Is East Central Elementary a good school?

East Central Elementary ranks 437 th of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend East Central Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 382 students attended East Central Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of East Central Elementary?

Students at East Central Elementary are 80% White, 10% American Indian, 7% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of East Central Elementary attend?

Students who attend East Central Elementary usually go on to attend: High : East Central Senior Secondary

East Central Elementary

Summary:

East Central Elementary is a public elementary school in Finlayson, Minnesota, serving around 400 students in grades PK-6 as part of the Hinckley-Finlayson School District. While the school has a higher percentage of non-white students compared to nearby schools like Finlayson Elementary and Willow River Elementary, its academic performance has been mixed, with proficiency rates in Math and Reading slightly below state averages and significantly lower in Science.

East Central Elementary has shown some strengths and weaknesses in the performance of specific student groups. The school's ranking for Special Education students and Low Socioeconomic Status students has been higher than its overall ranking, indicating these groups are performing relatively better. However, the school's ranking for White students has been lower, suggesting this group may be underperforming compared to the state. Additionally, the school has seen a steady increase in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, reaching 56% in 2022-2023, which is higher than nearby schools like Moose Lake Elementary (49.84%) and Willow River Elementary (46.33%).

Over the past several years, East Central Elementary's statewide ranking has declined, from being ranked 395 out of 858 Minnesota elementary schools in 2021-2022 to 437 out of 881 in 2023-2024. This suggests the school may be struggling to keep pace with the academic performance of other schools in the state. Additionally, the school's proficiency rates in Math and Reading vary significantly across grade levels, indicating the need to address curriculum and instructional gaps across different grade levels. While East Central Elementary has a unique student population, its academic performance is generally lower than that of the surrounding schools, which may be influenced by the increasing percentage of students from low-income families.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

61085 State Highway 23
Finlayson, MN 55735-8888

(320) 245-6013

District: East Central School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
437^th of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,261

Students who attend East Central Elementary usually attend:

High:

East Central Senior Secondary

Student/teacher ratio: 15.5

Number of students: 382

Racial breakdown:

White:

79.6%

American Indian:

10.2%

Two or more races:

6.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 55.2%

See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

Compare East Central Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details East Central Elementary ranks better than 50.4% of elementary schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 54.73. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (79.6%), American Indian (10.2%), two or more races (6.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 55.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at East Central Elementary is 15.5. (See more...)

Compare East Central Elementary employs 24.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at East Central Elementary is $12,261.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

East Central Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks East Central Elementary 437^th of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See East Central 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:

East Central School District:

SchoolDigger ranks East Central School District 293^rd of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for East Central Elementary

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Rank History for all students at East Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2003	26.20	566^th	674	16.0%
2004	27.82	563^rd	676	16.7%
2005	39.02	510^th	685	25.5%
2006	35.21	615^th	756	18.7%
2007	35.84	630^th	777	18.9%
2008	25.62	679^th	781	13.1%
2010	33.19	658^th	803	18.1%
2011	33.29	653^rd	814	19.8%
2012	25.40	705^th	820	14.0%
2013	24.90	682^nd	824	17.2%
2014	14.69	739^th	826	10.5%
2015	17.62	721^st	840	14.2%
2016	34.66	635^th	848	25.1%
2017	47.32	536^th	853	37.2%
2018	52.31	478^th	847	43.6%
2019	46.11	555^th	870	36.2%
2021	45.70	557^th	869	35.9%
2022	57.93	395^th	858	54.0%
2023	56.38	408^th	845	51.7%
2024	54.73	437^th	881	50.4%

See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at East Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2019	29.00	392^nd	515	23.9%
2023	28.09	414^th	524	21.0%
2024	50.19	267^th	572	53.3%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at East Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	54.77	349^th	728	52.1%
2019	53.08	364^th	740	50.8%
2021	38.09	455^th	683	33.4%
2022	62.09	219^th	663	67.0%
2023	64.60	251^st	774	67.6%
2024	64.70	253^rd	793	68.1%

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

Rank History for Female students at East Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	50.02	462^nd	774	40.3%
2019	52.69	461^st	787	41.4%
2021	48.59	467^th	783	40.4%
2022	60.07	354^th	799	55.7%
2023	57.75	359^th	787	54.4%
2024	53.28	415^th	809	48.7%

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

Rank History for Male students at East Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	50.74	453^rd	779	41.8%
2019	35.97	587^th	798	26.4%
2021	38.41	555^th	784	29.2%
2022	52.12	435^th	808	46.2%
2023	51.79	422^nd	799	47.2%
2024	52.77	429^th	826	48.1%

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

Rank History for White students at East Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	32.42	552^nd	712	22.5%
2019	28.38	602^nd	722	16.6%
2021	25.59	612^th	710	13.8%
2022	39.06	485^th	725	33.1%
2023	34.15	521^st	712	26.8%
2024	34.65	523^rd	730	28.4%

