Cass Lake-Bena Middle School

Summary:

Cass Lake-Bena Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 5-8 in Cass Lake, Minnesota, with a student population of 305. The school is part of the Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools district, which is ranked 416 out of 463 districts in Minnesota and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Cass Lake-Bena Middle School stands out for its significantly higher percentage of Native American students (79.34%) compared to surrounding schools like Bemidji Middle (23.79%), Voyageurs Expeditionary Middle School (43.75%), Trek North Middle School (43.86%), and Laporte Middle School (8.7%). However, the school consistently performs well below state averages in proficiency rates for Math, Reading, and Science on the MCA-III assessments, with only 8.28% proficiency in Math, 19.52% in Reading, and 6.04% in Science, compared to state averages of 45.47%, 49.85%, and 39.56%, respectively.

Cass Lake-Bena Middle School also has a very high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 65.37% to 84.59% over the past few years, significantly higher than the surrounding schools. Despite its relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 9.7 to 10.7, the school has consistently ranked in the bottom 10-15% of Minnesota middle schools over the past decade, with a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. These challenges suggest the need for targeted interventions and support to address the persistent academic underperformance and potential educational inequities faced by the school's predominantly Native American and low-income student population.


Detail:

Public 5-8

 15314 State 371 NW
       Cass Lake, MN  56633-3373


(218) 335-2203

District: Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
501st of 545 Minnesota Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $22,279 Help


Students who attend Cass Lake-Bena Middle School usually attend:

High:    Cass Lake-Bena Secondary

Feeder schools for Cass Lake-Bena Middle School:

Elementary:    Cass Lake-Bena Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  10.0 Help
Number of students:  305

Racial breakdown:

American Indian:
79.3%
Two or more races:
12.8%
White:
4.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  84.6% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Cass Lake-Bena Middle School ranks worse than 91.9% of middle schools in Minnesota. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.06. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: American Indian (79.3%), two or more races (12.8%), White (4.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 84.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cass Lake-Bena Middle School is 10. (See more...)
Help
Compare Cass Lake-Bena Middle School employs 30.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cass Lake-Bena Middle School is $22,279.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cass Lake-Bena Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Cass Lake-Bena Middle School 501st of 545 Minnesota public middle schools. (See Cass Lake-Bena Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Native American students:


Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools 416th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Cass Lake-Bena Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Cass Lake-Bena Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 19.08 334th 387 13.7%
2005 23.07 344th 396 13.1%
2006 20.47 362nd 406 10.8%
2007 25.07 347th 403 13.9%
2008 28.67 346th 409 15.4%
2009 28.11 196th 230 14.8%
2010 24.67 390th 454 14.1%
2011 14.78 423rd 478 11.5%
2012 9.64 426th 469 9.2%
2013 7.78 450th 488 7.8%
2014 6.42 455th 490 7.1%
2015 5.21 484th 516 6.2%
2016 4.70 476th 508 6.3%
2017 4.72 490th 523 6.3%
2018 5.52 480th 518 7.3%
2019 13.69 468th 533 12.2%
2021 8.98 483rd 521 7.3%
2022 6.56 494th 520 5.0%
2023 8.33 498th 529 5.9%
2024 11.06 501st 545 8.1%
See the entire list of Minnesota Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Cass Lake-Bena Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.34 239th 253 5.5%
2019 36.81 186th 282 34.0%
2021 30.79 198th 260 23.8%
2022 19.52 253rd 288 12.2%
2023 26.86 236th 298 20.8%
2024 32.09 222nd 307 27.7%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Cass Lake-Bena Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.69 372nd 401 7.2%
2019 23.66 342nd 415 17.6%
2021 19.82 351st 399 12.0%
2022 11.66 388th 404 4.0%
2023 15.09 419th 459 8.7%
2024 17.56 421st 473 11.0%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Cass Lake-Bena Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 4.24 419th 436 3.9%
2019 17.06 389th 439 11.4%
2021 9.52 414th 443 6.5%
2022 8.19 439th 467 6.0%
2023 8.67 426th 455 6.4%
2024 8.04 448th 474 5.5%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Cass Lake-Bena Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 5.13 416th 438 5.0%
2019 10.07 415th 454 8.6%
2021 8.15 416th 437 4.8%
2022 5.10 466th 476 2.1%
2023 7.47 439th 464 5.4%
2024 11.49 440th 479 8.1%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Cass Lake-Bena Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.43 16th 23 30.4%
2019 49.26 9th 23 60.9%
2021 29.14 15th 18 16.7%
2022 27.22 18th 22 18.2%
2023 25.25 40th 49 18.4%
2024 23.90 46th 55 16.4%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Native American 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.

