Is Merritt Elementary a good school?

Merritt Elementary ranks 282 nd of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Merritt Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 350 students attended Merritt Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Merritt Elementary?

Students at Merritt Elementary are 85% White, 10% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Merritt Elementary attend?

Students who attend Merritt Elementary usually go on to attend: High : Mountain Iron-Buhl Secondary

Merritt Elementary

Summary:

Merritt Elementary is a public elementary school located in Mountain Iron, Minnesota, serving grades PK-6 with a student population of around 350. The school is part of the Rock Ridge Public Schools district, which is ranked 123 out of 463 districts in Minnesota and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Merritt Elementary consistently outperforms the state and district averages in both math and reading proficiency across all grade levels. In 2023-2024, the school's overall math proficiency rate was 60.11%, compared to 45.47% for the state, and its overall reading proficiency rate was 58.7%, compared to 49.85% for the state. The school's performance is particularly strong in 3rd grade math, where 79.55% of students were proficient, compared to 58.79% for the state. Merritt Elementary's female students and low socioeconomic status (SES) students also perform exceptionally well, ranking in the top 25% and top 10% of Minnesota elementary schools, respectively.

Compared to nearby schools, Merritt Elementary outperforms many of them in both academic achievement and student demographics. For example, Mesabi East Elementary, located about 16 miles away, has lower proficiency rates in both math and reading, as well as a higher percentage of minority students. However, Laurentian Elementary, the closest school to Merritt, has similar demographics but outperforms Merritt in several academic areas.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

8659 Unity Drive
Mountain Iron, MN 55768-2012

(218) 735-8271

District: Mountain Iron-Buhl School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
282^nd of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,750

Students who attend Merritt Elementary usually attend:

High:

Mountain Iron-Buhl Secondary

Student/teacher ratio: 15.5

Number of students: 350

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.9%

Two or more races:

10.3%

Hispanic:

3.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 51.4%

See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

Compare Merritt Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Merritt Elementary ranks better than 68% of elementary schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 67.85. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (84.9%), two or more races (10.3%), Hispanic (3.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 51.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Merritt Elementary is 15.5. (See more...)

Compare Merritt Elementary employs 22.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Merritt Elementary is $14,750.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Merritt Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Merritt Elementary 282^nd of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Merritt Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Mountain Iron-Buhl School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Mountain Iron-Buhl School District 123^rd of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Merritt Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Merritt Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2003	57.13	337^th	674	50.0%
2004	43.95	462^nd	676	31.7%
2005	39.24	506^th	685	26.1%
2006	25.08	663^rd	756	12.3%
2007	43.14	560^th	777	27.9%
2008	52.66	446^th	781	42.9%
2010	45.89	570^th	803	29.0%
2011	48.09	530^th	814	34.9%
2012	50.90	514^th	820	37.3%
2013	50.38	489^th	824	40.7%
2014	51.84	476^th	826	42.4%
2015	56.66	441^st	840	47.5%
2016	57.95	421^st	848	50.4%
2017	64.29	339^th	853	60.3%
2018	55.47	441^st	847	47.9%
2019	47.48	539^th	870	38.0%
2021	47.05	546^th	869	37.2%
2022	52.05	472^nd	858	45.0%
2023	72.80	225^th	845	73.4%
2024	67.85	282^nd	881	68.0%

