Paradise

The Paradise school district in Kansas is home to two schools: Natoma High (6-12) and Natoma Elementary. Both schools have seen a decline in their statewide rankings over the years, with Natoma High (6-12) dropping from 2nd out of 298 Kansas high schools in 2010-2011 to 187th out of 327 in 2022-2023, and Natoma Elementary falling from 77th out of 621 Kansas elementary schools in 2008-2009 to 315th out of 670 in 2020-2021.

Both schools serve a predominantly low-income student population, with over 61% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. Natoma High (6-12) has higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts compared to the Paradise district and the state of Kansas, but its Math proficiency rate is lower. Natoma Elementary has maintained a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger, while Natoma High (6-12) has seen its rating decrease from 5 stars to 2 stars.

Despite the small student enrollments and low student-teacher ratios at both schools, the high spending per student at Natoma High (6-12) ($17,446 per student) and Natoma Elementary ($13,594 per student) may raise questions about the efficient use of resources. The overall data provides a mixed picture of the schools in the Paradise school district, with both areas of strength and areas that may require further investigation and improvement.