High Plains Community Schools

The High Plains Community Schools district in Nebraska consists of two schools: High Plains Community Elementary School and High Plains Community Junior/Senior High School. While the high school demonstrates strong academic performance, the elementary school faces some challenges that present opportunities for improvement.

The high school stands out for its exceptional performance on ACT English Language Arts and Science assessments, with proficiency rates of 72.73% and 54.55%, respectively, significantly exceeding the state averages. Additionally, the high school boasts an impressive 88.1% four-year graduation rate. In contrast, the elementary school lags behind state averages in English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency rates for grades 3-6, despite recent improvements in its statewide ranking.

Socioeconomic factors also play a role, as both schools have relatively high free and reduced lunch rates, with the elementary school at 31.4% and the high school at 35.29%. Interestingly, the district spends significantly more per student at the high school level ($34,727) compared to the elementary school ($27,153), which may raise questions about resource allocation and equity within the district. Additionally, the high chronic absenteeism rates of 21.1% at both the elementary and high school levels indicate a need to address this area for improvement.