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Dexter Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-5

50^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 656 Kansas Elementary Schools

Better than 92% of Kansas elementary schools

Summary

Dexter Elementary is a small, rural school in Dexter, Kansas, serving 134 students from Pre-K through 5th grade, and it stands out as a top-tier performer in the state. Ranked 50th out of 656 elementary schools in Kansas (92nd percentile, 5 stars), it has achieved a remarkable turnaround from a decade ago when it was in the bottom half of the state. The school's academic performance is elite, with 77.35% proficiency in English Language Arts, 60.37% in Math, and 76.46% in Science—dramatically higher than nearby schools like C 4 Elementary (51.06% ELA, 42.54% Math) and far above state averages. This success is even more impressive given that 52.99% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, yet the school ranks in the 99th percentile for serving low-income students, a feat unmatched by any nearby school.

What truly sets Dexter Elementary apart is its exceptional ability to close the achievement gap for economically disadvantaged students, earning it the #1 ranking in the state for this subgroup in 2022-2023. While schools like Jefferson Elementary (72.41% poverty) and Roosevelt Elementary struggle to reach state averages, Dexter outperforms them by a wide margin. The school's small size and low student-teacher ratio of 12.8:1 allow for individualized attention, contrasting with larger, struggling peers like Frances Willard Elementary (281 students, 17.5:1 ratio). Additionally, Dexter's chronic absenteeism rate is exceptionally low at 3.5% in 2023-2024, far better than the state average of 19.5% and nearby schools like Irving Elementary (23%).

This success is not due to higher spending—Dexter's per-student spending of $14,468 is moderate compared to Cedar Vale Elementary ($19,920) and Central Elementary ($26,681)—but rather effective resource use and strong district leadership. The Dexter district is ranked 18th out of 264 in Kansas (93rd percentile), while nearby Arkansas City (ranked 235th) and Winfield (ranked 221st) districts lag far behind. Dexter Elementary's journey from a 2-star school to a 5-star school in just ten years is a testament to effective leadership and a model for equity, making it an academic island of excellence in a region where most schools underperform.

134

Students ?

12.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,468

Per pupil spending ?

53%

Free/discounted lunch ?

311 N. Main
Dexter, KS 67038

(620) 876-5415

District: Dexter

Students who attend Dexter Elementary usually attend:

High:

Dexter High

Racial breakdown:

White:

96.3%

Hispanic:

1.5%

Two or more races:

1.5%

See top rated Kansas elementary schools

Compare Dexter Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 43rd percentile in 2015 → 92nd in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Kansas average (71% vs 42% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 8% of Kansas elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 49 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school71%

District avg58%

Kansas avg42%

50^th of 656

Kansas public elementary schools ?

Top 8%▲ up 49 pts since 2015

From bottom 43% (2015) to top 8% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Kansas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

18^th of 264Dexter among Kansas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kansas percentile	Rating
2025	87.8	50 of 656	92.4%	★★★★★
2024	89.1	49 of 653	92.5%	★★★★★
2023	79.1	108 of 660	83.6%	★★★★☆
2022	73.9	139 of 668	79.2%	★★★★☆
2021	66.5	203 of 670	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	76.4	121 of 667	81.9%	★★★★☆
2018	84.2	74 of 656	88.7%	★★★★☆
2017	86.7	59 of 659	91.0%	★★★★★
2016	42.0	407 of 656	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2015	46.8	386 of 678	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2011	62.9	273 of 631	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2008	86.8	2 of 614	99.7%	★★★★★
2007	58.9	290 of 600	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2006	80.6	59 of 585	89.9%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kansas percentile	Rating
2025	90.5	15 of 533	97.2%	★★★★★
2024	95.7	6 of 546	98.9%	★★★★★
2023	99.3	1 of 541	99.8%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kansas percentile	Rating
2025	82.3	73 of 576	87.3%	★★★★☆
2024	78.4	94 of 579	83.8%	★★★★☆
2023	68.8	135 of 584	76.9%	★★★★☆
2022	58.5	220 of 596	63.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	49.1	304 of 587	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	68.5	149 of 592	74.8%	★★★★☆
2018	80.9	81 of 574	85.9%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)97th percentile+5 vs school

White (2025)87th percentile-5 vs school

By subject vs Kansas (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts77%+33 vs state

