Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8

Q: Is Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8 a good school?

Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8 ranks 160 th of 545 Minnesota middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8 is a public charter school located in Elk River, Minnesota, serving 288 students in grades 7-8 and part of the Spectrum High School district.

Spectrum Middle School stands out for its strong academic performance, consistently ranking among the top 10% of middle schools in Minnesota. The school has higher proficiency rates in MCA-III Math, Reading, and Science compared to state averages, particularly in Reading. However, Spectrum Middle School has a significantly higher percentage of white students (84.03%) compared to nearby schools like Rogers Middle School, St. Michael-Albertville Middle East, and Kaleidoscope Middle School, which have more diverse student populations. Additionally, Spectrum Middle School has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting a more affluent student population compared to the surrounding schools.

While Spectrum Middle School's academic performance is impressive, its higher student-teacher ratio of 31.6:1 in 2022-2023 is in contrast to the lower ratios found in nearby schools like Prairie View Middle School and Vandenberge Middle School. This difference in staffing and resource allocation may contribute to Spectrum Middle School's strong academic outcomes, but it also suggests a unique approach compared to the surrounding public middle schools in the Elk River area.

Detail:

Public, Charter 7-8

17823 Industrial Circle NW
Elk River, MN 55330-8888

(763) 241-8703

District: Spectrum High School

SchoolDigger Rank:
160^th of 545 Minnesota Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,772

Student/teacher ratio: 31.6

Number of students: 288

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.0%

Two or more races:

5.9%

Hispanic:

5.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 17.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8 ranks better than 70.6% of middle schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 66.26. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (84%), two or more races (5.9%), Hispanic (5.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 17.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8 is 31.6. (See more...)

Compare Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8 employs 9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8 is $10,772.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8:

SchoolDigger ranks Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8 160^th of 545 Minnesota public middle schools. (See Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8 in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

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Rank History for Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8

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Rank History for all students at Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile
2019	82.34	59^th	533	88.9%
2021	92.15	20^th	521	96.2%
2022	84.64	45^th	520	91.3%
2023	72.24	109^th	529	79.4%
2024	66.26	160^th	545	70.6%

See the entire list of Minnesota Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	46.89	59^th	116	49.1%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile
2021	66.75	54^th	260	79.2%
2023	32.18	211^th	298	29.2%
2024	74.88	45^th	307	85.3%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile
2019	64.99	119^th	415	71.3%
2021	90.83	9^th	399	97.7%
2022	58.78	138^th	404	65.8%
2023	76.09	63^rd	459	86.3%
2024	54.47	183^rd	473	61.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile
2019	77.16	76^th	439	82.7%
2021	86.34	31^st	443	93.0%
2022	78.35	63^rd	467	86.5%
2023	74.32	86^th	455	81.1%
2024	54.27	208^th	474	56.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile
2019	81.79	59^th	454	87.0%
2021	92.55	16^th	437	96.3%
2022	84.56	41^st	476	91.4%
2023	64.33	143^rd	464	69.2%
2024	71.35	114^th	479	76.2%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	19.14	161^st	178	9.6%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile
2019	75.79	67^th	428	84.3%
2021	88.37	21^st	422	95.0%
2022	75.63	60^th	438	86.3%
2023	61.38	152^nd	436	65.1%
2024	50.13	206^th	440	53.2%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle 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 Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Two or More Races	Total
2019	215	1	13	10	8	247
2020	226	1	8	12	7	254
2021	213	4	2	11	8	238
2022	235	8	3	13	18	277
2023	242	7	6	16	17	288

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 Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	247	11.6	21.1	12.1
2020	254	8.0	31.5	14.6
2021	238	8.4	28.0	8.8
2022	277	8.6	31.9	10.5
2023	288	9.0	31.6	17.4

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 Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	247	11.6	21.1	12.1
2020	254	8.0	31.5	14.6
2021	238	8.4	28.0	8.8
2022	277	8.6	31.9	10.5
2023	288	9.0	31.6	17.4

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 Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$10,772

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8

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 59^th of 533 Middle schools	Ranks 109^th of 529 Middle schools	9.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade Math (Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8)	66.9	33.6	33.3%
7th Grade Math (Spectrum High School)	66.9	33.6	33.3%
7th Grade Math (Minnesota)	52.1	39.7	12.4%
7th Grade Reading (Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8)	68.3	60.2	8.1%
7th Grade Reading (Spectrum High School)	68.3	60.2	8.1%
7th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	57.5	45.2	12.3%
8th Grade Math (Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8)	59.2	38.9	20.3%
8th Grade Math (Spectrum High School)	59.2	38.9	20.3%
8th Grade Math (Minnesota)	55.2	40.3	14.9%
8th Grade Reading (Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8)	66.7	54.4	12.3%
8th Grade Reading (Spectrum High School)	66.7	54.4	12.3%
8th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	57.7	44.8	12.9%
8th Grade Science (Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8)	60.8	35.3	25.6%
8th Grade Science (Spectrum High School)	60.8	35.3	25.6%
8th Grade Science (Minnesota)	43	27.6	15.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	247	288	16.6%
African American	1	7	600%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	13	6	53.8%
Hispanic	10	16	60%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	215	242	12.6%
Two or More Races	8	17	112.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	12.1%	17.4%	5.2%

