Best Public Schools in Wakefield, NE

The city of Wakefield, Nebraska is home to two schools - Wakefield Elementary School and Wakefield High School, both part of the Wakefield Public Schools district. While Wakefield High School boasts a relatively high 4-year graduation rate of 88.1%, the district as a whole is ranked 169th out of 182 in Nebraska and has a 0-star rating, suggesting systemic challenges that may be impacting the performance of both schools.

Both Wakefield Elementary and Wakefield High have high rates of chronic absenteeism at 21.1%, significantly above the state average. This is a potential area of concern, as it may be impacting student performance and outcomes. Additionally, Wakefield High School has seen a decline in its statewide ranking over the past few years, dropping from 79th out of 202 Nebraska high schools in 2021-2022 to 123rd out of 168 in 2023-2024, indicating the school may be underperforming compared to its peers.

The data also reveals that both schools have high rates of free/reduced lunch recipients, with Wakefield Elementary at 60.82% and Wakefield High at 59.56%, suggesting the student population faces socioeconomic challenges that may be contributing to the academic performance issues. Despite the relatively high spending per student at both schools, the underperformance raises questions about the efficient allocation of resources and the effectiveness of the educational programs.