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 East Central Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1993	272	3	1	9	16	n/a	n/a	0	301
1994	265	1	1	7	18	n/a	n/a	0	292
1995	268	2	2	5	28	n/a	n/a	0	305
1996	268	2	2	5	28	n/a	n/a	0	305
1997	267	6	3	5	32	n/a	n/a	0	313
1998	258	4	5	5	32	n/a	n/a	9	313
1999	361	6	6	8	31	n/a	n/a	0	412
2000	358	3	5	9	33	n/a	n/a	0	408
2001	349	4	4	7	34	n/a	n/a	0	398
2002	311	2	5	1	33	n/a	n/a	0	352
2003	311	2	5	1	33	n/a	n/a	0	352
2004	322	1	3	2	32	n/a	n/a	0	360
2005	319	6	3	2	32	n/a	n/a	0	362
2006	315	3	2	2	31	n/a	n/a	0	353
2007	322	3	2	3	28	n/a	n/a	0	358
2008	300	8	1	6	26	n/a	n/a	0	341
2009	301	6	1	4	19	n/a	n/a	0	331
2010	324	8	0	6	21	n/a	n/a	0	359
2011	304	8	2	9	27	0	0	0	350
2012	352	9	2	12	35	0	6	0	416
2013	339	8	2	10	39	0	4	0	402
2014	339	11	2	14	38	0	2	0	406
2015	338	5	2	11	41	0	0	0	397
2016	319	6	4	10	45	0	2	0	386
2017	333	6	2	10	32	0	7	0	390
2018	355	8	0	6	28	0	10	0	407
2019	353	5	0	8	30	0	19	0	415
2020	353	5	4	10	31	0	26	0	429
2021	321	3	4	8	22	0	23	0	381
2022	329	3	5	8	30	0	30	0	405
2023	326	2	5	12	32	0	23	0	400
2024	304	1	3	10	39	0	25	0	382

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 East Central Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1993	301	18.4	16.4	41.2
1994	292	18.8	15.5	42.5
1995	305	1.0	305.0	35.4
1996	305	1.0	305.0	35.4
1997	313	17.8	17.6	30.7
1998	313	n/a	0.0	38.2
1999	412	26.1	15.8	37.1
2000	408	24.4	16.7	50.2
2001	398	25.2	15.8	49
2002	352	23.9	14.7	48
2003	352	23.9	14.7	48
2004	360	24.0	15.0	48.6
2005	362	24.2	15.0	52.2
2006	353	25.2	14.0	52.7
2007	358	23.7	15.1	52.5
2008	341	19.7	17.3	57.5
2009	331	23.9	13.8	58.9
2010	359	25.3	14.1	63.2
2011	350	27.2	12.8	56.3
2012	416	31.8	13.0	60.6
2013	402	28.3	14.1	62.7
2014	406	27.3	14.8	62.1
2015	397	27.0	14.7	61
2016	386	30.0	12.8	60.1
2017	390	29.5	13.2	56.9
2018	407	26.6	15.2	51.1
2019	415	26.6	15.5	55.4
2020	429	30.0	14.2	50.3
2021	381	24.2	15.7	41.7
2022	405	28.3	14.2	45.7
2023	400	26.0	15.3	56
2024	382	24.5	15.5	55.2

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 East Central Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1993	301	18.4	16.4	41.2
1994	292	18.8	15.5	42.5
1995	305	1.0	305.0	35.4
1996	305	1.0	305.0	35.4
1997	313	17.8	17.6	30.7
1998	313	n/a	0.0	38.2
1999	412	26.1	15.8	37.1
2000	408	24.4	16.7	50.2
2001	398	25.2	15.8	49
2002	352	23.9	14.7	48
2003	352	23.9	14.7	48
2004	360	24.0	15.0	48.6
2005	362	24.2	15.0	52.2
2006	353	25.2	14.0	52.7
2007	358	23.7	15.1	52.5
2008	341	19.7	17.3	57.5
2009	331	23.9	13.8	58.9
2010	359	25.3	14.1	63.2
2011	350	27.2	12.8	56.3
2012	416	31.8	13.0	60.6
2013	402	28.3	14.1	62.7
2014	406	27.3	14.8	62.1
2015	397	27.0	14.7	61
2016	386	30.0	12.8	60.1
2017	390	29.5	13.2	56.9
2018	407	26.6	15.2	51.1
2019	415	26.6	15.5	55.4
2020	429	30.0	14.2	50.3
2021	381	24.2	15.7	41.7
2022	405	28.3	14.2	45.7
2023	400	26.0	15.3	56
2024	382	24.5	15.5	55.2

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 East Central Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$12,261

