The top reported proficiency rate is 74% in Math. The lowest is 59% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Newcastle Elementary 3-5
Newcastle Elementary 3-5 is an upper-elementary school serving grades three through five in Newcastle, Wyoming, the county seat of Weston County. It sits within Weston County School District #1, which operates Newcastle's elementary program across two campuses, one for kindergarten through second grade and this one for the older elementary grades. The school is located on US Highway 16, just outside the compact commercial core of town.
Academically, this school posts strong proficiency results on Wyoming's WY-TOPP assessment. In math, third and fifth graders reach proficiency at notably high rates, while fourth grade lands somewhat lower, a pattern parents may want to ask about. ELA results follow a similar arc, with fifth grade the strongest performer and fourth grade the softest. Science, tested only in fourth grade, sits at a moderate level. Participation was essentially full across all tested grades and subjects. When measured against the comparison set of districts in Weston County, the school's overall proficiency places it in the top quartile, meaning it outperforms the county's other district on the proficiency index.
The school has no graduation rate, chronic absenteeism figure, or higher-grade outcomes, which is expected for a building that stops at fifth grade. State testing applies beginning in third grade, so all three grades here are tested. Data on staffing ratios, disciplinary incidents, course access, and attendance patterns was not available, so those dimensions of school life could not be assessed. IEP and English learner counts were also missing from the available data.
Enrollment is modest, with roughly even distribution across the three grades. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly white, with small numbers of students identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native, Hispanic, two or more races, and Black. No students were identified as Asian or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.
Newcastle itself is a small town whose identity is tied to energy and rail. Publicly reported sources describe it as a coal-mining and railroad settlement whose economy still runs on an oil refinery along Main Street, BNSF rail operations, nearby coal mines, and regional cattle ranching. Weston County Health Services operates a hospital, clinic, and retirement home, and the Wyoming Department of Corrections maintains a conservation camp and boot camp in town. The community draws retirees and relocating workers attracted by a below-average cost of living, and its population has stayed relatively stable over recent census cycles.
The town's civic life centers on a historic Main Street corridor listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the Weston County Courthouse and City Hall a block apart and the Anna Miller Museum and Dogie Theater serving as cultural anchors. Walking trails, including the Serenity Trail, and proximity to the Black Hills and Thunder Basin National Grassland provide outdoor recreation. The school district's facilities are described in publicly reported sources as three new buildings with shared amenities including an aquatic center, auditorium, and gymnasiums, which means students at this campus may have access to resources that a school of this size would not typically offer on its own.
Housing in the Newcastle area is affordable relative to both state and national benchmarks. The typical home value sits well below the Wyoming state figure and further below the national one, and the price-to-income ratio is favorable. Home values have shown a slight year-over-year decline. Rental data was not available. The district brief did not surface any parent-relevant changes with lasting impact from available sources, so there is little to report on recent strategic shifts or program additions.
For a family considering this school, the academic picture is a clear strength, particularly in the third and fifth grades where proficiency rates run high. The fourth-grade dip across multiple subjects is worth a conversation with the school. The setting is a small, energy-economy town with affordable housing and stable population, and the school district appears to have invested in its physical plant. Where data gaps exist, in staffing, discipline, special populations, and attendance, a parent would want to ask the school directly to fill in those pieces.
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