Clifton-Clyde USD 224 is in many ways typical of small, rural Kansas school districts, serving around 300 students with territory in four counties about one hour northwest of Manhattan. The high school is in Clyde, and Pre-K through middle school are in nearby Clifton, towns with about 1,000 people between them. 

But the district’s results are not typical. KASB uses a formula that projects each district’s state outcomes based on its size and percentage of low-income students and students with disabilities – who often have greater academic challenges. Clifton-Clyde exceeded expectations by an average of 4.8 percent on six outcomes covering state reading and math tests, graduation rate and postsecondary success. They ranked 22nd out of 132 districts with fewer than 500 students. 

Where Clifton-Clyde really stands out is its postsecondary effective rate (PER): the percentage of each senior class that graduates on time and has earned an industry-recognized credential, a technical certificate or academic degree, or is enrolled in a postsecondary program two years after graduation. 

From 2018 to 2024, its PER averaged 71 percent, 14.4 percent higher than expected. While most districts had a decline in postsecondary success over those five years as postsecondary enrollment dropped during the COVID pandemic, Clifton-Clyde's rate increased by 14.9 percent, 20.3 percent more than expected. 

Since 2015, the district’s average percentage of free and reduced-price meal students, combined with students with disabilities, was 54.3 percent, about nine points lower than the state average. The formula takes that into account, so Clifton-Clyde is outperforming expectations compared to similar districts. 

I met with school board members, teachers, administrators and community members to find out what was driving those results. Like virtually every district I’ve profiled for high success, they described a mixture of positive attitudes and specific policies. 

“My first hour today was calculus, so these are high-achieving kids,” said high school math teacher Carrie Littrell. “I told them we've gotten some news that we're doing a good job and asked what they think we do well here at the school. They say that the teachers push them to be better people. Not just in academics, but to be better people in general. We give them opportunities. We have high expectations, and because we’re at a small school, they know that we care about them individually. To me, it all comes down to relationships.” 

School Board Member Cade Winter agreed with the individual approach. “I just had two kids graduate from this high school. One went to Hutchison (Community College) and just completed a two-year farm and ranch degree. One is currently at Kansas State in speech communications. One has already graduated and is back home working on the farm, and the other one’s got six to seven more years to go. My point is, both of them were set up to be successful, and I don't think you could choose two different paths and skills that have the same basis to be successful.” 

School leaders mentioned several policies and programs they say contribute to their high rates of postsecondary success. This includes a strong college and career counseling effort, placing an equal focus on both technical education programs and academic preparation. The high school offers eight Career and Technical Education pathways. They say students appreciate the option to take the ACT at no charge. In addition to the state paying for each student to take the ACT once, the district has for years paid for juniors and seniors to take the ACT in October and pays for all juniors to take an ACT prep class in September.    

Education beyond high school is linked to higher salaries, more employment and less poverty. The district pays half the cost of high school students taking college hours. Leaders praise a strong partnership with Cloud County Community College. The district also encourages students to apply for federal student financial aid. All of these steps help reduce the cost and ease enrollment in postsecondary programs.  

Clifton-Clyde leaders say high school graduation and postsecondary success is also supported by programs for younger students, starting with a preschool program to give students a better start. Free preschool is offered to all four-year-olds in the district, as well as qualifying three-year-olds based on need. Staff said the preschool program has been in place long enough that they can see the impact on current graduation rates. In recent years, the district has also added a student support worker at the elementary level to help students who may be struggling and free up time for the high school counselor. 

School Board President Shawn Taddiken emphasized the importance of low student-teacher ratios, particularly in the grade school. He noted that while the board received some pushback about spending too much money on staff, the board believes it's a good investment. By keeping class sizes small, the district can better mix and match students to optimize each classroom based on student needs, teacher strengths and overall relationships. He sees this as a success, especially at the elementary level where classroom composition can be more challenging. 

Though Clifton-Clyde’s results are significantly higher than most other small districts, leaders acknowledge they have advantages as a small district. It’s easier to figure out each student’s goals and challenges. “Because we are so small, we know the kids well enough to kind of predict where they're going to go, and our counselor is really good about saying, ‘Hey, you might want to consider this,” said Littrell. 

Smaller districts can also face disadvantages based on size, like fewer community resources and employers, and more difficulty recruiting staff to rural areas. Clifton-Clyde leaders say they have found ways to get the benefits of small size while minimizing the disadvantages. A key factor has been staff stability. 

Board President Taddiken noted that the district has moved from a previous model of "revolving" administrators and "retired guys double dipping" to a more stable leadership approach. He emphasized the importance of longevity, noting that long-term staff members like coaches, provide continuity and support for students. The current board and administration focus on maintaining stability and supporting staff over the long term. Both administrators and teachers say the key to creating a more stable staff has been respectful relationships. 

Eric Sacco, PreK-8 principal, said the school board supports the administration and trusts them to make the right educational decisions. He emphasized that board members recognize they are not education professionals, and they trust the staff to make appropriate choices. He noted that the board members don't have personal agendas and are all focused on making the district the best it can be. He highlighted a supportive and unified school board as something unique. 

Teachers also praised the climate of support, noting that there is almost no turnover other than retirement, and that several teachers have returned to teach in the district. All talked about the sense of “family” among staff, noting examples of personal challenges in which the district provided strong support. They stressed the importance of relationships, both among staff and between staff and students, which fosters a supportive environment. 

Finally, the group emphasized a strong bond between the schools and community, with students actively participating in community events and local businesses supporting educational initiatives.