ANSELMO-MERNA ELEMENTARY-MERNA

ANSELMO-MERNA ELEMENTARY-MERNA is a modestly sized elementary-level community in MERNA, Nebraska, part of ANSELMO-MERNA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. The school works with 145 students in grades pre-K through 6. Enrollment runs roughly 47% leaner than the state mean of about 272.

ANSELMO-MERNA ELEMENTARY-MERNA is one of 2 schools operated by ANSELMO-MERNA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, a district that instructs 249 students overall.

On demographics, ANSELMO-MERNA ELEMENTARY-MERNA logs that nearly all students (97%) are White. The remainder breaks down as 3% Hispanic.

On the income-and-resources front, The school lists 11 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 13.1:1. The state averages around 21.0:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Roughly 36% of students at ANSELMO-MERNA ELEMENTARY-MERNA qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

After controlling for student poverty, ANSELMO-MERNA ELEMENTARY-MERNA ranks in the top 10% of Nebraska public schools. The BeatsExpectations model, a per-state regression of composite proficiency on FRL share, predicts schools with this student profile to land around 63.8%; ANSELMO-MERNA ELEMENTARY-MERNA posts 72.6%, +8.8 points above that line.

Around the school, the surrounding county (Custer County) records that median household earnings sit near $67,906, roughly 24% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 4% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Custer County's 15 public schools (combined enrollment of about 1,845 students), ANSELMO-MERNA ELEMENTARY-MERNA is one campus in the mix.

ANSELMO-MERNA HIGH SCHOOL is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.0 miles from this campus. 6 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a ten-mile radius, suggesting a relatively low-density school footprint. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts ANSELMO-MERNA ELEMENTARY-MERNA at 1st of 5; the average score across the group is 63.1%.

The school occupies a low-density site.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count declined 9%: 160 students in 2018 compared to 145 in 2025. Class-load math has grew: from 12.1:1 in 2018 to 13.1:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around open house dates, ride-share offers, and field-trip permission slips. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.