Summary:
The 68359 zip code in Nebraska is home to two schools: Friend Elementary School and Friend High Schools. While Friend Elementary School consistently ranks in the top half of Nebraska elementary schools, the high school has struggled in recent years, ranking in the bottom quarter of Nebraska high schools.
Friend Elementary School stands out with its impressive test scores, with 69% of 3rd graders, 71% of 5th graders, and 87% of 6th graders proficient or better in NSCAS Mathematics, significantly higher than the state averages. The school also has a relatively low free/reduced lunch rate of 25.85%, indicating a more affluent student population, and a small class size environment with a student-teacher ratio of 12.5. In contrast, Friend High Schools have lagged behind the state in English Language Arts test scores, though they perform better in Mathematics.
The stark contrast in performance between the elementary and high school suggests potential issues with the transition or continuity of education as students move from one level to the next. Additionally, the racial demographics of both schools are heavily skewed towards white students, with less than 5% of the student population being non-white, which may be an area for the Friend Public Schools district to examine and address. The higher spending per student at the high school level does not seem to translate into better academic outcomes, raising questions about the efficiency and effectiveness of resource allocation within the district.
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