Central Elementary School

Summary:

Central Elementary School is a public elementary school in Kearney, Nebraska, serving 254 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Kearney Public Schools district, which is ranked 44 out of 212 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

One key differentiator for Central Elementary is its racial diversity, with a student population that is 53.15% White, 34.65% Hispanic, and a mix of other races. This is higher diversity than nearby schools like Windy Hills Elementary and Meadowlark Elementary. However, Central Elementary also has a significantly higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at 67.72%, compared to 15.69% to 40.14% at nearby schools. This suggests the school serves a lower-income population, which may contribute to its lower academic performance on standardized tests compared to nearby schools.

Despite having a higher spending per student ($16,481) and a lower student-teacher ratio (13.4) than nearby schools, Central Elementary's student performance on the NSCAS tests is generally lower, especially in English Language Arts and Mathematics. For example, only 74% of 5th-grade students were proficient or better in NSCAS/ELA, compared to 90% at Windy Hills Elementary and 86% at Meadowlark Elementary. This highlights the need to address the unique challenges and support needs of Central Elementary's diverse and lower-income student population to ensure equitable educational outcomes.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 300 W 24th St
       Kearney, NE  68845-5345


(308) 698-8040

District: Kearney Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
142nd of 459 Nebraska Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,481 Help


Students who attend Central Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Horizon Middle School
High:    Kearney High School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.4 Help
Number of students:  254

Racial breakdown:

White:
53.1%
Hispanic:
34.6%
African American:
2.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  67.7% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Central Elementary School ranks better than 69.1% of elementary schools in Nebraska. It also ranks 7th among 10 ranked elementary schools in the Kearney Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 68.35. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (53.1%), Hispanic (34.6%), American Indian (2.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 67.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 13.4, which is the 2nd best among 10 elementary schools in the Kearney Public Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Central Elementary School employs 18.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central Elementary School is $16,481, which is the highest among 10 elementary schools in the Kearney Public Schools District!
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Central Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Central Elementary School 142nd of 459 Nebraska public elementary schools. (See Central Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Kearney Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Kearney Public Schools 44th of 212 Nebraska school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Central Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Central Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 39.13 299th 418 28.5%
2007 50.01 259th 430 39.8%
2008 50.22 320th 478 33.1%
2009 44.15 356th 471 24.4%
2010 31.49 425th 502 15.3%
2011 48.94 255th 473 46.1%
2012 57.33 201st 480 58.1%
2013 63.34 160th 485 67.0%
2014 69.41 110th 483 77.2%
2015 78.04 81st 488 83.4%
2016 61.49 164th 480 65.8%
2017 65.51 150th 459 67.3%
2018 66.84 132nd 450 70.7%
2019 70.86 113th 452 75.0%
2021 55.24 199th 442 55.0%
2022 64.36 150th 457 67.2%
2023 68.35 142nd 459 69.1%
See the entire list of Nebraska Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Central Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.27 35th 281 87.5%
2019 79.86 31st 298 89.6%
2021 66.16 79th 264 70.1%
2022 81.62 24th 259 90.7%
2023 82.83 28th 312 91.0%
See the entire list of Best Nebraska Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Central Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.29 111th 341 67.4%
2019 51.06 163rd 349 53.3%
2021 55.76 128th 318 59.7%
2022 56.77 138th 337 59.1%
2023 76.52 73rd 349 79.1%
See the entire list of Best Nebraska Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Central Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.74 97th 347 72.0%
2019 79.59 59th 367 83.9%
2021 50.00 166th 328 49.4%
2022 62.83 123rd 356 65.4%
2023 55.18 160th 366 56.3%
See the entire list of Best Nebraska Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Central Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.33 9th 81 88.9%
2022 86.02 2nd 81 97.5%
2023 75.20 13th 108 88.0%
See the entire list of Best Nebraska Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Central Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NE State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.62 104th 391 73.4%
2019 63.38 122nd 391 68.8%
2021 51.33 163rd 368 55.7%
2022 70.40 85th 388 78.1%
2023 78.38 57th 385 85.2%
See the entire list of Best Nebraska Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Nebraska Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Central Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Nebraska Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Central Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 328 0 1 15 0 n/a n/a 0 344
1989 370 0 4 9 0 n/a n/a 0 383
1990 373 0 4 18 0 n/a n/a 0 395
1991 400 1 4 13 0 n/a n/a 0 418
1992 399 0 0 16 2 n/a n/a 0 417
1993 356 0 1 23 0 n/a n/a 0 380
1994 337 0 3 28 1 n/a n/a 0 369
1995 298 5 4 27 0 n/a n/a 0 334
1996 298 5 4 27 0 n/a n/a 0 334
1997 211 1 4 23 1 n/a n/a 0 240
1998 209 2 3 29 0 n/a n/a 0 243
1999 216 4 1 15 0 n/a n/a 18 254
2000 179 2 4 46 3 n/a n/a 0 234
2001 179 3 2 53 3 n/a n/a 0 240
2002 165 3 2 75 1 n/a n/a 0 246
2003 165 3 2 75 1 n/a n/a 0 246
2004 155 8 3 72 1 n/a n/a 0 239
2005 168 4 6 77 2 n/a n/a 0 257
2006 155 19 5 66 4 n/a n/a 0 249
2007 151 9 4 77 6 n/a n/a 0 247
2008 173 11 4 68 7 n/a n/a 0 263
2009 151 12 4 71 4 n/a n/a 0 242
2010 204 10 10 86 4 n/a n/a 0 314
2011 200 7 9 110 8 0 4 0 338
2012 177 3 6 75 7 0 7 0 275
2013 172 0 9 66 6 0 4 0 257
2014 170 0 10 71 6 0 4 0 261
2015 172 0 7 72 7 0 4 0 262
2016 176 2 9 65 3 0 1 0 256
2017 208 4 9 65 2 0 1 0 289
2018 184 5 5 70 2 2 1 0 269
2019 175 8 8 75 2 0 2 0 270
2020 170 9 5 76 3 0 4 0 267
2021 162 11 5 76 5 7 7 0 273
2022 149 14 4 81 5 12 4 0 269
2023 135 7 6 88 7 4 7 0 254

