Best Public Schools in Zip Code 68938

Summary:

The 68938 zip code area is home to 3 schools serving students from elementary through high school: Sandy Creek Elementary School, Sandy Creek High School, and Sandy Creek Middle School. While the middle school stands out as a strong performer, the elementary and high schools in this South Central Nebraska Unified 5 district face some challenges.

Sandy Creek Middle School is the clear standout, consistently ranking among the top 50 middle schools in Nebraska and earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's test scores, particularly in math, are significantly above state and district averages, with over 75% of students proficient or better across all grade levels. In contrast, Sandy Creek Elementary and High School have been ranked in the bottom half of their respective school types in the state, with test scores below state averages.

Across the district, high chronic absenteeism rates around 21% and relatively high per-student spending suggest areas for improvement. Additionally, with free/reduced lunch rates around 45-50%, these schools serve student populations facing significant economic disadvantages, which can impact academic achievement. While the middle school's strong performance is a bright spot, the district as a whole has room for growth in ensuring all students receive a high-quality education.

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Sandy Creek High School	Public	9-12	30671 Hwy 14	Fairfield	68938	Clay County	South Central Nebraska Unified 5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 726-2151	117	15	7.6	44.4%	93 (79.5%)	3 (2.6%)	18 (15.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.7%)								(n/a)	$28,230	$134	$24,009
Sandy Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	30671 Hwy 14	Fairfield	68938	Clay County	South Central Nebraska Unified 5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 726-2412	275	20	13.9	41.8%	205 (74.5%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (20.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.4%)	26.5	333^rd of 428 public elementary schools	22.2%		44.1	277^th of 459 public elementary schools	39.7%	56	$18,316	$580	$14,045
Sandy Creek Middle School	Public	6-8	30671 Highway 14	Fairfield	68938	Clay County	South Central Nebraska Unified 5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 762-3561	97	7	13.1	48.5%	70 (72.2%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (24.7%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.1%)	75.6	39^th of 200 public middle schools	80.5%		73.8	47^th of 238 public middle schools	80.3%	8	$18,949	$134	$15,687

Cities Near Zip Code 68938

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Fairfield	2.99 mi	3	112^th
Lawrence	12.14 mi	1
Harvard	13.38 mi	3
Nelson	16.22 mi	2
Davenport	17.72 mi	2

See the top NE Nebraska cities

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.