Is Southern Elementary School a good school?

Southern Elementary School ranks in the bottom 22.2% of Nebraska elementary schools.

How many students attend Southern Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 208 students attended Southern Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Southern Elementary School?

Students at Southern Elementary School are 91% White, 4% Two or more races, 3% African American, 1% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Southern Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Southern Elementary School usually go on to attend: High : Southern Junior-Senior High School

Southern Elementary School

Summary:

Southern Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-6 in the rural town of Blue Springs, Nebraska, with a student population of 208. Despite its small size, the school has consistently underperformed compared to state averages and nearby schools, ranking in the bottom half of Nebraska elementary schools.

One of the key factors contributing to Southern Elementary's struggles is its high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with around 65-67% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. This is significantly higher than the state average and the nearby Tri County Public Schools, where Tri County Elementary School consistently outperforms Southern Elementary on standardized tests and has a higher SchoolDigger rating. Additionally, despite spending significantly more per student ($19,569 in 2022-2023) compared to the state average and nearby schools, this high spending does not seem to translate into improved academic outcomes.

The school's consistently low academic performance, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics significantly lower than the state average, suggests that the school is struggling to provide a high-quality education to its students. This is further compounded by the school's low student-teacher ratio of around 9.5-9.9 students per teacher, which is lower than the nearby schools. Overall, the analysis of Southern Elementary School reveals several areas of concern that the school and district may need to address to improve outcomes for their students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

315 W 2nd St
Blue Springs, NE 68318-0158

(402) 645-3359

District: Southern School District 1

SchoolDigger Rank:
357^th of 459 Nebraska Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $19,569

Students who attend Southern Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Southern Junior-Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 9.5

Number of students: 208

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.9%

Two or more races:

4.3%

African American:

2.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 65.8%

See top rated Nebraska elementary schools

Compare Southern Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Southern Elementary School ranks worse than 77.8% of elementary schools in Nebraska. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 28.79. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (90.9%), two or more races (4.3%), African American (2.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southern Elementary School is 9.5. (See more...)

Compare Southern Elementary School employs 21.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southern Elementary School is $19,569.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Southern Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Southern Elementary School 357^th of 459 Nebraska public elementary schools. (See Southern Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Male students:

White students:

Southern School District 1:

SchoolDigger ranks Southern School District 1 208^th of 212 Nebraska school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Southern Elementary School?

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Rank History for Southern Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Southern Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NE State Percentile
2006	57.28	204^th	418	51.2%
2007	69.78	112^th	430	74.0%
2008	58.62	236^th	478	50.6%
2009	57.74	225^th	471	52.2%
2010	33.34	416^th	502	17.1%
2011	38.77	316^th	473	33.2%
2012	31.77	368^th	480	23.3%
2013	40.22	322^nd	485	33.6%
2014	50.14	255^th	483	47.2%
2015	43.80	306^th	488	37.3%
2016	34.55	348^th	480	27.5%
2017	30.90	354^th	459	22.9%
2018	20.60	386^th	450	14.2%
2019	28.41	347^th	452	23.2%
2021	21.29	369^th	442	16.5%
2022	34.61	319^th	457	30.2%
2023	28.79	357^th	459	22.2%

See the entire list of Nebraska Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	35.40	206^th	281	26.7%
2019	49.97	160^th	298	46.3%
2021	36.39	187^th	264	29.2%
2022	59.33	104^th	259	59.8%
2023	49.55	163^rd	312	47.8%

See the entire list of Best Nebraska Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Southern Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	24.49	284^th	341	16.7%
2019	44.46	202^nd	349	42.1%
2021	34.40	220^th	318	30.8%

See the entire list of Best Nebraska Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Southern Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NE State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	27.27	279^th	347	19.6%
2023	30.61	277^th	366	24.3%

See the entire list of Best Nebraska Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Southern Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	11.54	376^th	391	3.8%
2019	22.01	337^th	391	13.8%
2021	11.91	352^nd	368	4.3%
2022	20.67	336^th	388	13.4%
2023	18.09	348^th	385	9.6%

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.

