Northwinds Elementary

Q: Is Northwinds Elementary a good school?

Northwinds Elementary ranks 200 th of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Northwinds Elementary is a public elementary school located in Buffalo, Minnesota, serving 437 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools district, which is ranked 199 out of 463 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Northwinds Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Minnesota, with a statewide ranking between 47 and 200 over the past 10 years. The school has maintained a 4 or 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of the past decade, indicating strong academic performance. Northwinds Elementary outperforms the district and state averages in proficiency rates for Math, Reading, and Science on the MCA-III assessments across all grade levels. The school also performs exceptionally well for its special education and low socioeconomic status student populations, ranking in the top 30 and top 60 schools in Minnesota, respectively, for these subgroups. However, the school's ranking for its white student population is lower, suggesting there may be achievement gaps that need to be addressed.

While Northwinds Elementary has a homogeneous student population, with over 93% of students identifying as white, nearby schools like Montrose Elementary School of Innovation and Tatanka Elementary STEM School have more diverse student populations. This lack of diversity at Northwinds Elementary may limit students' exposure to different cultures and perspectives, which can be an important part of a well-rounded education. The school may want to consider strategies to attract and support a more diverse student body.

Detail:

Public K-5

1111 7th Ave NW
Buffalo, MN 55313-8888

(763) 682-8800

District: Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
200^th of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,493

Students who attend Northwinds Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Buffalo Community Middle
High:	Buffalo Senior High

Student/teacher ratio: 15.9

Number of students: 437

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.1%

Hispanic:

3.0%

Two or more races:

2.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 27.7%

See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

Compare Northwinds Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Northwinds Elementary ranks better than 77.3% of elementary schools in Minnesota. It also ranks 2^nd among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 74.97. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (93.1%), Hispanic (3%), two or more races (2.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 27.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Northwinds Elementary is 15.9. 4 elementary schools in the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Northwinds Elementary employs 27.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Northwinds Elementary is $11,493. 3 elementary schools in the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Northwinds Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Northwinds Elementary 200^th of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Northwinds Elementary 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:

Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools 199^th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Northwinds Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Northwinds Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2007	67.26	240^th	777	69.1%
2008	63.26	315^th	781	59.7%
2010	69.22	248^th	803	69.1%
2011	77.05	122^nd	814	85.0%
2012	69.17	245^th	820	70.1%
2013	73.02	202^nd	824	75.5%
2014	80.65	99^th	826	88.0%
2015	79.29	119^th	840	85.8%
2016	86.10	47^th	848	94.5%
2017	85.69	54^th	853	93.7%
2018	82.04	98^th	847	88.4%
2019	81.92	114^th	870	86.9%
2021	87.10	63^rd	869	92.8%
2022	84.68	90^th	858	89.5%
2023	84.10	102^nd	845	87.9%
2024	74.97	200^th	881	77.3%

See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Northwinds Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2019	79.67	59^th	515	88.5%
2021	89.37	15^th	417	96.4%
2022	87.33	28^th	500	94.4%
2023	81.84	63^rd	524	88.0%
2024	52.57	244^th	572	57.3%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Northwinds Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	81.29	66^th	728	90.9%
2019	84.08	47^th	740	93.6%
2021	92.42	17^th	683	97.5%
2022	81.83	60^th	663	91.0%
2023	84.46	54^th	774	93.0%
2024	66.90	234^th	793	70.5%

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

Rank History for Female students at Northwinds Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	83.71	79^th	774	89.8%
2019	78.33	125^th	787	84.1%
2021	82.53	81^st	783	89.7%
2022	82.26	96^th	799	88.0%
2023	79.80	116^th	787	85.3%
2024	72.01	209^th	809	74.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at Northwinds Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	78.49	128^th	779	83.6%
2019	81.38	102^nd	798	87.2%
2021	87.68	44^th	784	94.4%
2022	83.58	82^nd	808	89.9%
2023	83.23	92^nd	799	88.5%
2024	73.11	197^th	826	76.2%

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

Rank History for White students at Northwinds Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	70.15	175^th	712	75.4%
2019	74.07	142^nd	722	80.3%
2021	80.58	81^st	710	88.6%
2022	75.61	135^th	725	81.4%
2023	71.39	165^th	712	76.8%
2024	57.33	296^th	730	59.5%

