Summary:
The city of Buffalo, Minnesota is home to 12 schools, including 4 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 7 high schools. The schools in this area display a wide range of academic performance and student demographics, with significant disparities between the highest and lowest-performing institutions.
At the top of the pack is Northwinds Elementary, which consistently ranks among the best elementary schools in the state with very high proficiency rates in core subjects. Buffalo Community Middle also stands out as a high-performing middle school, placing it in the top 25% of Minnesota middle schools. In contrast, the alternative and specialized high schools, such as Wright Technical Center Alternative Learning Center, struggle with much lower test scores, graduation rates, and other key metrics.
The data also reveals significant racial and socioeconomic segregation, with schools like Discovery Elementary having a student population that is 98% white and only 18.75% receiving free or reduced-price lunch, while other schools like SWMetro Lakeside Academy have over 80% of students on free/reduced lunch. This disparity suggests that the highest-need students are attending the lowest-performing schools, a concerning trend that the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools district should work to address.
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