Data source: Nebraska Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Southern Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	245	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	245
1989	255	2	0	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	259
1990	256	2	0	0	3	n/a	n/a	0	261
1991	271	2	1	2	2	n/a	n/a	0	278
1992	291	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	291
1993	292	2	0	4	9	n/a	n/a	0	307
1994	284	1	1	3	10	n/a	n/a	0	299
1995	285	1	1	3	5	n/a	n/a	0	295
1996	285	1	1	3	5	n/a	n/a	0	295
1997	265	0	1	3	8	n/a	n/a	0	277
1998	256	0	1	4	7	n/a	n/a	0	268
1999	265	0	0	1	8	n/a	n/a	3	277
2000	256	0	0	3	8	n/a	n/a	0	267
2001	249	0	0	4	9	n/a	n/a	0	262
2002	235	2	0	6	14	n/a	n/a	0	257
2003	235	2	0	6	14	n/a	n/a	0	257
2004	233	2	2	9	15	n/a	n/a	0	261
2005	250	1	0	10	9	n/a	n/a	0	270
2006	235	3	0	9	13	n/a	n/a	0	260
2007	227	2	0	11	12	n/a	n/a	0	252
2008	227	1	0	7	16	n/a	n/a	0	251
2009	208	1	0	10	11	n/a	n/a	0	230
2010	203	4	0	8	11	n/a	n/a	0	226
2011	205	2	0	6	10	0	0	0	223
2012	199	1	0	6	5	0	4	0	215
2013	191	1	0	7	5	0	8	0	212
2014	191	0	0	7	3	0	9	0	210
2015	202	0	0	11	1	0	10	0	224
2016	192	0	0	7	2	0	7	0	208
2017	199	0	0	12	2	0	12	0	225
2018	215	1	0	10	0	0	8	0	234
2019	176	0	0	10	0	0	7	0	193
2020	193	1	0	8	0	0	9	0	211
2021	179	0	0	8	2	0	8	0	197
2022	180	5	0	8	1	0	8	0	202
2023	189	6	0	3	1	0	9	0	208

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 Southern Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	245	18.6	13.1	26.5
1989	259	17.2	15.0	27
1990	261	17.5	14.9	27.2
1991	278	16.5	16.8	26.6
1992	291	17.3	16.8	21.6
1993	307	18.9	16.2	25.7
1994	299	19.4	15.4	24.4
1995	295	20.1	14.7	27.5
1996	295	20.1	14.7	27.5
1997	277	20.4	13.6	31.4
1998	268	21.4	12.5	27.2
1999	277	21.4	12.9	40.5
2000	267	21.0	12.7	39
2001	262	23.1	11.3	46.9
2002	257	22.9	11.2	50.2
2003	257	22.9	11.2	50.2
2004	261	21.9	11.9	51
2005	270	21.9	12.3	48.9
2006	260	21.6	12.0	52.7
2007	252	23.1	10.9	54.4
2008	251	22.1	11.4	53.8
2009	230	21.1	10.9	46.5
2010	226	21.9	10.3	49.6
2011	223	21.2	10.4	51.6
2012	215	20.2	10.6	49.3
2013	212	21.1	10.0	40.6
2014	210	22.1	9.4	51.9
2015	224	22.0	10.1	49.1
2016	208	23.0	9.0	53.8
2017	225	23.0	9.7	64
2018	234	23.0	10.1	65.8
2019	193	21.4	8.9	68.9
2020	211	21.0	10.0	66.8
2021	197	20.4	9.6	67.5
2022	202	20.3	9.9	65.8
2023	208	21.8	9.5	n/a

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 Southern Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	245	18.6	13.1	26.5
1989	259	17.2	15.0	27
1990	261	17.5	14.9	27.2
1991	278	16.5	16.8	26.6
1992	291	17.3	16.8	21.6
1993	307	18.9	16.2	25.7
1994	299	19.4	15.4	24.4
1995	295	20.1	14.7	27.5
1996	295	20.1	14.7	27.5
1997	277	20.4	13.6	31.4
1998	268	21.4	12.5	27.2
1999	277	21.4	12.9	40.5
2000	267	21.0	12.7	39
2001	262	23.1	11.3	46.9
2002	257	22.9	11.2	50.2
2003	257	22.9	11.2	50.2
2004	261	21.9	11.9	51
2005	270	21.9	12.3	48.9
2006	260	21.6	12.0	52.7
2007	252	23.1	10.9	54.4
2008	251	22.1	11.4	53.8
2009	230	21.1	10.9	46.5
2010	226	21.9	10.3	49.6
2011	223	21.2	10.4	51.6
2012	215	20.2	10.6	49.3
2013	212	21.1	10.0	40.6
2014	210	22.1	9.4	51.9
2015	224	22.0	10.1	49.1
2016	208	23.0	9.0	53.8
2017	225	23.0	9.7	64
2018	234	23.0	10.1	65.8
2019	193	21.4	8.9	68.9
2020	211	21.0	10.0	66.8
2021	197	20.4	9.6	67.5
2022	202	20.3	9.9	65.8
2023	208	21.8	9.5	n/a

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 Southern Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$611 (3.8%)	$14,369 (88.6%)	$16,211
2020	$744 (4.5%)	$14,450 (87.8%)	$16,455
2021	$678 (4.0%)	$15,090 (88.1%)	$17,131
2022	$918 (4.9%)	$16,341 (87.4%)	$18,698
2023	$1,015 (5.2%)	$16,504 (84.3%)	$19,569

