Great River Elementary School

Q: Is Great River Elementary School a good school?

Great River Elementary School ranks 351 st of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Great River Elementary School is a public charter school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, serving grades 1-6 with a total enrollment of 384 students. The school has a diverse student population, with a mix of racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Great River Elementary School stands out for its strong academic performance, consistently outpacing the state average in both math and reading proficiency on the MCA-III assessments. In 2023-2024, the school's overall math proficiency was 39.02% compared to the state average of 45.47%, and its overall reading proficiency was 65.99% compared to the state average of 49.85%. The school has also shown particularly strong performance for its male students and special education students, ranking 323 out of 826 and 322 out of 572 Minnesota elementary schools, respectively, in 2023-2024. Additionally, Great River Elementary has relatively low free and reduced lunch rates compared to nearby schools like Hmong College Prep Academy (85.84%), The Journey School (83.61%), Midway Star Academy (95.43%), and HGA Elementary (98.78%).

When comparing Great River Elementary School to nearby charter and public schools, it becomes clear that the school is outperforming many of its counterparts in academic achievement. For example, Hmong College Prep Academy, The Journey School, and Midway Star Academy all have significantly lower proficiency rates in both math and reading compared to Great River Elementary School. Additionally, the school has maintained a consistent level of academic performance over the past several years, suggesting a stable and effective educational program. While the school has a relatively high student-teacher ratio compared to some nearby schools, it continues to be a strong-performing charter school in the Saint Paul area.

Detail:

Public, Charter 1-6

1326 Energy Park Dr
Saint Paul, MN 55108-8888

(651) 305-2780

District: Great River School

SchoolDigger Rank:
351^st of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $5,108

Student/teacher ratio: 20.5

Number of students: 385

Racial breakdown:

White:

78.7%

Hispanic:

7.3%

Two or more races:

7.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 22.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Great River Elementary School ranks better than 60.2% of elementary schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 62.21. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (78.7%), Hispanic (7.3%), two or more races (7.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 22.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Great River Elementary School is 20.5. (See more...)

Compare Great River Elementary School employs 18.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Great River Elementary School is $5,108.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Great River Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Great River Elementary School 351^st of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Great River Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Great River School:

SchoolDigger ranks Great River School 103^rd of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Great River Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Great River Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2016	64.91	321^st	848	62.1%
2017	64.38	337^th	853	60.5%
2018	62.98	351^st	847	58.6%
2019	51.45	500^th	870	42.5%
2021	57.56	416^th	869	52.1%
2022	58.22	389^th	858	54.7%
2023	60.72	361^st	845	57.3%
2024	62.21	351^st	881	60.2%

See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Great River Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2019	66.61	144^th	515	72.0%
2022	64.40	149^th	500	70.2%
2023	54.98	214^th	524	59.2%
2024	44.47	322^nd	572	43.7%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Great River Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	73.73	149^th	774	80.7%
2024	54.87	356^th	793	55.1%

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

Rank History for Female students at Great River Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	57.81	384^th	774	50.4%
2019	45.00	521^st	787	33.8%
2021	43.56	517^th	783	34.0%
2022	47.10	469^th	799	41.3%
2023	46.23	475^th	787	39.6%
2024	58.18	354^th	809	56.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at Great River Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	65.93	280^th	779	64.1%
2019	53.05	442^nd	798	44.6%
2021	61.84	311^th	784	60.3%
2022	66.09	277^th	808	65.7%
2023	66.86	268^th	799	66.5%
2024	61.40	323^rd	826	60.9%

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

Rank History for White students at Great River Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	53.20	347^th	712	51.3%
2019	35.73	546^th	722	24.4%
2021	36.20	516^th	710	27.3%
2022	44.16	446^th	725	38.5%
2023	44.80	406^th	712	43.0%
2024	46.44	412^th	730	43.6%

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 Great River Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2015	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2016	101	8	3	3	0	1	6	122
2017	90	8	4	12	2	1	6	123
2018	154	7	26	13	4	1	4	209
2019	219	18	25	21	5	1	5	294
2020	263	17	33	29	7	4	3	356
2021	290	14	33	30	8	4	3	382
2022	292	10	23	25	4	3	26	383
2023	289	9	18	26	5	3	34	384
2024	303	9	9	28	6	2	28	385

