Northwinds Elementary

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:
200th of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,493 Help


Students who attend Northwinds Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Buffalo Community Middle
High:    Buffalo Senior High

Student/teacher ratio:  15.9 Help
Number of students:  437

Racial breakdown:

White:
93.1%
Hispanic:
3.0%
Two or more races:
2.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  27.7% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Northwinds Elementary ranks better than 77.3% of elementary schools in Minnesota. It also ranks 2nd among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 74.97. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (93.1%), Hispanic (3%), two or more races (2.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 27.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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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...)
Help
Compare Northwinds Elementary employs 27.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
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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 200th 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 199th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Northwinds Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Northwinds Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2007 67.26 240th 777 69.1%
2008 63.26 315th 781 59.7%
2010 69.22 248th 803 69.1%
2011 77.05 122nd 814 85.0%
2012 69.17 245th 820 70.1%
2013 73.02 202nd 824 75.5%
2014 80.65 99th 826 88.0%
2015 79.29 119th 840 85.8%
2016 86.10 47th 848 94.5%
2017 85.69 54th 853 93.7%
2018 82.04 98th 847 88.4%
2019 81.92 114th 870 86.9%
2021 87.10 63rd 869 92.8%
2022 84.68 90th 858 89.5%
2023 84.10 102nd 845 87.9%
2024 74.97 200th 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2019 79.67 59th 515 88.5%
2021 89.37 15th 417 96.4%
2022 87.33 28th 500 94.4%
2023 81.84 63rd 524 88.0%
2024 52.57 244th 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.29 66th 728 90.9%
2019 84.08 47th 740 93.6%
2021 92.42 17th 683 97.5%
2022 81.83 60th 663 91.0%
2023 84.46 54th 774 93.0%
2024 66.90 234th 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.71 79th 774 89.8%
2019 78.33 125th 787 84.1%
2021 82.53 81st 783 89.7%
2022 82.26 96th 799 88.0%
2023 79.80 116th 787 85.3%
2024 72.01 209th 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.49 128th 779 83.6%
2019 81.38 102nd 798 87.2%
2021 87.68 44th 784 94.4%
2022 83.58 82nd 808 89.9%
2023 83.23 92nd 799 88.5%
2024 73.11 197th 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.15 175th 712 75.4%
2019 74.07 142nd 722 80.3%
2021 80.58 81st 710 88.6%
2022 75.61 135th 725 81.4%
2023 71.39 165th 712 76.8%
2024 57.33 296th 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.

Northwinds Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Northwinds Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2007 532 9 5 7 3 n/a n/a 0 556
2008 551 6 6 6 2 n/a n/a 0 571
2009 556 8 3 7 5 n/a n/a 0 579
2010 592 14 7 4 2 n/a n/a 0 619
2011 588 9 7 7 1 0 10 0 622
2012 607 6 4 8 2 0 9 0 636
2013 558 10 2 5 2 0 16 0 593
2014 537 5 2 0 2 0 14 0 560
2015 545 4 1 3 2 0 18 0 573
2016 512 5 2 6 1 0 17 0 543
2017 485 5 2 6 1 0 15 0 514
2018 510 7 2 10 0 0 18 0 547
2019 492 8 1 6 0 0 12 0 519
2020 474 12 1 8 0 0 14 0 509
2021 408 11 0 8 0 0 11 0 438
2022 394 9 1 9 0 0 10 0 423
2023 407 4 1 13 1 0 11 0 437

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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Compare
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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Compare
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

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YearTotal 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 114th of 870 Elementary schoolsRanks 102nd of 845 Elementary schools
 1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Northwinds Elementary)82.179.2
 2.8%
   3rd Grade Math (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)78.267.3
 10.9%
   3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)65.659.1
 6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Northwinds Elementary)60.364.9
 4.7%
   3rd Grade Reading (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)62.159.3
 2.8%
   3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)54.647.4
 7.2%
4th Grade Math (Northwinds Elementary)81.773.4
 8.3%
   4th Grade Math (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)7359.4
 13.7%
   4th Grade Math (Minnesota)63.957.1
 6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Northwinds Elementary)74.560.6
 13.9%
   4th Grade Reading (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)68.243.9
 24.3%
   4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)55.448.4
 7.1%
5th Grade Math (Northwinds Elementary)64.957.6
 7.3%
   5th Grade Math (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)60.148.7
 11.4%
   5th Grade Math (Minnesota)5244.4
 7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Northwinds Elementary)77.772.6
 5%
   5th Grade Reading (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)77.468.8
 8.6%
   5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)65.858.7
 7%
5th Grade Science (Northwinds Elementary)74.571
 3.5%
   5th Grade Science (Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools)70.459.2
 11.2%
   5th Grade Science (Minnesota)54.948.4
 6.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students519437
 15.8%
African American84
 50%
American Indian01
Asian11
Hispanic613
 116.7%
Pacific Islander00
White492407
 17.3%
Two or More Races1211
 8.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients22.5%27.7%
 5.1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Northwinds Elementary

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

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

Students who attend Northwinds Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Buffalo Community Middle
High : Buffalo Senior High

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


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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.





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