Forest Lake Area High School

Summary:

Forest Lake Area High School is a public high school located in Forest Lake, Minnesota, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,876 students. The school is part of the Forest Lake Public School District, which is ranked 193 out of 463 districts in Minnesota and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Forest Lake Area High School has a predominantly white student population, with 82.36% of students identifying as white, significantly higher than the state average of 49.85%. The school consistently ranks in the top 25% of Minnesota high schools, with a statewide ranking between 45 and 210 over the past 10 years. Its performance on MCA-III assessments is generally above the state and district averages, particularly in science and reading. The school has maintained a strong four-year graduation rate, ranging from 86.2% to 90.2% over the past five years, higher than the state average, and a relatively low dropout rate of 0.6% to 2.5% during the same period. However, the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch has increased from 12.11% in 2020-2021 to 24.36% in 2022-2023, indicating a growing population of economically disadvantaged students.

While Forest Lake Area High School performs well overall, there are some notable differences in the performance of specific student subgroups. Asian and Hispanic students consistently outperform their peers in math and reading assessments, while the performance of white and multi-racial students is more average. Nearby schools in the Forest Lake Public School District, such as Step and Forest Lake Area Community School, have significantly lower academic performance and higher rates of free and reduced-price lunch recipients compared to Forest Lake Area High School, suggesting that the high school may be serving a more affluent and academically-inclined student population within the district.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 6101 Scandia Tr N
       Forest Lake, MN  55025-2698


(651) 982-8401

District: Forest Lake Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
210th of 480 Minnesota High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,600 Help


Feeder schools for Forest Lake Area High School:

Elementary:    Columbus Elementary
    Forest View Elementary
    Lino Lakes Elementary
    Linwood Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Forest Lake Area Middle School
    Forest Lake Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  28.4 Help
Number of students:  1,823

Racial breakdown:

White:
80.4%
Asian:
7.0%
Hispanic:
4.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  23.1% Help


 See top rated Minnesota high schools

 Compare Forest Lake Area High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Forest Lake Area High School ranks better than 56.3% of high schools in Minnesota. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 59.84. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Forest Lake Area High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Forest Lake Area High School has the largest high school student body size in the Forest Lake Public School District. Racial makeup is: White (80.4%), Asian (7%), Hispanic (4.7%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 23.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Forest Lake Public School District. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Forest Lake Area High School is 28.4, which is the highest among 3 high schools in the Forest Lake Public School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Forest Lake Area High School employs 64 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Forest Lake Area High School is $11,600, which is the lowest among 3 high schools in the Forest Lake Public School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Forest Lake Area High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Forest Lake Area High School 210th of 480 Minnesota public high schools. (See Forest Lake Area High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Forest Lake Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Forest Lake Public School District 193rd of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for Forest Lake Area High School?

Rank History for Forest Lake Area High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Forest Lake Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 69.47 165th 433 61.9%
2005 68.37 195th 452 56.9%
2006 73.60 127th 450 71.8%
2007 77.42 104th 463 77.5%
2008 66.84 186th 460 59.6%
2010 79.20 66th 540 87.8%
2011 79.33 67th 545 87.7%
2012 79.47 62nd 539 88.5%
2013 73.90 111th 534 79.2%
2014 80.03 74th 483 84.7%
2015 83.31 51st 504 89.9%
2016 89.39 27th 489 94.5%
2017 84.75 45th 489 90.8%
2018 82.20 56th 494 88.7%
2019 82.74 60th 492 87.8%
2021 74.22 91st 428 78.7%
2022 76.04 99th 472 79.0%
2023 72.88 107th 476 77.5%
2024 59.84 210th 480 56.3%
See the entire list of Minnesota High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Forest Lake Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.23 32nd 59 45.8%
2019 52.54 31st 66 53.0%
2022 35.62 47th 74 36.5%
2023 48.96 32nd 64 50.0%
2024 31.84 51st 72 29.2%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Forest Lake Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 35.21 58th 90 35.6%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Forest Lake Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.96 91st 195 53.3%
2019 66.00 54th 220 75.5%
2021 72.96 36th 173 79.2%
2022 57.72 84th 214 60.7%
2023 54.30 92nd 216 57.4%
2024 54.17 94th 221 57.5%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Forest Lake Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.21 45th 374 88.0%
2019 79.20 55th 370 85.1%
2021 65.84 77th 270 71.5%
2022 79.82 41st 312 86.9%
2023 67.10 101st 393 74.3%
2024 65.37 117th 389 69.9%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Forest Lake Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.03 74th 395 81.3%
2019 77.89 70th 401 82.5%
2021 63.73 126th 339 62.8%
2022 66.60 129th 388 66.8%
2023 70.08 101st 396 74.5%
2024 55.48 195th 403 51.6%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Forest Lake Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.20 52nd 398 86.9%
2019 80.52 51st 411 87.6%
2021 75.38 75th 351 78.6%
2022 75.56 78th 403 80.6%
2023 66.38 118th 398 70.4%
2024 51.20 211th 405 47.9%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Forest Lake Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.24 46th 76 39.5%
2019 44.44 47th 78 39.7%
2022 46.30 34th 68 50.0%
2023 35.26 45th 71 36.6%
2024 34.53 45th 78 42.3%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Forest Lake Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 72.26 23rd 102 77.5%
2023 63.65 31st 98 68.4%
2024 45.65 58th 109 46.8%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Forest Lake Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 84.86 11th 129 91.5%
2019 52.82 53rd 132 59.8%
2021 78.95 17th 101 83.2%
2023 81.33 16th 136 88.2%
2024 81.25 17th 145 88.3%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Forest Lake Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.84 74th 414 82.1%
2019 77.74 68th 412 83.5%
2021 66.48 114th 364 68.7%
2022 67.04 119th 401 70.3%
2023 62.82 140th 398 64.8%
2024 45.60 235th 402 41.5%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High 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.

