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Teachers: what resource would make the biggest difference at MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL this year?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
417
Elementary
DISTRICT 292 · STATE 272
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·KEARNEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS·NCES 317239000329
MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
1010 E 53RD ST, KEARNEY, NE 68847 · (308) 698-8210 · Buffalo County
GRADES PK–05ELEMENTARY32-TOWNREGULAR SCHOOL417 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
17.8:1
23 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 15.8:1 · STATE 21.0:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
14%
60 students
DISTRICT 32% · STATE 37%
Community
1
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-K | 17 | 4% |
| Kindergarten | 58 | 14% |
| Grade 1 | 59 | 14% |
| Grade 2 | 74 | 18% |
| Grade 3 | 64 | 15% |
| Grade 4 | 75 | 18% |
| Grade 5 | 70 | 17% |
This year's kindergarten class (58) is 17% smaller than its 5th grade class (70).
Student demographics
26%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 39% · STATE 57% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
NSCAS 2024-25 . % On Track + AdvancedEnglish Language Arts
82.8%
NE avg 57.6%
Math
83.9%
NE avg 60.6%
What this means: On the NSCAS, Nebraska's statewide test, about 83 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 84 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Nebraska schools, those numbers are about 58 and 61.
Source: NSCAS. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
OUTPERFORMING
Top 10% of NE schools after controlling for student poverty
Actual proficiency
80.1%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
71.4%
based on NE schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+8.8pp
above demographic expectation
What this means: About 80% of students here test proficient in math and reading, well above the roughly 71% typical for Nebraska schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations ranks schools against others at the same poverty level, not by raw scores, so a school can post high scores and still fall short of its prediction, or post lower scores and still beat it. This school clears its prediction by about 9 points, placing it in Nebraska's top 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL's state test result (80.1% proficient) is higher than 4 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL this school | 417 | 14.4% | 80.1% |
| BENNINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BENNINGTON | 368 | 13.9% | 77.2% |
| SPRINGFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SPRINGFIELD | 400 | 15.0% | 68.7% |
| GRACE ABBOTT ELEM SCHOOL OMAHA | 454 | 17.4% | 83.9% |
| SUNSET HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OMAHA | 301 | 12.3% | 78.4% |
| GRETNA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GRETNA | 374 | 16.6% | 70.8% |
Matched among Nebraska elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Nebraska | In Buffalo County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 80.1% | #13 of 311 | #1 of 15 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 83.9% | #8 of 398 | #1 of 15 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 82.8% | #10 of 438 | #1 of 15 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 417 | #118 of 587 | #1 of 17 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 17.8:1 | #356 of 379 | #14 of 15 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 25.6% | #301 of 379 | #10 of 15 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 14.4% | #322 of 359 | #16 of 17 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -3.7% | #182 of 220 | #5 of 7 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
417
+7 (+2%) vs 2020
+56% since 2000-01, when it was 267
Student : Teacher
17.8:1
was 17.1:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 417 | 23.5 | 17.8:1 | 14% (60) |
| 2023-24 | 399 | 23 | 17.4:1 | 21% (83) |
| 2022-23 | 408 | 23.5 | 17.4:1 | 16% (64) |
| 2020-21 | 410 | 24 | 17.1:1 | 22% (90) |
| 2017-18 | 433 | 23.4 | 18.5:1 | 18% (77) |
| 2015-16 | 399 | 23 | 17.4:1 | 11% (44) |
| 2010-11 | 295 | 16 | 18.4:1 | 13% (37) |
| 2000-01 | 267 | 12 | 22.3:1 | 6% (15) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
Since 2017-18: students down 4% (433 to 417); teachers unchanged (23.4 to 23.5).
About MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Students in KEARNEY, Nebraska, attend MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, a large elementary school. The student body numbers 417 students, from pre-K through 5. An average school in this group (elementary schools in Nebraska) has about 272 students.
MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is run by KEARNEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, whose 15 schools enroll 6,066 students.
At MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, White students make up 86% of the student body. The remaining students are 7% Hispanic, 2% Black, and 2% multiracial. The county population is about 87% White, within a few points of the school. MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL has a diversity index of 26%, compared with 70% for all US public school students.
The school employs the equivalent of 23.5 full-time teachers, for a ratio of 17.8:1. The average ratio among elementary schools in Nebraska is 21.0:1, higher than at this school. The free or reduced-price lunch rate at MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is 14%. Public schools in Buffalo County average 33%.
On BeatsExpectations, which compares test results with what a school's student poverty level would predict, MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ranks in the top 10% in Nebraska. Its average proficiency rate on state tests is 80.1%, against a prediction of 71.4%.
Buffalo County census figures show that median household income is about $75,911, a bachelor's degree or higher is held by about 34% of adults, and the share of residents below the poverty line is 5%. A total of 28 public schools operate in Buffalo County, serving about 8,449 students.
The shortest distance from MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL to another public school is about 0.6 miles, to SUNRISE MIDDLE SCHOOL. The five-mile area around MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL holds at least 8 other public schools. The nearest schools with test data average 64.3%, lower than MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL's 80.1%.
The school's setting, by NCES definition, is Town: Distant: in a town some distance from an urbanized area.
Enrollment has been fairly stable: 410 in 2020-21 and 417 in 2024-25.
The discussion area below is open to posts about school events, clubs, and volunteer needs. Questions from prospective families are welcome too.
Buffalo County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
50,579
Census ACS
Median income
$75,911
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
34%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
5%
Below federal line
Schools in county
28
8,449 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in KEARNEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- KEARNEY HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 1,663 students
- HORIZON MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 648 students
- SUNRISE MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 536 students
- KENWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementary · 398 students
- NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementary · 397 students
- KEARNEY EDUCATION CENTERElementary · 332 students
Other schools in KEARNEY
- KEARNEY HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 1,663 students
- HORIZON MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 648 students
- SUNRISE MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 536 students
- KENWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementary · 398 students
- NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementary · 397 students
- KEARNEY EDUCATION CENTERElementary · 332 students
Other Meadowlark Elementary schools
11 other US public schools in 7 states are named Meadowlark Elementary. MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is the 4th largest of the 12.
- Meadowlark ElementaryWinston-Salem, NC · 827 students
- Meadowlark ElementaryBozeman, MT · 492 students
- Meadowlark ElementaryCheyenne, WY · 453 students
- Meadowlark ElementaryPittsburg, KS · 403 students
- MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOLFargo, ND · 379 students
Nearby schools
- SUNRISE MIDDLE SCHOOL0.6 mi · 536
- NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL1.2 mi · 397
- HANNY ARRAM CENTER1.4 mi · 2
- BUFFALO HILLS ELEMENTARY1.7 mi · 272
- EMERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL1.7 mi · 235
- HORIZON MIDDLE SCHOOL1.8 mi · 648
Frequently asked questions
About MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOLWhat is the total enrollment at MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?
MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL enrolls approximately 417 students in grades PK-05.
Is MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL an elementary, middle, or high school?
MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is an elementary school covering grades PK-05.
How many teachers does MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL have?
MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL employs 23 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 17.8:1.
What is the racial breakdown of students at MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?
At MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, the student body is approximately 86% White, 7% Hispanic, 2% Black, 1% Asian, 2% Two or more.
Is MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL public or private?
MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is a public K-12 school, overseen by KEARNEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.