Is Westwood Elementary a good school?

Westwood Elementary ranks 356 th of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Westwood Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 543 students attended Westwood Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Westwood Elementary?

Students at Westwood Elementary are 88% White, 6% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic, 1% Asian, 1% American Indian.

What schools do graduates of Westwood Elementary attend?

Students who attend Westwood Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Zimmerman Middle High : Zimmerman High School

Westwood Elementary

Summary:

Westwood Elementary is a public elementary school located in Zimmerman, Minnesota, serving grades 3-5 with a total enrollment of 543 students. The school is part of the Elk River Public School District, which is ranked 61 out of 463 districts in Minnesota and is rated 4 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Westwood Elementary has a significantly higher percentage of white students (88.4% in 2022-2023) compared to the surrounding schools, which have more diverse student populations. The school's performance on the MCA-III assessments is generally on par with or slightly below the Elk River Public School District average, but above the state average in most subject areas and grade levels. However, the school's statewide ranking has declined from 205 out of 870 Minnesota elementary schools in 2018-2019 to 356 out of 881 in 2023-2024, indicating a relative decline in performance compared to other schools in the state. Westwood Elementary performs particularly well for its special education and low socioeconomic status (SES) student groups, ranking in the top 35% and top 30% of Minnesota elementary schools, respectively, in recent years. But the school's performance for its white student group has been in the bottom 30% of Minnesota elementary schools.

Westwood Elementary has seen a significant increase in its free and reduced lunch rate, from 15.9% in 2021-2022 to 36.28% in 2022-2023, indicating a growing population of students from lower-income households. This may present additional challenges in terms of providing resources and support to meet the needs of these students. To address these issues, the school and Elk River Public School District may need to implement targeted strategies to improve academic performance, promote diversity and inclusion, and provide additional resources and support for students from lower-income households.

Detail:

Public 3-5

13651 4th Ave S
Zimmerman, MN 55398-4515

(763) 274-3180

District: Elk River Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
356^th of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,868

Students who attend Westwood Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Zimmerman Middle
High:	Zimmerman High School

Student/teacher ratio: 19.1

Number of students: 543

Racial breakdown:

White:

88.4%

Two or more races:

6.1%

Hispanic:

2.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 36.3%

See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

Compare Westwood Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Westwood Elementary ranks better than 59.6% of elementary schools in Minnesota. It also ranks 8^th among 9 ranked elementary schools in the Elk River Public School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 61.61. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (88.4%), two or more races (6.1%), Hispanic (2.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 36.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Westwood Elementary is 19.1. 8 elementary schools in the Elk River Public School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Westwood Elementary employs 28.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Westwood Elementary is $11,868, which is the 4^th highest among 9 elementary schools in the Elk River Public School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Westwood Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Westwood Elementary 356^th of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Westwood 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:

Elk River Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Elk River Public School District 61^st of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Westwood Elementary.

What do you think?

Your rating for Westwood Elementary?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Westwood Elementary

Compare

Rank History for all students at Westwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2004	43.15	472^nd	676	30.2%
2005	58.25	330^th	685	51.8%
2006	46.55	504^th	756	33.3%
2007	50.26	479^th	777	38.4%
2008	49.56	484^th	781	38.0%
2010	46.95	560^th	803	30.3%
2011	48.50	525^th	814	35.5%
2012	55.68	461^st	820	43.8%
2013	58.78	391^st	824	52.5%
2014	60.60	378^th	826	54.2%
2015	66.73	300^th	840	64.3%
2016	68.39	278^th	848	67.2%
2017	73.22	214^th	853	74.9%
2018	71.39	237^th	847	72.0%
2019	73.99	205^th	870	76.4%
2021	63.07	332^nd	869	61.8%
2022	60.74	364^th	858	57.6%
2023	64.07	318^th	845	62.4%
2024	61.61	356^th	881	59.6%

See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Westwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	74.83	21^st	87	75.9%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Westwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	59.43	173^rd	463	62.6%
2019	64.00	169^th	515	67.2%
2021	70.51	85^th	417	79.6%
2022	60.10	171^st	500	65.8%
2023	70.61	112^th	524	78.6%
2024	58.98	193^rd	572	66.3%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Westwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	67.39	208^th	728	71.4%
2019	75.84	117^th	740	84.2%
2021	72.54	135^th	683	80.2%
2022	60.80	239^th	663	64.0%
2023	69.21	197^th	774	74.5%
2024	67.33	226^th	793	71.5%

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

Rank History for Female students at Westwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	72.10	199^th	774	74.3%
2019	72.25	202^nd	787	74.3%
2021	57.38	367^th	783	53.1%
2022	60.50	347^th	799	56.6%
2023	58.38	351^st	787	55.4%
2024	59.32	340^th	809	58.0%

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

Rank History for Male students at Westwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	68.15	257^th	779	67.0%
2019	72.62	198^th	798	75.2%
2021	63.66	292^nd	784	62.8%
2022	57.74	366^th	808	54.7%
2023	65.54	278^th	799	65.2%
2024	60.13	341^st	826	58.7%