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 Northwinds Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2007	532	9	5	7	3	n/a	n/a	556
2008	551	6	6	6	2	n/a	n/a	571
2009	556	8	3	7	5	n/a	n/a	579
2010	592	14	7	4	2	n/a	n/a	619
2011	588	9	7	7	1	0	10	622
2012	607	6	4	8	2	0	9	636
2013	558	10	2	5	2	0	16	593
2014	537	5	2	0	2	0	14	560
2015	545	4	1	3	2	0	18	573
2016	512	5	2	6	1	0	17	543
2017	485	5	2	6	1	0	15	514
2018	510	7	2	10	0	0	18	547
2019	492	8	1	6	0	0	12	519
2020	474	12	1	8	0	0	14	509
2021	408	11	0	8	0	0	11	438
2022	394	9	1	9	0	0	10	423
2023	407	4	1	13	1	0	11	437

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 Northwinds Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	556	26.7	20.8	16.9
2008	571	30.5	18.7	20.1
2009	579	29.4	19.7	23.1
2010	619	31.1	19.8	25.4
2011	622	31.1	19.9	29.7
2012	636	32.7	19.4	27.2
2013	593	30.2	19.6	28.3
2014	560	31.9	17.5	23.4
2015	573	32.0	17.9	25.7
2016	543	31.0	17.5	22.5
2017	514	29.8	17.2	21.2
2018	547	33.3	16.4	23
2019	519	32.3	16.0	22.5
2020	509	29.8	17.0	21.2
2021	438	25.2	17.3	17.4
2022	423	27.8	15.1	14.9
2023	437	27.4	15.9	27.7

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 Northwinds Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	556	26.7	20.8	16.9
2008	571	30.5	18.7	20.1
2009	579	29.4	19.7	23.1
2010	619	31.1	19.8	25.4
2011	622	31.1	19.9	29.7
2012	636	32.7	19.4	27.2
2013	593	30.2	19.6	28.3
2014	560	31.9	17.5	23.4
2015	573	32.0	17.9	25.7
2016	543	31.0	17.5	22.5
2017	514	29.8	17.2	21.2
2018	547	33.3	16.4	23
2019	519	32.3	16.0	22.5
2020	509	29.8	17.0	21.2
2021	438	25.2	17.3	17.4
2022	423	27.8	15.1	14.9
2023	437	27.4	15.9	27.7

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 Northwinds Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$11,492

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Northwinds 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 114^th of 870 Elementary schools	Ranks 102^nd of 845 Elementary schools	1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Northwinds Elementary)	82.1	79.2	2.8%
3rd Grade Math (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)	78.2	67.3	10.9%
3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)	65.6	59.1	6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Northwinds Elementary)	60.3	64.9	4.7%
3rd Grade Reading (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)	62.1	59.3	2.8%
3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)	54.6	47.4	7.2%
4th Grade Math (Northwinds Elementary)	81.7	73.4	8.3%
4th Grade Math (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)	73	59.4	13.7%
4th Grade Math (Minnesota)	63.9	57.1	6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Northwinds Elementary)	74.5	60.6	13.9%
4th Grade Reading (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)	68.2	43.9	24.3%
4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	55.4	48.4	7.1%
5th Grade Math (Northwinds Elementary)	64.9	57.6	7.3%
5th Grade Math (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)	60.1	48.7	11.4%
5th Grade Math (Minnesota)	52	44.4	7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Northwinds Elementary)	77.7	72.6	5%
5th Grade Reading (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)	77.4	68.8	8.6%
5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	65.8	58.7	7%
5th Grade Science (Northwinds Elementary)	74.5	71	3.5%
5th Grade Science (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)	70.4	59.2	11.2%
5th Grade Science (Minnesota)	54.9	48.4	6.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	519	437	15.8%
African American	8	4	50%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	6	13	116.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	492	407	17.3%
Two or More Races	12	11	8.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	22.5%	27.7%	5.1%

