Elk River Public School District

The Elk River Public School District in Minnesota encompasses 25 schools, including 11 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, 7 high schools, and 1 alternative school, serving students from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds. While the district as a whole performs well above the state average, there is a stark contrast in academic achievement between the top-ranked schools and the lower-performing institutions.

The standout schools in the district are Rogers Senior High, which ranks 12th out of 480 Minnesota high schools and earns a 5-star rating, and Rogers Middle School, which ranks 19th out of 545 Minnesota middle schools and also earns a 5-star rating. These schools boast exceptional test scores, high graduation rates, and low dropout rates. In contrast, Ivan Sand Community High School struggles, with 0% proficiency in math and only 45.45% proficiency in reading.

The data suggests a correlation between socioeconomic status and academic performance, with schools serving higher percentages of economically disadvantaged students, such as Lincoln Elementary and Independent School District (ISD) 728 Focus/Journey, tending to have lower test scores. The strong performance of Rogers Middle School also suggests the importance of middle school preparation for high school success. Overall, the Elk River Public School District offers a mix of high-performing and lower-performing schools, with opportunities to learn from the best practices of the top-ranked institutions and address the challenges faced by the lower-performing schools.