See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Merritt Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	63.80	251^st	728	65.5%
2019	51.49	380^th	740	48.6%
2021	52.66	335^th	683	51.0%
2022	54.30	311^th	663	53.1%
2023	81.21	82^nd	774	89.4%
2024	73.27	150^th	793	81.1%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Merritt Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	40.17	547^th	774	29.3%
2019	39.05	555^th	787	29.5%
2021	44.87	506^th	783	35.4%
2022	56.08	399^th	799	50.1%
2023	79.16	128^th	787	83.7%
2024	70.99	225^th	809	72.2%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Merritt Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	64.13	306^th	779	60.7%
2019	51.41	454^th	798	43.1%
2021	44.32	516^th	784	34.2%
2022	47.49	494^th	808	38.9%
2023	59.11	340^th	799	57.4%
2024	58.91	360^th	826	56.4%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Merritt Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	36.85	516^th	712	27.5%
2019	24.88	626^th	722	13.3%
2021	24.41	624^th	710	12.1%
2022	31.59	566^th	725	21.9%
2023	53.23	337^th	712	52.7%
2024	50.69	360^th	730	50.7%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Minnesota Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Merritt Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1994	407	0	2	0	7	n/a	n/a	0	416
1995	361	0	2	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	365
1996	361	0	2	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	365
1997	357	0	2	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	361
1998	311	0	2	0	4	n/a	n/a	13	330
1999	301	1	2	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	306
2000	289	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	290
2001	301	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	301
2002	305	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	305
2003	305	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	305
2004	333	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	333
2005	299	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	299
2006	306	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	306
2007	305	0	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	309
2008	300	2	0	3	7	n/a	n/a	0	312
2009	277	1	1	2	6	n/a	n/a	0	287
2010	268	2	2	3	12	n/a	n/a	0	287
2011	255	2	1	6	5	2	20	0	291
2012	270	3	1	5	4	2	16	0	301
2013	252	2	1	2	3	1	15	0	276
2014	248	4	0	3	3	1	14	0	273
2015	240	4	0	8	6	0	17	0	275
2016	248	1	0	9	9	0	21	0	288
2017	244	2	0	15	11	0	24	0	296
2018	247	2	0	19	6	0	19	0	293
2019	241	3	1	19	10	0	27	0	301
2020	271	4	1	21	6	0	26	0	329
2021	276	3	1	14	8	0	28	0	330
2022	265	4	0	14	10	0	26	0	319
2023	297	2	0	13	2	0	36	0	350

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Merritt Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1994	416	22.6	18.4	25.2
1995	365	17.5	20.9	22.5
1996	365	17.5	20.9	22.5
1997	361	22.5	16.0	20.8
1998	330	n/a	0.0	26.5
1999	306	25.8	11.9	23.9
2000	290	18.6	15.6	36.9
2001	301	20.7	14.5	36.9
2002	305	19.3	15.8	42.3
2003	305	19.3	15.8	42.3
2004	333	23.7	14.1	42.3
2005	299	21.9	13.7	41.1
2006	306	20.6	14.9	38.9
2007	309	21.5	14.4	45.6
2008	312	21.0	14.9	47.1
2009	287	20.7	13.9	48.1
2010	287	20.5	13.9	51.6
2011	291	20.2	14.3	51.5
2012	301	21.4	14.0	48.2
2013	276	20.2	13.6	50.4
2014	273	20.7	13.1	47.3
2015	275	20.0	13.7	52.7
2016	288	20.0	14.4	50
2017	296	18.9	15.6	48
2018	293	16.8	17.3	46.8
2019	301	17.9	16.7	57.5
2020	329	17.3	18.9	48.9
2021	330	21.7	15.2	41.5
2022	319	23.2	13.7	40.1
2023	350	22.4	15.5	51.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Merritt Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1994	416	22.6	18.4	25.2
1995	365	17.5	20.9	22.5
1996	365	17.5	20.9	22.5
1997	361	22.5	16.0	20.8
1998	330	n/a	0.0	26.5
1999	306	25.8	11.9	23.9
2000	290	18.6	15.6	36.9
2001	301	20.7	14.5	36.9
2002	305	19.3	15.8	42.3
2003	305	19.3	15.8	42.3
2004	333	23.7	14.1	42.3
2005	299	21.9	13.7	41.1
2006	306	20.6	14.9	38.9
2007	309	21.5	14.4	45.6
2008	312	21.0	14.9	47.1
2009	287	20.7	13.9	48.1
2010	287	20.5	13.9	51.6
2011	291	20.2	14.3	51.5
2012	301	21.4	14.0	48.2
2013	276	20.2	13.6	50.4
2014	273	20.7	13.1	47.3
2015	275	20.0	13.7	52.7
2016	288	20.0	14.4	50
2017	296	18.9	15.6	48
2018	293	16.8	17.3	46.8
2019	301	17.9	16.7	57.5
2020	329	17.3	18.9	48.9
2021	330	21.7	15.2	41.5
2022	319	23.2	13.7	40.1
2023	350	22.4	15.5	51.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Merritt Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$14,750

