Summary:
The Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools district in Minnesota is home to a single middle school, Cass Lake-Bena Middle School, which serves 305 students from grades 6-8. The school's student population is predominantly Native American (79.34%), with a high rate of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (84.59%), indicating a significant level of economic disadvantage.
Despite its small size, Cass Lake-Bena Middle School does not appear to be a standout performer. The school's academic achievement, as measured by standardized test scores, is significantly below the state averages in Math, Reading, and Science. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 8.28% of students were proficient or better in Math, compared to the state average of 45.47%, and the school's Reading proficiency rate of 19.52% is less than half the state average of 49.85%. This suggests that the school is struggling to provide its predominantly Native American and economically disadvantaged student population with the educational support they need to succeed.
The data analysis also reveals concerning racial disparities in academic performance, with the achievement gaps disproportionately impacting the Native American students who make up the majority of the school's population. Additionally, the school's small size and high poverty levels may be contributing factors to its consistently low statewide ranking, which has placed it in the bottom 10% of Minnesota middle schools for the past three school years. Addressing these challenges will require a comprehensive, targeted approach to improve educational outcomes for the students at Cass Lake-Bena Middle School.
Thank you for your feedback!