Schools Near Northwinds 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
Northwinds Elementary	Public	K-5	1111 7th Ave NW	Buffalo	55313	Wright County	Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools	No	No	No	No	(763) 682-8800	437	27	15.9	27.7%	407 (93.1%)	4 (0.9%)	13 (3.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.5%)	75	200^th of 881 public elementary schools	77.3%		84.1	102^nd of 845 public elementary schools	87.9%	98	76.1	67.1	43.9		62.7	52.2	65.4	66.7		61.6	56.3	56.3	$11,493
Discovery Elementary	Public	K-5	301 2nd Ave NE	Buffalo	55313	Wright County	Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools	No	No	No	No	(763) 682-8400	224	15	14.9	18.8%	220 (98.2%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	45.5	541^st of 881 public elementary schools	38.6%		61.5	353^rd of 845 public elementary schools	58.2%	188	43.9	50.0	27.0		40.8	39.0	56.8	64.9		53.3	29.7	29.7	$12,939
Parkside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	207 3rd St NE	Buffalo	55313	Wright County	Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 682-8500	362	27	13.4	42.8%	305 (84.3%)	1 (0.3%)	30 (8.3%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (6.1%)	58.6	392^nd of 881 public elementary schools	55.5%		66.6	288^th of 845 public elementary schools	65.9%	104	41.5	58.9	43.6		48.0	46.2	50.9	71.0		56.8	47.5	47.5	$13,171
Tatanka Elementary STEM School	Public	K-5	703 8th St NE	Buffalo	55313	Wright County	Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 682-8600	452	31	14.6	40.9%	404 (89.4%)	15 (3.3%)	14 (3.1%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.3%)	29.4	659^th of 881 public elementary schools	25.2%		46.5	514^th of 845 public elementary schools	39.2%	145	54.2	49.3	21.1		39.0	37.3	32.4	37.4		35.8	29.7	29.7	$10,828
Maple Lake Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	200 Highway 55 E	Maple Lake	55358	Wright County	Maple Lake Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 963-3024	396	31	12.8	33.1%	379 (95.7%)	3 (0.8%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.0%)	68.4	276^th of 881 public elementary schools	68.7%		71.6	232^nd of 845 public elementary schools	72.5%	44	81.0	68.5	45.9	58.0	61.8	54.8	53.7	59.0	52.0	55.1	44.3	44.3	$11,302
Monticello Nature Based Education	Public	K-5	9842 Briarwood Avenue NE	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Monticello Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 272-2801	60	0		43.3%	56 (93.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (5.0%)	95.3	9^th of 881 public elementary schools	99.0%					(n/a)		94.1	90.9		92.3		58.8	95.7		80.0	95.7	95.7
Montrose Elementary School of Innov	Public	PK, KG-5	100 2nd St S	Montrose	55363	Wright County	Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 682-8345	351	25	13.8	48.4%	295 (84.0%)	16 (4.6%)	25 (7.1%)	6 (1.7%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	7 (2.0%)	48.3	510^th of 881 public elementary schools	42.1%		39.1	582^nd of 845 public elementary schools	31.1%	72	71.4	41.4	26.3		46.2	55.4	40.4	62.5		52.7	28.1	28.1	$13,186
Little Mountain Elementary	Public	1-5	9350 Fallon Ave NE	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Monticello Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 272-2600	593	40	14.9	39.6%	453 (76.4%)	26 (4.4%)	56 (9.4%)	16 (2.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (6.9%)	64.4	316^th of 881 public elementary schools	64.1%		66.4	289^th of 845 public elementary schools	65.8%	27	57.6	58.1	56.0		57.3	43.7	49.6	68.8		53.4	55.1	55.1	$12,686
Little Mountain Elementary - SNW	Public	K-6	9350 Fallon Avenue	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Sherburne and Northern Wright Speci	No	No	No	No	(763) 272-2600	8	3	2.3		5 (62.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (12.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (25.0%)								(n/a)
Humphrey Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	803 Elm Ave	Waverly	55390	Wright County	Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 543-4680	278	21	13.2	32.0%	248 (89.2%)	2 (0.7%)	18 (6.5%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.5%)	38.2	592^nd of 881 public elementary schools	32.8%		57.4	397^th of 845 public elementary schools	53.0%	195	44.9	60.7			53.3	24.5	39.3			32.4			$11,301

Frequently Asked Questions about Northwinds Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Northwinds Elementary?

Students at Northwinds Elementary are 93% White, 3% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

How many students attend Northwinds Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 437 students attended Northwinds Elementary.

Is Northwinds Elementary a good school?

Northwinds Elementary ranks 200^th of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Northwinds Elementary in?

Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools

What schools do graduates of Northwinds Elementary attend?

Students who attend Northwinds Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Buffalo Community Middle
High : Buffalo Senior High

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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.