Best Public Schools in Alma, NE

The city of Alma, Nebraska is home to two schools: Alma Elementary At Alma and Alma High School, both part of the Alma Public Schools district. While Alma Elementary At Alma stands out as a strong performer, Alma High School lags behind in academic achievement.

Alma Elementary At Alma consistently ranks in the top half of Nebraska elementary schools, with a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics for 3rd and 6th graders are significantly higher than the state averages, and it maintains a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 9.8. In contrast, Alma High School has only a 1-star or 2-star rating and has been ranked in the bottom half of Nebraska high schools in recent years.

Both schools have a significant proportion of students (over 40%) eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a relatively high level of economic disadvantage in the student population. Additionally, both schools struggle with high chronic absenteeism rates of 19.3%, which can negatively impact student learning and academic outcomes. The district-level challenges faced by the Alma Public Schools system, which is ranked 63rd out of 115 districts in Nebraska and has a 2-star rating, may also be contributing to the performance disparities between the two schools.