MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is an elementary-level community of high-enrollment scale in KEARNEY, Nebraska, overseen by KEARNEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, works with 417 students in grades pre-K through 5. That puts it 53% above the typical public school in Nebraska, which averages around 272 students.

MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is one of 15 schools operated by KEARNEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, a district that hosts 6,066 students overall.

On demographics, MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL logs that nearly all students (86%) are White. Other groups include 7% Hispanic, 2% Black, 2% multiracial. That composition is broadly in line with Buffalo County as a whole.

Looking at the economic backdrop, The school reports having 23 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 17.8:1. The state averages around 21.0:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. About 14% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. Set against Buffalo County (around 33%), the school's rate is noticeably below typical.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 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 71.4%; MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL posts 80.1%, +8.8 points above that line.

In the area at large, Buffalo County reports that median household income runs about $75,911, roughly 34% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 5% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Buffalo County runs 28 public schools (combined enrollment of about 8,449 students), of which MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is one.

Nearest neighbor: SUNRISE MIDDLE SCHOOL, around 0.6 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ranks 1st on composite proficiency, above the local average of 64.3%.

The school occupies a town-center site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count fell 4%: 433 students in 2018 compared to 417 in 2025.

On the community side, recent activity here tends to focus on classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.