Is South Walnut Elementary School a good school?

South Walnut Elementary School ranks in the bottom 11.8% of Michigan elementary schools.

How many students attend South Walnut Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 335 students attended South Walnut Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of South Walnut Elementary School?

Students at South Walnut Elementary School are 45% White, 41% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 6% African American.

What schools do graduates of South Walnut Elementary School attend?

Students who attend South Walnut Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Bangor Middle School High : Bangor High School

South Walnut Elementary School

Summary:

South Walnut Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 335 students in grades PK-4 in Bangor, Michigan, which is part of the Bangor Public Schools district. The school faces significant challenges, including consistently low academic performance, high chronic absenteeism, and a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students.

South Walnut Elementary consistently ranks in the bottom 15-20% of Michigan elementary schools, with only 19-26% of students proficient in English Language Arts and 12-30% proficient in Math across grades 3-4. The school has experienced a dramatic increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 9.3% in 2018-2019 to 75.6% in 2020-2021, which remains high at 34% in the most recent year. Additionally, South Walnut has a very high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 75.81% to 78.81% over the past three years, significantly higher than the state average.

When compared to nearby schools, such as North Elementary and Lawrence Elementary, South Walnut Elementary consistently underperforms on academic measures. For example, the percentage of 3rd-grade students proficient in English Language Arts at South Walnut (19.1%) is less than half the state average (39.6%) and significantly lower than the nearby schools. This disparity may be partly attributed to the higher percentage of Hispanic and African American students at South Walnut compared to the surrounding schools, which tend to have a larger White student population. Additionally, the relatively low per-student spending at South Walnut, ranging from $12,285 to $17,445 over the past four years, may be a contributing factor to the school's academic challenges.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

309 S Walnut St
Bangor, MI 49013-1350

(269) 427-6863

District: Bangor Public Schools (Van Buren)

SchoolDigger Rank:
1311^th of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,445

Students who attend South Walnut Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Bangor Middle School
High:	Bangor High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.9

Number of students: 335

Racial breakdown:

White:

45.1%

Hispanic:

41.5%

Two or more races:

7.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 78.8%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare South Walnut Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details South Walnut Elementary School ranks worse than 88.2% of elementary schools in Michigan. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.91. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (45.1%), Hispanic (41.5%), two or more races (7.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 78.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Walnut Elementary School is 11.9. (See more...)

Compare South Walnut Elementary School employs 28 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Walnut Elementary School is $17,445.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

South Walnut Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks South Walnut Elementary School 1311^th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See South Walnut Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Bangor Public Schools (Van Buren):

SchoolDigger ranks Bangor Public Schools (Van Buren) 468^th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for South Walnut Elementary School?

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Rank History for South Walnut Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at South Walnut Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2006	35.71	1241^st	1545	19.7%
2007	45.23	1095^th	1565	30.0%
2008	37.82	1240^th	1577	21.4%
2009	40.22	1223^rd	1589	23.0%
2010	48.31	1099^th	1552	29.2%
2011	33.01	1260^th	1552	18.8%
2012	37.37	1099^th	1566	29.8%
2013	22.90	1277^th	1563	18.3%
2014	24.59	1228^th	1533	19.9%
2015	25.61	1220^th	1580	22.8%
2016	29.54	1116^th	1548	27.9%
2017	13.41	1270^th	1466	13.4%
2018	18.11	1240^th	1448	14.4%
2019	23.27	1079^th	1408	23.4%
2021	13.07	1043^rd	1153	9.5%
2022	18.06	1100^th	1344	18.2%
2023	13.95	1249^th	1470	15.0%
2024	11.91	1311^th	1486	11.8%