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 Great River Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	0	5.0	0.0	n/a
2016	122	7.0	17.4	8.2
2017	123	8.0	15.3	14.6
2018	209	12.0	17.3	5.7
2019	294	19.7	14.8	10.9
2020	356	23.5	15.1	9.8
2021	382	20.1	18.9	7.9
2022	383	14.8	25.8	10.2
2023	384	16.0	23.8	17.4
2024	385	18.7	20.5	22.1

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 Great River Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	0	5.0	0.0	n/a
2016	122	7.0	17.4	8.2
2017	123	8.0	15.3	14.6
2018	209	12.0	17.3	5.7
2019	294	19.7	14.8	10.9
2020	356	23.5	15.1	9.8
2021	382	20.1	18.9	7.9
2022	383	14.8	25.8	10.2
2023	384	16.0	23.8	17.4
2024	385	18.7	20.5	22.1

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 Great River Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$5,108

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Great River Elementary School

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 500^th of 870 Elementary schools	Ranks 361^st of 845 Elementary schools	14.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Great River Elementary School)	42.9	61.4	18.5%
3rd Grade Math (Great River School)	42.9	61.4	18.5%
3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)	65.6	59.1	6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Great River Elementary School)	61.9	70.9	9%
3rd Grade Reading (Great River School)	61.9	70.9	9%
3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)	54.6	47.4	7.2%
4th Grade Math (Great River Elementary School)	45.8	43.6	2.2%
4th Grade Math (Great River School)	45.8	43.6	2.2%
4th Grade Math (Minnesota)	63.9	57.1	6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Great River Elementary School)	60.7	56.5	4.2%
4th Grade Reading (Great River School)	60.7	56.5	4.2%
4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	55.4	48.4	7.1%
5th Grade Math (Great River Elementary School)	23.1	25.8	2.7%
5th Grade Math (Great River School)	23.1	25.8	2.7%
5th Grade Math (Minnesota)	52	44.4	7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Great River Elementary School)	71.8	65.6	6.2%
5th Grade Reading (Great River School)	71.8	65.6	6.2%
5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	65.8	58.7	7%
5th Grade Science (Great River Elementary School)	57.5	61.3	3.8%
5th Grade Science (Great River School)	57.5	61.3	3.8%
5th Grade Science (Minnesota)	54.9	48.4	6.5%
6th Grade Math (Great River Elementary School)	43.3	18.3	25%
6th Grade Math (Great River School)	43.3	18.3	25%
6th Grade Math (Minnesota)	50.5	39.7	10.8%
6th Grade Reading (Great River Elementary School)	75.4	75	0.4%
6th Grade Reading (Great River School)	75.4	75	0.4%
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	294	384	30.6%
African American	18	9	50%
American Indian	5	5
Asian	25	18	28%
Hispanic	21	26	23.8%
Pacific Islander	1	3	200%
White	219	289	32%
Two or More Races	5	34	580%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	10.9%	17.4%	6.6%

