Home › Nebraska › Clay County
South Central Nebraska Unified 5 Schools
South Central Nebraska Unified 5 is a public school district in Nebraska, based in Clay County (Fairfield). SchoolGrade grades 6 of its schools on actual versus projected test scores; every school below has its own page.
South Central Nebraska Unified 5 on the map
District boundary from the NCES EDGE composite school district file. Each marker is a graded school; click it for its grade and scores.
SchoolGrade summary for South Central Nebraska Unified 5
6 of 6 schools in South Central Nebraska Unified 5 carry a SchoolGrade. Grade distribution:
A: 1B: 2C: 3
Best schools in South Central Nebraska Unified 5
Statewide rankings: all 256 high schools in Nebraska · all 120 middle schools in Nebraska · all 499 elementary schools in Nebraska
The ten highest SchoolGrades in the district. Grades reward actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact.
- A Sandy Creek Middle School (Middle school, greatly exceeds expectations)
- B+ Lawrencenelson High Sch (High school, greatly exceeds expectations)
- B Sandy Creek Elementary School (Elementary school, exceeds expectations)
- C+ Sandy Creek High School (High school, meets expectations)
- C Lawrence Nelson Middle School (Middle school, doesn't meet expectations)
- C- Lawrencenelson Elementary Sch (Elementary school, underperforms expectations)
Every school in South Central Nebraska Unified 5
High schools (2)
- B+ Lawrencenelson High Sch, Nelson
- C+ Sandy Creek High School, Fairfield
Middle and junior high schools (2)
- C Lawrence Nelson Middle School, Nelson
- A Sandy Creek Middle School, Fairfield
Elementary and primary schools (2)
- C- Lawrencenelson Elementary Sch, Lawrence
- B Sandy Creek Elementary School, Fairfield
Where South Central Nebraska Unified 5 schools are
About this district
- State: Best schools in Nebraska
- County: Clay County
- Type: regular local school district
- Setting: remote rural (NCES locale of the district office)
- Enrollment: 733 students with 66 full-time-equivalent teachers and 145 total staff FTE (NCES CCD, 2023-24)
- NCES district ID: 3100122
- Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model: each school's actual proficiency against the level projected for its student context. How SchoolGrade works
Nearby school districts
- Superior Public Schools (3 schools, 19 mi)
- Harvard Public Schools (3 schools, 20 mi)
- Hastings Public Schools (7 schools, 22 mi)
- Adams Central Public Schools (3 schools, 22 mi)
- Bruning-Davenport Unified Sys (4 schools, 23 mi)
- Fillmore Central Public Schs (3 schools, 30 mi)
- Aurora Public Schools (3 schools, 37 mi)
- Exeter-Milligan Public Schools (3 schools, 41 mi)
Questions about South Central Nebraska Unified 5
How many schools are in South Central Nebraska Unified 5?
SchoolGrade grades 6 public schools in South Central Nebraska Unified 5, across 3 cities and towns. Every one of them is listed on this page with a link to its own report.
Which cities does South Central Nebraska Unified 5 serve?
The largest by graded schools: Fairfield, Nelson, Lawrence.
How good are the schools in South Central Nebraska Unified 5?
Across the 6 graded schools, the average SchoolGrade is B-, with 45.8% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 42%. 67% of schools meet or exceed the expectation for their student context.
How many students attend South Central Nebraska Unified 5?
733 students were enrolled in South Central Nebraska Unified 5 in the 2023-24 school year, about 11.1 students per full-time teacher (NCES Common Core of Data).
Where is South Central Nebraska Unified 5?
South Central Nebraska Unified 5 is in Nebraska, based in Clay County, with its district office in Fairfield. Its boundary covers about 587 sq mi.