See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at South Walnut Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	22.72	239^th	270	11.5%
2023	19.90	152^nd	180	15.6%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Walnut Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	20.01	1191^st	1397	14.7%
2019	26.61	884^th	1134	22.0%
2021	12.91	710^th	749	5.2%
2022	26.61	849^th	1099	22.7%
2023	16.71	1153^rd	1350	14.6%
2024	11.59	1268^th	1381	8.2%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at South Walnut Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	20.48	1180^th	1443	18.2%
2019	23.24	939^th	1171	19.8%
2022	15.97	975^th	1106	11.8%
2023	12.72	1182^nd	1321	10.5%
2024	8.62	1262^nd	1342	6.0%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at South Walnut Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	16.63	1231^st	1446	14.9%
2019	13.55	1077^th	1196	9.9%
2021	13.70	839^th	915	8.3%
2022	16.05	989^th	1139	13.2%
2023	10.25	1221^st	1334	8.5%
2024	10.74	1242^nd	1347	7.8%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at South Walnut Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	28.46	174^th	222	21.6%
2019	36.27	53^rd	86	38.4%
2023	22.60	151^st	188	19.7%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at South Walnut Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	12.99	1160^th	1253	7.4%
2019	21.33	944^th	1128	16.3%
2021	7.04	984^th	1005	2.1%
2022	12.28	1029^th	1102	6.6%
2023	4.41	1185^th	1198	1.1%
2024	5.51	1179^th	1204	2.1%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Michigan Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for South Walnut Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1998	267	50	0	51	2	n/a	n/a	0	370
1999	281	42	0	59	7	n/a	n/a	0	389
2000	268	39	0	53	6	n/a	n/a	0	366
2001	258	29	0	72	8	n/a	n/a	0	367
2002	226	24	0	78	2	n/a	n/a	0	330
2003	226	24	0	78	2	n/a	n/a	0	330
2004	206	28	0	84	5	n/a	n/a	0	323
2005	224	21	0	78	4	n/a	n/a	0	327
2006	195	21	0	74	8	n/a	n/a	0	298
2007	207	23	0	64	8	n/a	n/a	1	303
2008	193	20	n/a	62	3	n/a	n/a	3	281
2009	196	19	2	73	0	n/a	n/a	5	295
2010	178	26	1	82	1	n/a	n/a	3	291
2011	236	28	0	152	7	0	12	0	435
2012	211	32	0	164	7	0	10	0	424
2013	229	29	0	157	3	0	15	0	433
2014	218	32	0	180	3	0	21	0	454
2015	215	26	0	167	3	0	33	0	444
2016	217	19	0	173	4	0	35	0	448
2017	201	16	0	179	5	0	33	0	434
2018	202	15	0	155	4	0	42	0	418
2019	189	12	0	152	5	0	35	0	393
2020	197	14	0	141	2	0	23	0	377
2021	170	13	0	127	4	0	25	0	339
2022	150	18	0	140	0	0	23	0	331
2023	151	19	0	139	0	0	26	0	335