Science76%+35 vs state

Mathematics60%+22 vs state

★

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Schools Near Dexter Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				KAP English Language Arts (2025)					KAP Mathematics (2025)					KAP Science (2025)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	KAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	KAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	KAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	KAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	KAP English Language Arts All Grades	KAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	KAP Mathematics 4th Grade	KAP Mathematics 5th Grade	KAP Mathematics 6th Grade	KAP Mathematics All Grades	KAP Science 5th Grade	KAP Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Dexter Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	311 N. Main	Dexter	67038	Cowley County	Dexter	No	No	No	Yes	(620) 876-5415	134	10	12.8	53.0%	129 (96.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.5%)	87.8	50^th of 656 public elementary schools	92.4%		89.1	49^th of 653 public elementary schools	92.5%	1	91.7	66.7	82.3		77.4	66.7	41.7	82.3		60.4	76.5	76.5	$14,468	$1,667	$12,801
Central Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	1045 N. Oak	Burden	67019	Cowley County	Central	No	No	No	Yes	(620) 438-3195	162	10	17.0	50.0%	128 (79.0%)	1 (0.6%)	23 (14.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.7%)	52.3	315^th of 656 public elementary schools	52.0%		42.9	393^rd of 653 public elementary schools	39.8%	78	52.9	50.0	36.0	47.8	45.8	35.3	50.0	48.0	43.5	44.6	52.0	52.0	$26,681	$1,701	$24,980
Country View Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	16300 151st Road	Winfield	67156	Cowley County	Winfield	No	No	No	Yes	(620) 221-5155	114	9	12.5	49.1%	102 (89.5%)	1 (0.9%)	7 (6.1%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	2 (1.8%)	28.4	496^th of 656 public elementary schools	24.4%		41.4	404^th of 653 public elementary schools	38.1%	92	13.3	40.0	37.5		31.5	33.3	46.7	33.3		37.0	25.0	25.0	$10,794	$1,033	$9,761
Cedar Vale Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	508 Dora	Cedar Vale	67024	Chautauqua County	Cedar Vale	No	No	No	Yes	(620) 758-2265	65	8	8.1	55.4%	34 (52.3%)	2 (3.1%)	7 (10.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (29.2%)								(n/a)		58.3			54.2		41.7			43.5			$19,920	$2,838	$17,081
Whittier Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1400 Mound	Winfield	67156	Cowley County	Winfield	No	No	No	Yes	(620) 221-5150	259	18	14.3	54.4%	203 (78.4%)	3 (1.2%)	33 (12.7%)	4 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (6.2%)	41	404^th of 656 public elementary schools	38.4%		47.8	350^th of 653 public elementary schools	46.4%	54	37.2	28.9	49.0		38.7	40.5	33.3	42.9		39.0	55.1	55.1	$11,220	$710	$10,510
Irving Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	311 Harter	Winfield	67156	Cowley County	Winfield	No	No	No	Yes	(620) 221-5140	234	18	13.3	72.6%	167 (71.4%)	4 (1.7%)	24 (10.3%)	3 (1.3%)	3 (1.3%)	7 (3.0%)	26 (11.1%)	22.1	535^th of 656 public elementary schools	18.4%		18.1	562^nd of 653 public elementary schools	13.9%	27	35.1	29.5	46.9		37.7	12.8	20.5	35.3		23.9	29.4	29.4	$11,607	$835	$10,771
C 4 Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	11945 292nd Road	Arkansas City	67005	Cowley County	Arkansas City	No	No	No	No	(620) 441-2045	122	10	12.7	44.3%	95 (77.9%)	1 (0.8%)	13 (10.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	12 (9.8%)	53	311^th of 656 public elementary schools	52.6%		46.2	359^th of 653 public elementary schools	45.0%	48	63.2	41.7	43.8		51.1	31.6	25.0	68.8		42.5	62.5	62.5	$16,550	$850	$15,700
Lowell Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1404 Millington	Winfield	67156	Cowley County	Winfield	No	No	No	Yes	(620) 221-5136	214	16	13.1	58.4%	134 (62.6%)	10 (4.7%)	35 (16.4%)	5 (2.3%)	1 (0.5%)	3 (1.4%)	26 (12.1%)	45	364^th of 656 public elementary schools	44.5%		48.2	345^th of 653 public elementary schools	47.2%	19	50.0	61.1	35.1		48.7	40.0	44.4	37.8		40.7	35.1	35.1	$11,130	$593	$10,538
Jefferson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	131 Osage Ave	Arkansas City	67005	Cowley County	Arkansas City	No	No	No	Yes	(620) 441-2060	261	17	15.5	72.4%	152 (58.2%)	14 (5.4%)	75 (28.7%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.8%)	5 (1.9%)	12 (4.6%)	33	468^th of 656 public elementary schools	28.7%		36.5	437^th of 653 public elementary schools	33.1%	31	38.5	46.2	33.3		39.3	35.0	46.1	30.8		37.3	30.8	30.8	$14,524	$1,375	$13,149
Roosevelt Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	300 North B	Arkansas City	67005	Cowley County	Arkansas City	No	No	No	Yes	(620) 441-2070	219	18	11.9	74.0%	94 (42.9%)	4 (1.8%)	102 (46.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)	5 (2.3%)	11 (5.0%)	23	528^th of 656 public elementary schools	19.5%		27.8	495^th of 653 public elementary schools	24.2%	33	48.4	30.5	27.8		34.9	38.7	25.0	25.0		29.1	19.4	19.4	$14,922	$1,334	$13,587

Frequently Asked Questions about Dexter Elementary

Is Dexter Elementary a good school?

Yes. Dexter Elementary ranks in the top 7.6% of Kansas elementary schools.

How many students attend Dexter Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 134 students attended Dexter Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Dexter Elementary attend?

Students who attend Dexter Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Dexter High

What district is Dexter Elementary in?

Dexter

What is the racial makeup of Dexter Elementary?

Students at Dexter Elementary are 96% White, 1% Hispanic, 1% Two or more races.

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Latest Kansas data All new data »

2023–24 school spending dataJan 8, 2026

2024–25 dropout ratesDec 4, 2025

2024–25 attendance dataOct 14, 2025

2024–25 KAP test scoresOct 14, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Kansas State 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.