Summary:
The city of Park Rapids, Minnesota is home to 5 public schools serving students from elementary through high school, including 1 elementary school, 2 middle schools, and 2 high schools. The schools in this Park Rapids Public School District serve a predominantly white student population, with varying levels of academic performance and socioeconomic challenges.
The standout school in the district is Park Rapids Area Century Elementary, which boasts the highest test scores in both math and reading, with 60.83% of students proficient or better in math and 47.08% in reading. This elementary school serves a relatively low-income student population, with 62.3% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, yet maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 12:1. In contrast, the district's high schools, particularly Park Rapids Senior High, struggle with low graduation rates, high dropout rates, and below-average test scores.
The data also reveals the existence of a small virtual middle school, Park Rapids Virtual Academy Middle, which serves a high percentage of low-income students but has limited enrollment and limited available data. This raises questions about the accessibility and equity of the virtual school option for the district's students. Overall, the Park Rapids Public School District faces challenges in providing consistent, high-quality education across all its schools, and addressing these disparities should be a priority for the district.
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