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at South Walnut Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1998	370	21.0	17.6	0
1999	389	23.0	16.9	0
2000	366	21.3	17.2	69.9
2001	367	21.5	17.1	80.4
2002	330	22.0	15.0	86.7
2003	330	22.0	15.0	86.7
2004	323	18.5	17.5	81.7
2005	327	19.0	17.2	84.1
2006	298	17.5	17.0	81.2
2007	303	16.5	18.4	69.9
2008	281	15.5	18.1	70.9
2009	295	36.9	8.0	74.8
2010	291	20.3	14.3	74.7
2011	435	34.6	12.5	77.5
2012	424	33.0	12.8	83.3
2013	433	25.0	17.3	83.4
2014	454	25.0	18.1	85.7
2015	444	25.0	17.7	86
2016	448	26.0	17.2	76.3
2017	434	25.0	17.3	84.6
2018	418	35.0	11.9	85.9
2019	393	33.0	11.9	79.4
2020	377	33.0	11.4	83.6
2021	339	27.8	12.1	75.8
2022	331	31.0	10.6	78.2
2023	335	28.0	11.9	78.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio South Walnut Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1998	370	21.0	17.6	0
1999	389	23.0	16.9	0
2000	366	21.3	17.2	69.9
2001	367	21.5	17.1	80.4
2002	330	22.0	15.0	86.7
2003	330	22.0	15.0	86.7
2004	323	18.5	17.5	81.7
2005	327	19.0	17.2	84.1
2006	298	17.5	17.0	81.2
2007	303	16.5	18.4	69.9
2008	281	15.5	18.1	70.9
2009	295	36.9	8.0	74.8
2010	291	20.3	14.3	74.7
2011	435	34.6	12.5	77.5
2012	424	33.0	12.8	83.3
2013	433	25.0	17.3	83.4
2014	454	25.0	18.1	85.7
2015	444	25.0	17.7	86
2016	448	26.0	17.2	76.3
2017	434	25.0	17.3	84.6
2018	418	35.0	11.9	85.9
2019	393	33.0	11.9	79.4
2020	377	33.0	11.4	83.6
2021	339	27.8	12.1	75.8
2022	331	31.0	10.6	78.2
2023	335	28.0	11.9	78.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for South Walnut Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,654 (22.1%)	$9,330 (77.8%)	$11,985
2020	$2,642 (21.5%)	$9,643 (78.5%)	$12,284
2021	$2,931 (23.0%)	$9,824 (77.0%)	$12,755
2022	$3,892 (28.5%)	$9,770 (71.5%)	$13,663
2023	$3,837 (22.0%)	$13,608 (78.0%)	$17,445

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Walnut Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 1079^th of 1408 Elementary schools	Ranks 1249^th of 1470 Elementary schools	8.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Walnut Elementary School)	37.8	21.3	16.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Bangor Public Schools (Van Buren))	37.8	21.3	16.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.1	40.9	4.2%
3rd Grade Math (South Walnut Elementary School)	40.5	16.4	24.1%
3rd Grade Math (Bangor Public Schools (Van Buren))	40.5	16.4	24.1%
3rd Grade Math (Michigan)	46.7	42.9	3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (South Walnut Elementary School)	26.6	25.9	0.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Bangor Public Schools (Van Buren))	26.6	25.9	0.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.8	44.3	1.5%
4th Grade Math (South Walnut Elementary School)	20.3	17.2	3.1%
4th Grade Math (Bangor Public Schools (Van Buren))	20.3	17.2	3.1%
4th Grade Math (Michigan)	41.8	38.6	3.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	393	335	14.8%
African American	12	19	58.3%
American Indian	5	0	100%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	152	139	8.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	189	151	20.1%
Two or More Races	35	26	25.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	79.4%	78.8%	0.6%