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Central Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 344 17.3 19.8 0
1989 383 17.3 22.1 13.8
1990 395 18.7 21.1 12.4
1991 418 20.9 20.0 11.5
1992 417 22.4 18.6 11.8
1993 380 20.8 18.3 14.5
1994 369 20.7 17.8 14.4
1995 334 20.7 16.1 34.1
1996 334 20.7 16.1 34.1
1997 240 17.3 13.9 35.8
1998 243 17.6 13.8 39.5
1999 254 17.3 14.7 51.3
2000 234 16.9 13.8 56.4
2001 240 16.9 14.2 55.4
2002 246 18.6 13.2 58.9
2003 246 18.6 13.2 58.9
2004 239 19.0 12.6 50.2
2005 257 19.1 13.5 58.4
2006 249 18.8 13.2 54.2
2007 247 19.9 12.4 59.9
2008 263 20.6 12.8 58.2
2009 242 20.7 11.7 62
2010 314 23.2 13.5 59.9
2011 338 23.1 14.5 58
2012 275 20.5 13.3 64.7
2013 257 19.6 13.1 63.4
2014 261 19.5 13.3 63.2
2015 262 19.0 13.7 63
2016 256 19.0 13.4 59
2017 289 19.3 14.9 59.2
2018 269 19.5 13.7 65.4
2019 270 19.5 13.8 70.4
2020 267 19.6 13.6 68.9
2021 273 19.7 13.8 73.3
2022 269 19.3 13.8 60.6
2023 254 18.8 13.4 67.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Central Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 344 17.3 19.8 0
1989 383 17.3 22.1 13.8
1990 395 18.7 21.1 12.4
1991 418 20.9 20.0 11.5
1992 417 22.4 18.6 11.8
1993 380 20.8 18.3 14.5
1994 369 20.7 17.8 14.4
1995 334 20.7 16.1 34.1
1996 334 20.7 16.1 34.1
1997 240 17.3 13.9 35.8
1998 243 17.6 13.8 39.5
1999 254 17.3 14.7 51.3
2000 234 16.9 13.8 56.4
2001 240 16.9 14.2 55.4
2002 246 18.6 13.2 58.9
2003 246 18.6 13.2 58.9
2004 239 19.0 12.6 50.2
2005 257 19.1 13.5 58.4
2006 249 18.8 13.2 54.2
2007 247 19.9 12.4 59.9
2008 263 20.6 12.8 58.2
2009 242 20.7 11.7 62
2010 314 23.2 13.5 59.9
2011 338 23.1 14.5 58
2012 275 20.5 13.3 64.7
2013 257 19.6 13.1 63.4
2014 261 19.5 13.3 63.2
2015 262 19.0 13.7 63
2016 256 19.0 13.4 59
2017 289 19.3 14.9 59.2
2018 269 19.5 13.7 65.4
2019 270 19.5 13.8 70.4
2020 267 19.6 13.6 68.9
2021 273 19.7 13.8 73.3
2022 269 19.3 13.8 60.6
2023 254 18.8 13.4 67.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Central Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $853 (6.5%) $10,228 (78.2%) $13,072
2020 $820 (6.3%) $10,203 (78.3%) $13,036
2021 $916 (6.7%) $10,618 (78.0%) $13,605
2022 $1,114 (7.3%) $11,319 (74.3%) $15,237
2023 $782 (4.7%) $12,551 (76.2%) $16,481

Data source: Nebraska Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Central Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 113th of 452 Elementary schoolsRanks 142nd of 459 Elementary schools
 5.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)6363
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Kearney Public Schools)6474
 10%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)5663
 7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Central Elementary School)5468
 14%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Kearney Public Schools)6275
 13%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)5558
 3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)6164
 3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Kearney Public Schools)6567
 2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)5855
 3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Central Elementary School)8468
 16%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Kearney Public Schools)6271
 9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)5158
 7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)5374
 21%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Kearney Public Schools)5671
 15%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)4856
 8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Central Elementary School)7575
   5th Grade Mathematics (Kearney Public Schools)6279
 17%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)5465
 11%
5th Grade Science (Central Elementary School)8682
 4%
   5th Grade Science (Kearney Public Schools)7686
 10%
   5th Grade Science (Nebraska)6876
 8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students270254
 5.9%
African American87
 12.5%
American Indian27
 250%
Asian86
 25%
Hispanic7588
 17.3%
Pacific Islander04
White175135
 22.9%
Two or More Races27
 250%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients70.4%67.7%
 2.7%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Central Elementary School

Students at Central Elementary School are 53% White, 35% Hispanic, 3% African American, 3% American Indian, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian, 2% Pacific Islander.

Students who attend Central Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Horizon Middle School
High : Kearney High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 254 students attended Central Elementary School.

Central Elementary School ranks 142nd of 459 Nebraska elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Nebraska Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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