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Merritt Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 539^th of 870 Elementary schools	Ranks 225^th of 845 Elementary schools	35.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Merritt Elementary)	63.8	81.4	17.6%
3rd Grade Math (Mountain Iron-Buhl School District)	63.8	81.4	17.6%
3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)	65.6	59.1	6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Merritt Elementary)	59.6	55.8	3.8%
3rd Grade Reading (Mountain Iron-Buhl School District)	59.6	55.8	3.8%
3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)	54.6	47.4	7.2%
4th Grade Math (Merritt Elementary)	51.1	64.4	13.4%
4th Grade Math (Mountain Iron-Buhl School District)	51.1	64.4	13.4%
4th Grade Math (Minnesota)	63.9	57.1	6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Merritt Elementary)	50	46.7	3.3%
4th Grade Reading (Mountain Iron-Buhl School District)	50	46.7	3.3%
4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	55.4	48.4	7.1%
5th Grade Math (Merritt Elementary)	25.6	44.9	19.3%
5th Grade Math (Mountain Iron-Buhl School District)	25.6	44.9	19.3%
5th Grade Math (Minnesota)	52	44.4	7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Merritt Elementary)	66.7	77.6	10.9%
5th Grade Reading (Mountain Iron-Buhl School District)	66.7	77.6	10.9%
5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	65.8	58.7	7%
5th Grade Science (Merritt Elementary)	38.5	56.3	17.8%
5th Grade Science (Mountain Iron-Buhl School District)	38.5	56.3	17.8%
5th Grade Science (Minnesota)	54.9	48.4	6.5%
6th Grade Math (Merritt Elementary)	47.4	48.9	1.5%
6th Grade Math (Mountain Iron-Buhl School District)	47.4	48.9	1.5%
6th Grade Math (Minnesota)	50.5	39.7	10.8%
6th Grade Reading (Merritt Elementary)	74.4	60	14.4%
6th Grade Reading (Mountain Iron-Buhl School District)	74.4	60	14.4%
6th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	62.8	53.4	9.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	301	350	16.3%
African American	3	2	33.3%
American Indian	10	2	80%
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	19	13	31.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	241	297	23.2%
Two or More Races	27	36	33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	57.5%	51.4%	6%