Schools Near South Walnut Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				M-Step English Language Arts (2024)				M-Step Math (2024)				M-Step Science (2024)	M-Step Social Studies (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	M-Step English Language Arts 3rd Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 4th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 5th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Math 6th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
South Walnut Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	309 S Walnut St	Bangor	49013	Van Buren County	Bangor Public Schools (Van Buren)	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 427-6863	335	28	11.9	78.8%	151 (45.1%)	19 (5.7%)	139 (41.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (7.8%)	11.9	1311^th of 1486 public elementary schools	11.8%		14	1249^th of 1470 public elementary schools	15.0%	62	19.1	20.6			19.4	12.7					$17,445	$3,837	$13,608
Wood School Bangor Township 8	Public, Magnet	K-8	29842 66th St	Bangor	49013	Van Buren County	Bangor Township S/D #8	No	Yes	No	No	(269) 427-8562	24	2	12.0	54.2%	16 (66.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (29.2%)								(n/a)											$11,818	$00	$11,818
Lawrence Elementary School	Public	K-6	714 W Saint Joseph St	Lawrence	49064	Van Buren County	Lawrence Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 674-8231	207	14	14.3	81.6%	111 (53.6%)	2 (1.0%)	84 (40.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.8%)	29.6	1025^th of 1486 public elementary schools	31.0%		41.1	832^nd of 1470 public elementary schools	43.4%	193	13.8	41.9	37.0	23.5	20.0	25.8	29.6	20.6	40.7	11.1	$17,886	$3,457	$14,430
Redwood Elementary	Public	K-5	395 Woodside Dr	Hartford	49057	Van Buren County	Hartford Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 621-7300	567	34	16.6	85.5%	192 (33.9%)	7 (1.2%)	357 (63.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.9%)	21.8	1147^th of 1486 public elementary schools	22.8%		22.2	1109^th of 1470 public elementary schools	24.6%	38	16.5	22.1	32.6		28.4	30.4	20.7		29.0	6.5	$12,544	$2,715	$9,829
Covert Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	35323 M 140 Hwy	Covert	49043	Van Buren County	Covert Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(269) 764-3739	140	9	15.5	90.0%	28 (20.0%)	23 (16.4%)	80 (57.1%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (5.7%)	22	1143^rd of 1486 public elementary schools	23.1%		19	1170^th of 1470 public elementary schools	20.4%	27		23.8	32.0			31.8			15.4		$23,080	$9,749	$13,331
Maple Grove Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	72399 12th Ave	South Haven	49090	Van Buren County	South Haven Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 637-0500	302	20	15.1	72.2%	203 (67.2%)	7 (2.3%)	60 (19.9%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (9.9%)								(n/a)	34.4				28.1						$14,990	$2,896	$12,095
Bloomingdale Elementary School	Public	K-5	307 E Willow St	Bloomingdale	49026	Van Buren County	Bloomingdale Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 521-3935	311	19	16.8	81.4%	210 (67.5%)	4 (1.3%)	84 (27.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.9%)	18.3	1194^th of 1486 public elementary schools	19.7%		18.5	1181^st of 1470 public elementary schools	19.7%	13	12.8	31.1	19.5		23.4	20.0	24.4		27.5	7.3	$13,920	$3,221	$10,699
Lincoln School	Public	PK, KG-3	500 Elkenburg St	South Haven	49090	Van Buren County	South Haven Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 637-0540	234	18	13.0	72.2%	140 (59.8%)	21 (9.0%)	36 (15.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (15.0%)								(n/a)	40.0				44.4						$17,092	$3,414	$13,678
North Elementary School	Public	3-5	287 West Baldwin Ave	Watervliet	49098	Berrien County	Watervliet School District	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 463-0824	317	17	19.1	65.0%	231 (72.9%)	8 (2.5%)	59 (18.6%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.4%)	39.1	865^th of 1486 public elementary schools	41.8%		41.3	830^th of 1470 public elementary schools	43.5%	35	29.4	43.8	40.2		29.1	35.8	25.2		43.0	15.9	$14,507	$2,358	$12,149
North Shore Elementary	Public	4-5	7320 N Shore Dr	South Haven	49090	Van Buren County	South Haven Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 637-0500	247	17	14.1	79.8%	153 (61.9%)	22 (8.9%)	39 (15.8%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (12.1%)	34.6	942^nd of 1486 public elementary schools	36.6%		42.6	806^th of 1470 public elementary schools	45.2%	136		42.9	37.0			26.3	21.4		33.9	15.7	$15,763	$2,778	$12,985

South Walnut Elementary School

South Walnut Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Bangor Public Schools (Van Buren):

What do you think?

Rank History for South Walnut Elementary School

Rank History for all students at South Walnut Elementary School

Rank History for English Language Learner students at South Walnut Elementary School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Walnut Elementary School

Rank History for Female students at South Walnut Elementary School

Rank History for Male students at South Walnut Elementary School

Rank History for Hispanic students at South Walnut Elementary School

Rank History for White students at South Walnut Elementary School

Enrollment information for South Walnut Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at South Walnut Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio South Walnut Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for South Walnut Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on South Walnut Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near South Walnut Elementary School

Frequently Asked Questions about South Walnut Elementary School

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