details are unavailable here.
Academically, Southridge produces strong results on Wyoming's WY-TOPP assessments, and its performance stands in the top quartile among districts in Natrona County on the overall proficiency index. Third-grade math is the school's brightest spot, with nearly all tested students reaching proficiency. Math proficiency holds at a solid though lower level in fourth and fifth grades. In English language arts, third grade is strong, fourth grade dips to around half of students proficient, and fifth grade recovers to a respectable level. Fourth-grade science proficiency sits in the same mid-to-upper range. Full participation was reported across every tested grade and subject. No multi-year trend data were available, so it is not possible to say whether these results represent improvement, stability, or decline over time.
Because Southridge is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to report, and no chronic absenteeism figure was available. Discipline, course access, staffing, and attendance data were not provided in the source material. A parent wanting to understand classroom environment, teacher experience, or behavioral climate would need to ask the school directly, as those pieces are absent from the available record.
Casper itself is Wyoming's second-largest city, rooted in energy and commerce. Publicly reported sources describe it as a regional banking and trading center with a long history as an oil town, and the surrounding economy still includes refining, wind-power logistics, mining, and ranching. The built environment is sprawling and car-oriented, with Interstate 25 as the main artery. Civic and cultural institutions are spread across separate campuses rather than clustered in a walkable downtown core, and the city maintains a parks-and-trails system, a municipal golf course, a recreation center, and summer programming like the Casper City Band concerts at Washington Park. Casper Mountain and Medicine Bow National Forest lie to the southeast, giving families access to outdoor recreation within a short drive.
The housing market around Southridge is relatively accessible. Typical home values in the school's zip code sit below both the state and national benchmarks, and rents are modest relative to local incomes. Mortgage costs run higher than rents, which makes renting comparatively affordable for families not yet ready to buy. Home values have shown only slight year-over-year appreciation.
Families considering Southridge should also be aware of broader district changes. Natrona County School District #1's board has approved a facilities master plan that includes school consolidations, a new elementary school, and repurposing of older buildings to address declining enrollment and aging infrastructure. Publicly reported sources indicate this plan could reshape the school landscape across the district, so a family enrolling a young child may want to ask how the plan affects Southridge specifically over the coming years.
What the picture adds up to is a neighborhood elementary school with above-average academic results in a county where performance varies, situated in an affordable, family-oriented section of a mid-sized western city. The missing pieces on special populations, staffing, and discipline make a full portrait difficult, but the available evidence points to a school where most students are meeting state standards, particularly in the early grades.
See more original research from School Decision →