Schools Near Merritt Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCA-III Math (2024)					MCA-III Reading (2024)					MCA-III Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCA-III Math 3rd Grade	MCA-III Math 4th Grade	MCA-III Math 5th Grade	MCA-III Math 6th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	MCA-III Reading 3rd Grade	MCA-III Reading 4th Grade	MCA-III Reading 5th Grade	MCA-III Reading 6th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	MCA-III Science 5th Grade	MCA-III Science All Grades	Total
Merritt Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	8659 Unity Drive	Mountain Iron	55768	St. Louis County	Mountain Iron-Buhl School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 735-8271	350	22	15.5	51.4%	297 (84.9%)	2 (0.6%)	13 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (10.3%)	67.8	282^nd of 881 public elementary schools	68.0%		72.8	225^th of 845 public elementary schools	73.4%	57	79.6	68.1	45.7	47.8	60.1	65.9	53.2	56.5	59.6	58.7	32.6	32.6	$14,750
Parkview Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	506 N 9th Ave W	Virginia	55792	St. Louis County	Rock Ridge Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 742-3802	383	26	14.7	53.0%	291 (76.0%)	15 (3.9%)	12 (3.1%)	1 (0.3%)	19 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (11.7%)								(n/a)
Laurentian Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	1409 Progress Pkwy	Eveleth	55734	St. Louis County	Rock Ridge Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(218) 735-6202	479	32	15.1	46.6%	420 (87.7%)	4 (0.8%)	11 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (7.3%)	75.8	188^th of 881 public elementary schools	78.7%					(n/a)	68.4	74.1	48.5	43.1	58.6	57.9	63.8	63.2	59.7	61.4	64.7	64.7
North Star Elementary	Public	3-6	7 Fayal Avenue	Eveleth	55734	St. Louis County	Rock Ridge Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 742-3943	408	29	14.0	41.7%	326 (79.9%)	8 (2.0%)	13 (3.2%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (12.3%)	59.5	378^th of 881 public elementary schools	57.1%		46.4	516^th of 845 public elementary schools	38.9%	138	67.9	58.6	31.4	20.6	43.1	43.9	58.1	75.5	49.5	57.5	58.8	58.8
Cherry Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	3943 Tamminen Rd	Iron	55751	St. Louis County	St. Louis County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 258-8991	307	25	12.0	44.0%	270 (87.9%)	1 (0.3%)	8 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (8.1%)	50.7	486^th of 881 public elementary schools	44.8%		46.3	517^th of 845 public elementary schools	38.8%	31	63.2	34.2	28.3	25.0	37.0	51.4	34.2	61.7	77.5	56.8	44.7	44.7	$10,430
Vaughan-Steffensrud Elementary	Public	PK, KG-3	1000 NE 1st Ave	Chisholm	55719	St. Louis County	Chisholm Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 254-5726	214	15	14.0	59.8%	179 (83.6%)	4 (1.9%)	9 (4.2%)	2 (0.9%)	5 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (7.0%)								(n/a)	47.9				47.9	41.7				41.7			$13,037
Mesabi East Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	601 N 1st St W	Aurora	55705	St. Louis County	Mesabi East School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 229-3321	474	38	12.4	51.1%	411 (86.7%)	4 (0.8%)	12 (2.5%)	1 (0.2%)	24 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.6%)	49.2	500^th of 881 public elementary schools	43.2%		51.3	468^th of 845 public elementary schools	44.6%	32	47.4	61.6	31.0	15.4	39.5	42.1	53.4	56.9	47.7	50.2	51.7	51.7	$12,740
Hibbing Early Learning Center	Public	PK-K	2100 12th Ave E	Hibbing	55746	St. Louis County	Hibbing Public School District	No	No	No	No	(218) 208-0852	39	0		64.1%	38 (97.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Washington Elementary	Public	K-2	2100 12th Ave E	Hibbing	55746	St. Louis County	Hibbing Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 208-0843	222	28	7.8	68.9%	168 (75.7%)	8 (3.6%)	10 (4.5%)	2 (0.9%)	5 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (13.1%)								(n/a)													$13,532
Lincoln Elementary	Public	2-6	1114 E 23rd St	Hibbing	55746	St. Louis County	Hibbing Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 208-0842	622	38	16.3	52.4%	515 (82.8%)	17 (2.7%)	25 (4.0%)	3 (0.5%)	8 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (8.7%)	66.4	293^rd of 881 public elementary schools	66.7%		67.5	275^th of 845 public elementary schools	67.5%	18	72.8	55.2	44.2	38.2	52.7	50.6	50.7	61.3	60.3	55.8	59.4	59.4	$12,433

Merritt Elementary

Merritt Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Mountain Iron-Buhl School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Merritt Elementary

Rank History for all students at Merritt Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Merritt Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Merritt Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Merritt Elementary

Rank History for White students at Merritt Elementary

Enrollment information for Merritt Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Merritt Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Merritt Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Merritt Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Merritt Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Merritt Elementary