Summary:
The city of Bemidji, Minnesota is home to 18 schools serving students from elementary through high school, including 8 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 6 high schools, and 1 alternative school. The schools in this area display a wide range of academic performance, with some standout institutions like Lincoln Elementary and Horace May Elementary excelling in math and reading proficiency, while others like Treknorth High School and Aurora Waasakone Community of Learn struggle to meet state averages.
Lincoln Elementary stands out as the top-performing elementary school, with 75.64% of students proficient or better in math and 57.69% in reading. Horace May Elementary also excels, with 67.47% math proficiency. At the middle school level, Bemidji Middle School consistently ranks among the top 30% of Minnesota middle schools, with strong proficiency in both math (45.84%) and reading (48.88%). However, the data reveals significant disparities, with some alternative and charter schools like Bemidji Senior Lumberjack Alternative Learning Center and Voyageurs Expeditionary School struggling with very low test scores, high dropout rates, and low graduation rates.
The Bemidji school district also faces challenges related to racial and socioeconomic equity. Some schools, like J.W. Smith Elementary, have a majority Native American student population, and these students tend to have lower proficiency rates. Additionally, many schools have high rates of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, which likely contributes to the academic challenges faced by those students. Addressing these performance gaps and equity issues will be crucial for improving outcomes for all students in the Bemidji Public School District and the other districts serving the Bemidji area.
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