Cass Lake-Bena Middle School 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 Cass Lake-Bena Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2002 74 0 1 1 299 n/a n/a 0 375
2003 74 0 1 1 299 n/a n/a 0 375
2004 57 0 2 0 284 n/a n/a 0 343
2005 66 3 3 1 280 n/a n/a 0 353
2006 41 1 4 1 265 n/a n/a 0 312
2007 30 1 3 1 242 n/a n/a 0 277
2008 28 1 2 0 259 n/a n/a 0 290
2009 24 1 2 0 246 n/a n/a 0 273
2010 24 0 1 0 259 n/a n/a 0 284
2011 22 0 0 2 287 0 8 0 319
2012 18 0 1 1 279 0 5 0 304
2013 10 4 0 2 301 0 2 0 319
2014 15 0 0 8 295 0 8 0 326
2015 16 1 0 5 283 0 20 0 325
2016 22 0 0 14 294 0 15 0 345
2017 29 0 0 8 286 0 15 0 338
2018 33 0 0 10 296 0 16 0 355
2019 36 0 0 9 290 0 23 0 358
2020 27 0 0 3 298 0 7 0 335
2021 20 0 0 2 295 0 18 0 335
2022 24 0 0 6 243 0 29 0 302
2023 15 1 0 8 242 0 39 0 305

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 Cass Lake-Bena Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 375 26.8 14.0 68.5
2003 375 26.8 14.0 68.5
2004 343 30.4 11.3 73.5
2005 353 35.2 10.0 72.8
2006 312 35.7 8.7 71.5
2007 277 28.4 9.8 78.7
2008 290 27.8 10.4 84.5
2009 273 31.5 8.7 79.9
2010 284 27.8 10.2 80.6
2011 319 28.0 11.3 81.2
2012 304 31.0 9.7 81.6
2013 319 28.0 11.3 83.4
2014 326 30.8 10.5 87.4
2015 325 29.0 11.2 79.1
2016 345 34.0 10.1 83.8
2017 338 33.8 9.9 82.8
2018 355 29.5 12.0 78
2019 358 28.1 12.7 80.4
2020 335 34.4 9.7 79.7
2021 335 31.0 10.7 65.4
2022 302 31.0 9.7 69.5
2023 305 30.4 10.0 84.6

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 Cass Lake-Bena Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 375 26.8 14.0 68.5
2003 375 26.8 14.0 68.5
2004 343 30.4 11.3 73.5
2005 353 35.2 10.0 72.8
2006 312 35.7 8.7 71.5
2007 277 28.4 9.8 78.7
2008 290 27.8 10.4 84.5
2009 273 31.5 8.7 79.9
2010 284 27.8 10.2 80.6
2011 319 28.0 11.3 81.2
2012 304 31.0 9.7 81.6
2013 319 28.0 11.3 83.4
2014 326 30.8 10.5 87.4
2015 325 29.0 11.2 79.1
2016 345 34.0 10.1 83.8
2017 338 33.8 9.9 82.8
2018 355 29.5 12.0 78
2019 358 28.1 12.7 80.4
2020 335 34.4 9.7 79.7
2021 335 31.0 10.7 65.4
2022 302 31.0 9.7 69.5
2023 305 30.4 10.0 84.6

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 Cass Lake-Bena Middle School

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $22,279

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Cass Lake-Bena Middle 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 468th of 533 Middle schoolsRanks 498th of 529 Middle schools
 6.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
5th Grade Math (Cass Lake-Bena Middle School)10.99.3
 1.5%
   5th Grade Math (Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools)10.99.3
 1.5%
   5th Grade Math (Minnesota)5244.4
 7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Cass Lake-Bena Middle School)38.721.3
 17.4%
   5th Grade Reading (Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools)38.721.3
 17.4%
   5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)65.858.7
 7%
5th Grade Science (Cass Lake-Bena Middle School)29.719.2
 10.5%
   5th Grade Science (Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools)29.719.2
 10.5%
   5th Grade Science (Minnesota)54.948.4
 6.5%
6th Grade Math (Cass Lake-Bena Middle School)15.58.8
 6.7%
   6th Grade Math (Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools)15.58.8
 6.7%
   6th Grade Math (Minnesota)50.539.7
 10.8%
6th Grade Reading (Cass Lake-Bena Middle School)35.626.5
 9.2%
   6th Grade Reading (Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools)35.626.5
 9.2%
   6th Grade Reading (Minnesota)62.853.4
 9.4%
7th Grade Math (Cass Lake-Bena Middle School)205.8
 14.2%
   7th Grade Math (Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools)19.35.6
 13.7%
   7th Grade Math (Minnesota)52.139.7
 12.4%
7th Grade Reading (Cass Lake-Bena Middle School)42.514.3
 28.2%
   7th Grade Reading (Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools)4113.9
 27.1%
   7th Grade Reading (Minnesota)57.545.2
 12.3%
8th Grade Math (Cass Lake-Bena Middle School)29.610
 19.6%
   8th Grade Math (Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools)28.49
 19.4%
   8th Grade Math (Minnesota)55.240.3
 14.9%
8th Grade Reading (Cass Lake-Bena Middle School)35.215
 20.2%
   8th Grade Reading (Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools)35.115.2
 20%
   8th Grade Reading (Minnesota)57.744.8
 12.9%
8th Grade Science (Cass Lake-Bena Middle School)16.95.3
 11.7%
   8th Grade Science (Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools)16.24.8
 11.3%
   8th Grade Science (Minnesota)4327.6
 15.4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students358305
 14.8%
African American01
American Indian290242
 16.6%
Asian00
Hispanic98
 11.1%
Pacific Islander00
White3615
 58.3%
Two or More Races2339
 69.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients80.4%84.6%
 4.1%


Schools Near Cass Lake-Bena Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Cass Lake-Bena Middle School

In the 2022-23 school year, 305 students attended Cass Lake-Bena Middle School.

Students who attend Cass Lake-Bena Middle School usually go on to attend Cass Lake-Bena Secondary

Cass Lake-Bena Middle School ranks in the bottom 8.1% of Minnesota middle schools.

Students at Cass Lake-Bena Middle School are 79% American Indian, 13% Two or more races, 5% White, 3% Hispanic.


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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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