Red Cloud Community Schools

The Red Cloud Community Schools district in Nebraska operates two schools: Red Cloud Elementary School and Red Cloud High School. While the elementary school stands out for its exceptional test scores, the high school has a more diverse student population. Both schools face socioeconomic challenges, with high rates of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch.

Red Cloud Elementary School is a standout, with 95% of 3rd graders, 64% of 4th graders, and 53% of 5th graders scoring proficient or better on the NSCAS English Language Arts assessment, significantly outperforming the state average. The school's math proficiency rates also exceed the Nebraska state averages. In contrast, Red Cloud High School has a more diverse student population, with 21.7% of students identifying as Hispanic and 4.72% as two or more races.

Both schools face similar challenges, with high rates of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 58.28% for the elementary school and 46.23% for the high school. Additionally, the district's relatively high spending per student, at $23,055 for the elementary school and $23,889 for the high school, raises questions about the efficient allocation of resources and the potential need to explore ways to maximize the impact of the available funding.