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

Rank History for White students at Westwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	52.89	351^st	712	50.7%
2019	54.92	335^th	722	53.6%
2021	40.50	471^st	710	33.7%
2022	37.60	507^th	725	30.1%
2023	41.12	448^th	712	37.1%
2024	35.73	512^th	730	29.9%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a student
Thursday, February 6, 2014

I went there and I loved it! We had super nice teachers and now I'm in advanced math and I am reading books years above my grade level. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Westwood Elementary

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2004	452	1	3	5	5	n/a	n/a	466
2005	457	2	8	5	7	n/a	n/a	479
2006	490	7	6	7	7	n/a	n/a	517
2007	524	8	7	7	5	n/a	n/a	551
2008	525	9	11	6	5	n/a	n/a	556
2009	552	4	8	4	6	n/a	n/a	574
2010	549	4	7	9	9	n/a	n/a	578
2011	556	3	2	12	4	1	13	591
2012	514	6	2	13	5	1	11	552
2013	528	3	4	12	5	1	20	573
2014	542	3	5	15	4	0	24	593
2015	566	4	7	13	3	1	28	622
2016	526	4	5	14	1	1	25	576
2017	537	3	2	18	0	1	25	586
2018	546	3	5	18	0	0	26	598
2019	517	2	7	15	0	0	29	570
2020	506	3	5	12	0	0	29	555
2021	470	3	4	16	0	0	29	522
2022	491	4	3	16	4	1	28	547
2023	480	4	7	12	6	1	33	543

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 Westwood Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	466	18.3	25.5	14.8
2005	479	24.5	19.6	21.3
2006	517	27.5	18.8	25.3
2007	551	27.7	19.9	24.7
2008	556	26.0	21.4	23
2009	574	29.3	19.6	28
2010	578	30.5	18.9	34.6
2011	591	31.9	18.5	40.4
2012	552	31.4	17.5	32.4
2013	573	32.3	17.7	29.3
2014	593	30.5	19.3	30.4
2015	622	32.0	19.4	25.1
2016	576	31.0	18.5	26.6
2017	586	30.9	18.9	24.4
2018	598	29.7	20.1	23.9
2019	570	30.1	18.9	23.5
2020	555	28.1	19.7	23.4
2021	522	28.7	18.1	20.3
2022	547	29.0	18.8	15.9
2023	543	28.3	19.1	36.3

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 Westwood Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	466	18.3	25.5	14.8
2005	479	24.5	19.6	21.3
2006	517	27.5	18.8	25.3
2007	551	27.7	19.9	24.7
2008	556	26.0	21.4	23
2009	574	29.3	19.6	28
2010	578	30.5	18.9	34.6
2011	591	31.9	18.5	40.4
2012	552	31.4	17.5	32.4
2013	573	32.3	17.7	29.3
2014	593	30.5	19.3	30.4
2015	622	32.0	19.4	25.1
2016	576	31.0	18.5	26.6
2017	586	30.9	18.9	24.4
2018	598	29.7	20.1	23.9
2019	570	30.1	18.9	23.5
2020	555	28.1	19.7	23.4
2021	522	28.7	18.1	20.3
2022	547	29.0	18.8	15.9
2023	543	28.3	19.1	36.3

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 Westwood Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$11,868

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Westwood 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 205^th of 870 Elementary schools	Ranks 318^th of 845 Elementary schools	14.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Westwood Elementary)	71.5	61.2	10.3%
3rd Grade Math (Elk River Public School District)	78.6	75.4	3.2%
3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)	65.6	59.1	6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Westwood Elementary)	63.5	50.9	12.7%
3rd Grade Reading (Elk River Public School District)	70.6	63.8	6.7%
3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)	54.6	47.4	7.2%
4th Grade Math (Westwood Elementary)	80	71.4	8.6%
4th Grade Math (Elk River Public School District)	78.6	71.9	6.7%
4th Grade Math (Minnesota)	63.9	57.1	6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Westwood Elementary)	62.7	49.2	13.5%
4th Grade Reading (Elk River Public School District)	64.5	58.7	5.8%
4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	55.4	48.4	7.1%
5th Grade Math (Westwood Elementary)	62.7	53.7	9%
5th Grade Math (Elk River Public School District)	64	58.5	5.5%
5th Grade Math (Minnesota)	52	44.4	7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Westwood Elementary)	74.7	61.2	13.6%
5th Grade Reading (Elk River Public School District)	77.3	71.2	6%
5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	65.8	58.7	7%
5th Grade Science (Westwood Elementary)	63.4	44.7	18.8%
5th Grade Science (Elk River Public School District)	66	55.3	10.8%
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	570	543	4.7%
African American	2	4	100%
American Indian	0	6
Asian	7	7
Hispanic	15	12	20%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	517	480	7.2%
Two or More Races	29	33	13.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	23.5%	36.3%	12.8%