Schools Near Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8

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 5th Grade	MCA-III Math 6th Grade	MCA-III Math 7th Grade	MCA-III Math 8th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	MCA-III Reading 5th Grade	MCA-III Reading 6th Grade	MCA-III Reading 7th Grade	MCA-III Reading 8th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	MCA-III Science 5th Grade	MCA-III Science 8th Grade	MCA-III Science All Grades	Total
Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8	Public, Charter	7-8	17823 Industrial Circle NW	Elk River	55330	Sherburne County	Spectrum High School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(763) 241-8703	288	9	31.6	17.4%	242 (84.0%)	7 (2.4%)	16 (5.6%)	6 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (5.9%)	66.3	160^th of 545 public middle schools	70.6%		72.2	109^th of 529 public middle schools	79.4%	51			29.2	32.9	31.1			51.8	61.9	56.8		36.2	36.2	$10,772
Spectrum Middle School - Grade 6	Public, Charter	6	11044 Industrial Circle NW	Elk River	55330	Sherburne County	Spectrum High School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(763) 241-8703	133	5	25.8	20.3%	117 (88.0%)	3 (2.3%)	4 (3.0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (6.0%)								(n/a)		39.8			39.8		71.7			71.7				$12,369
Spectrum Online Middle School	Public, Virtual, Charter	6-8	17796 Industrial Circle NW	Elk River	55330	Sherburne County	Spectrum High School	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(763) 241-8703	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Vandenberge Middle School	Public	6-8	948 Proctor Ave	Elk River	55330	Sherburne County	Elk River Public School District	No	No	No	No	(763) 241-3450	512	12	43.1	27.0%	410 (80.1%)	19 (3.7%)	32 (6.3%)	13 (2.5%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (6.4%)	68.3	149^th of 545 public middle schools	72.7%		60.9	188^th of 529 public middle schools	64.5%	39		44.9	48.7	48.7	47.4		60.2	42.8	44.9	49.7		31.2	31.2	$10,762
Ivan Sand Middle School Alternative Learning Center	Public	6-8	1232 School St. NW	Elk River	55330	Sherburne County	Elk River Public School District	No	No	No	No	(763) 241-3530	5	1	4.9		4 (80.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (20.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)														$2,295
Online728 Middle School	Public, Virtual	6-8	11500 193rd Ave NW	Elk River	55330	Sherburne County	Elk River Public School District	No	No	Yes	No	(763) 241-3400	31	0	21.3	45.2%	23 (74.2%)	3 (9.7%)	2 (6.5%)	2 (6.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.2%)								(n/a)					28.6					30.8
Salk Middle School	Public	6-8	11970 Highland Rd	Elk River	55330	Sherburne County	Elk River Public School District	No	No	No	No	(763) 241-3455	657	17	38.6	31.1%	466 (70.9%)	90 (13.7%)	27 (4.1%)	24 (3.7%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (7.2%)	76.4	95^th of 545 public middle schools	82.6%		83.8	52^nd of 529 public middle schools	90.2%	43		62.0	59.4	41.7	54.3		64.7	54.2	50.2	56.5		28.2	28.2	$10,867
Prairie View Middle School	Public	5-8	8300 Maciver Ave NE	Otsego	55330	Sherburne County	Elk River Public School District	No	No	No	No	(763) 241-3400	815	21	38.2	22.3%	592 (72.6%)	70 (8.6%)	43 (5.3%)	41 (5.0%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	66 (8.1%)	86.2	45^th of 545 public middle schools	91.7%		83	58^th of 529 public middle schools	89.0%	13	55.2	53.0	51.5	66.5	56.3	68.1	67.1	61.7	56.5	63.7	55.4	42.3	49.7
Rogers Middle School	Public	5-8	20855 141st Ave	Rogers	55374	Hennepin County	Elk River Public School District	No	No	No	No	(763) 241-3550	979	20	48.5	16.0%	807 (82.4%)	40 (4.1%)	39 (4.0%)	51 (5.2%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	37 (3.8%)	93.9	19^th of 545 public middle schools	96.5%		92.5	22^nd of 529 public middle schools	95.8%	3	70.7	71.3	72.5	74.8	72.4	74.8	71.4	60.9	61.8	67.3	67.9	53.2	60.3	$10,035
St. Michael-Albertville Middle East	Public	5-8	4862 Naber Ave NE	Saint Michael	55376	Wright County	St. Michael-Albertville Schools	No	No	No	No	(763) 497-2655	892	23	38.6	18.4%	751 (84.2%)	42 (4.7%)	50 (5.6%)	21 (2.4%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	25 (2.8%)	87.2	42^nd of 545 public middle schools	92.3%		87.5	37^th of 529 public middle schools	93.0%	5	63.5	53.1	59.2	61.2	59.5	70.7	68.0	62.5	59.8	65.5	63.4	38.9	52.1	$9,845

Frequently Asked Questions about Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8

How many students attend Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8?

In the 2022-23 school year, 288 students attended Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8.

What district is Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8 in?

Spectrum High School

What is the racial makeup of Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8?

Students at Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8 are 84% White, 6% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 2% African American, 2% Asian.

Is Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8 a good school?

Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8 ranks 160^th of 545 Minnesota middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate Spectrum Middle School - Grades 7-8!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Minnesota Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.