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on East Central 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 555^th of 870 Elementary schools	Ranks 408^th of 845 Elementary schools	15.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (East Central Elementary)	53.6	60	6.4%
3rd Grade Math (East Central School District)	53.6	60	6.4%
3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)	65.6	59.1	6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (East Central Elementary)	46.4	39.3	7.1%
3rd Grade Reading (East Central School District)	46.4	39.3	7.1%
3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)	54.6	47.4	7.2%
4th Grade Math (East Central Elementary)	58.3	62.8	4.4%
4th Grade Math (East Central School District)	58.3	62.8	4.4%
4th Grade Math (Minnesota)	63.9	57.1	6.8%
4th Grade Reading (East Central Elementary)	37.5	41.2	3.7%
4th Grade Reading (East Central School District)	37.5	41.2	3.7%
4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	55.4	48.4	7.1%
5th Grade Math (East Central Elementary)	65.2	42.9	22.4%
5th Grade Math (East Central School District)	65.2	42.9	22.4%
5th Grade Math (Minnesota)	52	44.4	7.6%
5th Grade Reading (East Central Elementary)	63.8	64.3	0.5%
5th Grade Reading (East Central School District)	63.8	64.3	0.5%
5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	65.8	58.7	7%
5th Grade Science (East Central Elementary)	41.2	41.5	0.3%
5th Grade Science (East Central School District)	41.2	41.5	0.3%
5th Grade Science (Minnesota)	54.9	48.4	6.5%
6th Grade Math (East Central Elementary)	49	47.8	1.1%
6th Grade Math (East Central School District)	49	47.8	1.1%
6th Grade Math (Minnesota)	50.5	39.7	10.8%
6th Grade Reading (East Central Elementary)	61.2	54.4	6.9%
6th Grade Reading (East Central School District)	61.2	54.4	6.9%
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	415	400	3.6%
African American	5	2	60%
American Indian	30	32	6.7%
Asian	0	5
Hispanic	8	12	50%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	353	326	7.6%
Two or More Races	19	23	21.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	55.4%	56%	0.6%

Schools Near East Central 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
East Central Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	61085 State Highway 23	Finlayson	55735	Pine County	East Central School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 245-6013	382	25	15.5	55.2%	304 (79.6%)	1 (0.3%)	10 (2.6%)	3 (0.8%)	39 (10.2%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.5%)	54.7	437^th of 881 public elementary schools	50.4%		56.4	408^th of 845 public elementary schools	51.7%	29	48.0	57.9	54.7	40.0	51.0	28.0	51.8	62.3	59.0	50.0	37.7	37.7	$12,261
East Central Early Childhood	Public	PK-K	61085 State Highway 23	Finlayson	55735	Pine County	East Central School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 245-6013	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Finlayson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	2159 Hwy 18	Finlayson	55735	Pine County	Hinckley-Finlayson School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 233-7611	58	6	10.1	63.8%	53 (91.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (5.2%)	1 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.7%)	41.7	570^th of 881 public elementary schools	35.3%		49.8	488^th of 845 public elementary schools	42.2%	82	66.7		27.3	45.5	46.3	33.3		45.5	36.4	34.2	36.4	36.4	$12,831
Willow River Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	8142 Pine St	Willow River	55795	Pine County	Willow River Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 372-3131	224	19	11.7	44.2%	202 (90.2%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.6%)	54	441^st of 881 public elementary schools	49.9%		64	319^th of 845 public elementary schools	62.2%	122	68.8	54.6	40.5	24.1	47.3	43.8	54.6	43.2	46.4	46.9	59.5	59.5	$12,165
Hinckley Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	111 Blair Ave S	Hinckley	55037	Pine County	Hinckley-Finlayson School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 384-6443	449	35	12.6	66.6%	286 (63.7%)	5 (1.1%)	26 (5.8%)	5 (1.1%)	62 (13.8%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (14.5%)	25.6	684^th of 881 public elementary schools	22.4%		20.6	685^th of 845 public elementary schools	18.9%	1	48.9	50.0	16.1	11.3	30.8	38.3	23.8	32.1	38.1	32.8	35.7	35.7	$10,344
Moose Lake Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	4812 County Rd 10	Moose Lake	55767	Carlton County	Moose Lake Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 485-4834	304	25	12.2	44.1%	269 (88.5%)	4 (1.3%)	7 (2.3%)	3 (1.0%)	5 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (5.3%)	54	442^nd of 881 public elementary schools	49.8%		57.6	395^th of 845 public elementary schools	53.3%	47	48.8	39.0	42.9	40.8	42.9	44.2	41.5	57.1	57.1	50.0	65.7	65.7	$11,820

East Central Elementary

East Central Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

East Central School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for East Central Elementary

Rank History for all students at East Central Elementary

Rank History for Special Education students at East Central Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at East Central Elementary

Rank History for Female students at East Central Elementary

Rank History for Male students at East Central Elementary

Rank History for White students at East Central Elementary

Enrollment information for East Central Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at East Central Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio East Central Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for East Central Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on East Central Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near East Central Elementary