Schools Near Westwood 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 All Grades	MCA-III Reading 3rd Grade	MCA-III Reading 4th Grade	MCA-III Reading 5th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	MCA-III Science 5th Grade	MCA-III Science All Grades	Total
Westwood Elementary	Public	3-5	13651 4th Ave S	Zimmerman	55398	Sherburne County	Elk River Public School District	No	No	No	No	(763) 274-3180	543	28	19.1	36.3%	480 (88.4%)	4 (0.7%)	12 (2.2%)	7 (1.3%)	6 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	33 (6.1%)	61.6	356^th of 881 public elementary schools	59.6%		64.1	318^th of 845 public elementary schools	62.4%	38	58.0	70.3	49.4	59.1	45.5	55.7	55.6	52.3	42.5	42.5	$11,868
Zimmerman Elementary	Public	K-2	25959 4th St W	Zimmerman	55398	Sherburne County	Elk River Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 241-3475	522	29	18.0	31.0%	465 (89.1%)	6 (1.1%)	17 (3.3%)	6 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.2%)								(n/a)											$12,890
Meadowvale Elementary	Public	K-5	12701 Elk Lake Rd	Elk River	55330	Sherburne County	Elk River Public School District	No	No	No	No	(763) 241-3470	542	32	17.0	17.0%	461 (85.1%)	16 (3.0%)	21 (3.9%)	5 (0.9%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	36 (6.6%)	81.8	125^th of 881 public elementary schools	85.8%		84	105^th of 845 public elementary schools	87.6%	20	75.5	60.5	59.4	65.3	66.3	63.4	76.4	69.2	57.1	57.1	$11,037
Liberty Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	17901 205th Ave N W	Big Lake	55309	Sherburne County	Big Lake Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 262-8100	806	55	14.6	40.0%	640 (79.4%)	40 (5.0%)	58 (7.2%)	12 (1.5%)	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (6.3%)								(n/a)											$11,455
Elk River District Shared Time Prog	Public	K-5	11500 193rd Ave NW	Elk River	55330	Sherburne County	Elk River Public School District	No	No	No	No	(763) 241-3400	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)											$2,295
Online728 Elementary School	Public, Virtual	K-5	11500 193rd Ave NW	Elk River	55330	Sherburne County	Elk River Public School District	No	No	Yes	No	(763) 241-3400	32	0	21.4	37.5%	20 (62.5%)	3 (9.4%)	3 (9.4%)	4 (12.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (6.3%)								(n/a)
Big Lake Online K-5	Public, Virtual	K-5	501 Minnesota Ave	Big Lake	55309	Sherburne County	Big Lake Public School District	No	No	Yes	No	(763) 262-6174	25	0	147.0	68.0%	17 (68.0%)	1 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (20.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (8.0%)								(n/a)				10.0				40.0
Lincoln Elementary	Public	K-5	998 Jackson Street NW	Elk River	55330	Sherburne County	Elk River Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 241-3480	557	33	16.7	46.5%	400 (71.8%)	38 (6.8%)	65 (11.7%)	16 (2.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	36 (6.5%)	61.6	358^th of 881 public elementary schools	59.4%		62	345^th of 845 public elementary schools	59.2%	13	73.5	66.3	42.2	58.9	64.3	50.6	56.0	56.9	33.3	33.3	$12,091
Independence Elementary	Public	3-5	701 Minnesota Ave	Big Lake	55309	Sherburne County	Big Lake Public School District	No	No	No	No	(763) 262-2537	660	42	15.6	39.7%	512 (77.6%)	37 (5.6%)	51 (7.7%)	11 (1.7%)	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (6.7%)	52.8	457^th of 881 public elementary schools	48.1%		58.6	385^th of 845 public elementary schools	54.4%	72	53.0	55.4	51.8	53.4	37.6	42.0	57.9	45.6	47.1	47.1	$11,086
Parker Elementary	Public	K-5	500 School St	Elk River	55330	Sherburne County	Elk River Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 241-3500	530	30	17.8	32.6%	438 (82.6%)	30 (5.7%)	14 (2.6%)	16 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.0%)	76.5	176^th of 881 public elementary schools	80.0%		80	141^st of 845 public elementary schools	83.3%	35	74.4	66.7	54.3	65.4	59.3	55.6	67.5	60.6	55.6	55.6	$11,152

Westwood Elementary

Westwood Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Elk River Public School District:

Average Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Westwood Elementary

Rank History for all students at Westwood Elementary

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Westwood Elementary

Rank History for Special Education students at Westwood Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Westwood Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Westwood Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Westwood Elementary

Rank History for White students at Westwood Elementary

Review counts

Enrollment information for Westwood Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Westwood Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Westwood Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Westwood Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Westwood Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Westwood Elementary

Frequently Asked Questions about Westwood Elementary

Rate Westwood Elementary!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Sign up for updates!