Schools Near Great River Elementary School

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 7th Grade	MCA-III Math 8th 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 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
Great River Elementary School	Public, Charter	1-6	1326 Energy Park Dr	Saint Paul	55108	Ramsey County	Great River School	Yes	No	No	No	(651) 305-2780	385	19	20.5	22.1%	303 (78.7%)	9 (2.3%)	28 (7.3%)	9 (2.3%)	6 (1.6%)	2 (0.5%)	28 (7.3%)	62.2	351^st of 881 public elementary schools	60.2%		60.7	361^st of 845 public elementary schools	57.3%	10	32.3	54.1	36.1	33.9			39.0	45.0	64.5	82.3	71.4			66.0	57.4		57.4	$5,108
Minnesota Connections Academy K-6	Public, Virtual, Charter	K-6	1350 Energy Lane	Saint Paul	55108	Ramsey County	Minnesota Transitions Charter School	Yes	No	Yes	No	(651) 523-0888	911	31	29.1	69.0%	526 (57.7%)	136 (14.9%)	100 (11.0%)	23 (2.5%)	27 (3.0%)	1 (0.1%)	98 (10.8%)	26.1	680^th of 881 public elementary schools	22.8%		23.6	670^th of 845 public elementary schools	20.7%	10	36.2	22.2	10.7	23.4			22.2	41.3	33.6	35.1	50.6			41.3	26.8		26.8
New Century School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	1380 Energy Lane	Saint Paul	55108	Ramsey County	New Century School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(651) 478-4535	356	33	10.9	96.6%	4 (1.1%)	351 (98.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14.6	761^st of 881 public elementary schools	13.6%		12.1	743^rd of 845 public elementary schools	12.1%	18	27.8	29.6	14.6				24.8	22.2	24.1	36.6				26.9	30.0		30.0	$12,325
Hmong College Prep Academy Elementary School	Public, Charter	K-5	1515 Brewster Street	Saint Paul	55108	Ramsey County	Hmong College Prep Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(651) 209-8002	1,015	90	11.3	85.2%	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.3%)	7 (0.7%)	982 (96.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (2.3%)	7.4	814^th of 881 public elementary schools	7.6%		4.9	802^nd of 845 public elementary schools	5.1%	12	28.5	23.8	9.7				19.9	13.3	18.7	25.4				19.6	11.0		11.0	$10,908
The Journey School	Public, Charter	K-6	775 Lexington Parkway N	Saint Paul	55104	Ramsey County	The Journey School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(612) 389-1579	113	8	15.0	81.4%	2 (1.8%)	73 (64.6%)	17 (15.0%)	3 (2.7%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (15.0%)	6.5	821^st of 881 public elementary schools	6.8%		3.8	814^th of 845 public elementary schools	3.7%	7	15.8	5.6	0.0				6.9	26.3	22.2	21.4				20.7	7.1		7.1
Twin Cities German Immersion Charter	Public, Charter	K-8	1031 Como Avenue	Saint Paul	55103	Ramsey County	Twin Cities German Immersion Charter	Yes	No	No	Yes	(651) 492-7106	587	45	13.1	10.4%	489 (83.3%)	22 (3.7%)	32 (5.5%)	8 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (6.1%)	70.5	249^th of 881 public elementary schools	71.7%		69.5	257^th of 845 public elementary schools	69.6%	8	53.7	61.0	34.9	43.1	54.0	56.6	50.3	56.7	62.7	68.2	69.0	86.2	67.9	68.5	71.2	52.8	63.0	$11,805
Midway Star Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	1091 Snelling Avenue North	Saint Paul	55108	Ramsey County	Midway Star Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(651) 642-0667	421	17	24.8	98.8%	0 (0.0%)	419 (99.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	19.5	726^th of 881 public elementary schools	17.6%		28.5	633^rd of 845 public elementary schools	25.1%	93	42.6	38.5	6.3	15.2	28.6	15.6	25.1	18.8	26.9	21.2	54.6	61.9	25.0	32.1	18.8	3.2	11.1	$17,098
Hamline Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1599 Englewood Ave	Saint Paul	55104	Ramsey County	Saint Paul Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(651) 293-8715	294	24	12.3	83.3%	55 (18.7%)	144 (49.0%)	19 (6.5%)	42 (14.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (11.2%)	4.8	843^rd of 881 public elementary schools	4.3%		5.3	800^th of 845 public elementary schools	5.3%	43	10.3	15.4	2.2				8.9	10.0	24.4	13.3				15.9	11.6		11.6	$17,968
Early Learning Hub West	Public, Magnet	PK	1317 Charles Ave	Saint Paul	55104	Ramsey County	Saint Paul Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(651) 325-2400	0	24	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Early Educational HUB	Public	PK	1317 Charles Ave	Saint Paul	55104	Ramsey County	Saint Paul Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(651) 325-2400	45	5	10.0	82.2%	14 (31.1%)	14 (31.1%)	4 (8.9%)	11 (24.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (4.4%)								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Great River Elementary School

How many students attend Great River Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 385 students attended Great River Elementary School.

Is Great River Elementary School a good school?

Great River Elementary School ranks 351^st of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Great River Elementary School?

Students at Great River Elementary School are 79% White, 7% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 2% African American, 2% Asian, 2% American Indian.

What district is Great River Elementary School in?

Great River School

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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.