Elkhart

The Elkhart school district in Kansas consists of 5 schools, including 1 elementary school, 1 middle school, 2 high schools, and 1 alternative school. The data reveals significant disparities in performance and resources among these schools, with Elkhart Elementary and Elkhart Middle School performing relatively better than Elkhart High School.

Elkhart Elementary stands out for its relatively strong performance on state assessments, with 5th-grade students scoring above the district and state averages in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. The school also has a high free/reduced lunch rate of 66.45%, indicating a high-need student population, and spends $10,004 per student, which is higher than the district average. In contrast, Kansas Connections Academy, a virtual school, has a very low free/reduced lunch rate of 0.24% and spends less per student at $4,894, but its performance is mixed, with some grade levels exceeding the district and state averages while others lag behind.

The data suggests that socioeconomic factors, as indicated by free/reduced lunch rates, may play a significant role in student performance. Schools with higher percentages of economically disadvantaged students, such as Elkhart Elementary and Elkhart Middle School, tend to have lower test scores compared to the state averages. The unique case of Kansas Connections Academy, with its low free/reduced lunch rate and higher student-teacher ratio, provides an interesting contrast to the traditional public schools in the district.