Best Public Schools in Laurel, NE

The city of Laurel, Nebraska is home to two schools - Laurel-Concord-Coleridge Elementary School and Laurel-Concord-Coleridge High School, both part of the Laurel-Concord-Coleridge School district. The data reveals a stark contrast in academic performance between the two schools, with the elementary school consistently ranking in the top quarter of Nebraska elementary schools and significantly outperforming the state on standardized tests, while the high school struggles to maintain a middle-of-the-pack ranking and has more mixed academic results.

Laurel-Concord-Coleridge Elementary School appears to be a standout school, with students performing 20-25 percentage points better than the state average on ELA and Math tests. The school also has a relatively low chronic absenteeism rate and spends a high amount of $29,683 per student, suggesting strong funding and resources. In contrast, Laurel-Concord-Coleridge High School has more modest performance, with ACT scores that are better than the state average in some subjects but lag in others. The high school also has a relatively high chronic absenteeism rate and spends slightly less per student at $27,797.

Both schools face the challenge of having a high percentage of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, which is often correlated with lower academic achievement. Understanding the root causes behind the differences in performance between the elementary and high school could help the district develop targeted strategies to improve outcomes across all grade levels.