Horton Elem

Horton Elem is an elementary-level community of intimate scale in Horton, Kansas, part of South Brown County, educateing 226 students in grades pre-K through 4. That puts it 28% below the typical public school in Kansas, which averages around 313 students.

Within South Brown County, which oversees 3 schools and 524 students, Horton Elem is one campus in the system.

On the student-mix side, Horton Elem logs that White students make up the majority at 70%. Other groups include 15% Native American, 11% Hispanic, 3% multiracial. The wider county runs roughly 83% White, putting the school's mix noticeably less White than the area baseline.

Looking at school resources, Horton Elem records 17 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 13.7:1. That tracks the state average closely. Roughly 60% of students at Horton Elem qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Horton Elem tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 33.6% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 42.7%.

Around the school, Brown County reports that median household income runs about $62,233, 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 9%. Across Brown County's 7 public schools (combined enrollment of about 1,474 students), Horton Elem is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Horton High, around 0.4 miles off. Within ten miles, there are 3 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Horton Elem at 3rd of 7; the average score across the group is 35.8%.

The school occupies a rural site.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Horton Elem has shrank 8%, going from 245 students in 2018 to 226 in 2025. The student-to-teacher ratio widened from 11.6:1 in 2018 to 13.7:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Members of the school community can share what they know.