Data source: Nebraska Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Southern 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 347^th of 452 Elementary schools	Ranks 357^th of 459 Elementary schools	1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Southern Elementary School)	29	33	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Southern School District 1)	29	33	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)	56	63	7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Southern Elementary School)	29	33	4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Southern School District 1)	29	33	4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)	55	58	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Southern Elementary School)	47	45	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Southern School District 1)	47	45	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)	58	55	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Southern Elementary School)	38	57	19%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Southern School District 1)	38	57	19%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)	48	56	8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Southern Elementary School)	62	52	10%
5th Grade Mathematics (Southern School District 1)	62	52	10%
5th Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)	54	65	11%
5th Grade Science (Southern Elementary School)	76	90	14%
5th Grade Science (Southern School District 1)	76	90	14%
5th Grade Science (Nebraska)	68	76	8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Southern Elementary School)	26	48	22%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Southern School District 1)	26	48	22%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)	49	55	6%
6th Grade Mathematics (Southern Elementary School)	44	44
6th Grade Mathematics (Southern School District 1)	44	44
6th Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)	55	57	2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	193	208	7.8%
African American	0	6
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	10	3	70%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	176	189	7.4%
Two or More Races	7	9	28.6%

Schools Near Southern Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				NSCAS English Language Arts (2023)				NSCAS Mathematics (2023)				NSCAS Science (2023)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NSCAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	NSCAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	NSCAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	NSCAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	NSCAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	NSCAS Mathematics 4th Grade	NSCAS Mathematics 5th Grade	NSCAS Mathematics 6th Grade	NSCAS Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Southern Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	315 W 2nd St	Blue Springs	68318	Gage County	Southern School District 1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 645-3359	208	22	9.5		189 (90.9%)	6 (2.9%)	3 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.3%)	28.8	357^th of 459 public elementary schools	22.2%		34.6	319^th of 457 public elementary schools	30.2%	38	33.0	45.0	57.0	48.0	33.0	34.0	52.0	44.0	90.0	$19,569	$1,015	$16,504
Stoddard Elementary School	Public	3-5	400 S 7th St	Beatrice	68310	Gage County	Beatrice Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 223-1580	217	14	15.1	58.1%	172 (79.3%)	2 (0.9%)	29 (13.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.5%)	38.6	309^th of 459 public elementary schools	32.7%		37.8	303^rd of 457 public elementary schools	33.7%	6	47.0	50.0	65.0		46.0	44.0	62.0		76.0	$12,174	$945	$9,737
Lincoln Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	500 N 19th	Beatrice	68310	Gage County	Beatrice Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 223-1575	173	13	13.0	66.5%	128 (74.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (15.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.9%)	1 (0.6%)	12 (6.9%)								(n/a)										$14,169	$1,868	$10,663
Paddock Lane School	Public	PK, KG-5	1300 N 14th St	Beatrice	68310	Gage County	Beatrice Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 223-1566	409	29	13.9	59.7%	360 (88.0%)	6 (1.5%)	19 (4.6%)	3 (0.7%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (4.4%)	21.2	378^th of 459 public elementary schools	17.6%		20.9	373^rd of 457 public elementary schools	18.4%	5	47.0	53.0	42.0		37.0	45.0	35.0		62.0	$13,454	$1,016	$11,281
Diller-Odell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	315 Smith St	Diller	68342	Jefferson County	Diller-Odell Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 793-5570	137	15	9.2	27.0%	130 (94.9%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.6%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	57.8	200^th of 459 public elementary schools	56.4%		63.9	154^th of 457 public elementary schools	66.3%	46	59.0	69.0		55.0	65.0	74.0		55.0		$23,883	$100	$21,953
Lewiston Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	306 Tiger Ave	Lewiston	68380	Pawnee County	Lewiston Consolidated Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 865-4675	106	12	8.6	60.4%	104 (98.1%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)								(n/a)	38.0				33.0					$25,344	$1,814	$19,025
Tri County Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	72520 Hwy 103	De Witt	68341	Saline County	Tri County Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 683-4035	238	21	11.3	29.8%	217 (91.2%)	2 (0.8%)	15 (6.3%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	69.8	136^th of 459 public elementary schools	70.4%		73.4	96^th of 457 public elementary schools	79.0%	40	76.0	50.0	77.0	63.0	86.0	58.0	80.0	69.0	86.0	$17,011	$969	$14,308

Southern Elementary School

Southern Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Southern School District 1:

What do you think?

Rank History for Southern Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Southern Elementary School

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

Rank History for Female students at Southern Elementary School

Rank History for Male students at Southern Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Southern Elementary School

Enrollment information for Southern Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Southern Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Southern Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Southern Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Southern Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Southern Elementary School