Forest Lake Area High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.3)
33%

0%

0%

0%

67%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Thursday, April 2, 2020

Open Quote The Forest Lake School District is very good. Most parents that give negative reviews are basing it on personal opinion not knowledge or facts. Parents think they can demand what they want and if their child struggles or has issues it is always someones fault. Typically never analyzing their or the child's role in the situation. Now fact, Forest Lake has excellent diversity of programming for students. They offer many opportunities for learning creating a well rounded individual. The math, science is highly rated and if test scores are important to you, science scores are highest in the state! Career and Technical Education offerings are second to none in the area. If I lived in a bordering city to the district, I'd choose Forest Lake even if it meant a little longer bus ride for my children. It's very worth their time. Close Quote


by a parent
Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Open Quote Very disappointed in the Forest Lake High School. There is rampant drug use by students, poor facilities, and poor administration. There is very little leadership from the school board or superintendant to deal with the many issues. Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, April 2, 2012

Open Quote Terrible math and science departments. Teachers give grades based on favoritism, not intelligence. Extreme drug use (during class time) and lack of preparation for college life. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Forest Lake Area High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1623 2 14 8 3 n/a n/a 0 1650
1989 1520 3 13 4 3 n/a n/a 0 1543
1990 1444 5 15 7 6 n/a n/a 0 1477
1991 1452 4 17 9 5 n/a n/a 0 1487
1992 1513 2 14 6 6 n/a n/a 0 1541
1993 1494 1 29 13 12 n/a n/a 0 1549
1994 1498 7 28 17 8 n/a n/a 0 1558
1995 1599 3 17 15 13 n/a n/a 0 1647
1996 1599 3 17 15 13 n/a n/a 0 1647
1997 1732 4 25 16 13 n/a n/a 0 1790
1998 1754 5 24 12 13 n/a n/a 0 1808
1999 1798 6 24 8 13 n/a n/a 0 1849
2000 1731 6 25 8 10 n/a n/a 0 1780
2001 1733 6 27 9 13 n/a n/a 0 1788
2002 1683 3 25 7 12 n/a n/a 0 1730
2003 1683 3 25 7 12 n/a n/a 0 1730
2004 1698 8 34 5 14 n/a n/a 0 1759
2005 1682 13 54 13 14 n/a n/a 0 1776
2006 1724 11 66 21 13 n/a n/a 0 1835
2007 1725 16 77 32 15 n/a n/a 0 1865
2008 1665 23 76 24 14 n/a n/a 0 1802
2009 1563 23 72 25 11 n/a n/a 0 1694
2010 1537 24 56 27 11 n/a n/a 0 1655
2011 1510 13 43 27 10 1 6 0 1610
2012 1434 9 36 34 15 2 17 0 1547
2013 1396 11 33 35 15 1 16 0 1507
2014 1313 12 44 35 17 0 21 0 1442
2015 1373 8 45 43 6 0 22 0 1497
2016 1345 14 46 53 9 0 34 0 1501
2017 1306 18 52 56 6 1 36 0 1475
2018 1271 20 56 48 10 0 38 0 1443
2019 1689 36 74 76 13 0 66 0 1954
2020 1713 34 74 71 13 0 67 0 1972
2021 1662 45 75 68 8 0 75 0 1933
2022 1586 39 98 78 9 0 73 0 1883
2023 1545 57 116 77 6 0 75 0 1876
2024 1465 58 128 86 5 0 81 0 1823

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 Forest Lake Area High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1650 85.6 19.2 6.2
1989 1543 87.0 17.7 5.5
1990 1477 83.3 17.7 4
1991 1487 78.6 18.9 6.3
1992 1541 81.2 18.9 9.1
1993 1549 83.6 18.5 9.3
1994 1558 83.1 18.7 7.9
1995 1647 80.6 20.4 8.1
1996 1647 80.6 20.4 8.1
1997 1790 87.9 20.4 7.7
1998 1808 n/a 0.0 4.9
1999 1849 106.5 17.4 6.2
2000 1780 99.4 17.9 8
2001 1788 88.8 20.1 9
2002 1730 91.4 18.9 9.3
2003 1730 91.4 18.9 9.3
2004 1759 92.7 19.0 10.5
2005 1776 88.5 20.1 10.3
2006 1835 87.8 20.9 13.5
2007 1865 90.2 20.7 14.1
2008 1802 93.1 19.4 16
2009 1694 85.3 19.9 14.2
2010 1655 82.7 19.9 16.7
2011 1610 76.7 20.9 16.6
2012 1547 73.8 20.9 17.5
2013 1507 73.9 20.3 17.6
2014 1442 74.9 19.2 18
2015 1497 72.0 20.7 17.5
2016 1501 71.0 21.1 16.4
2017 1475 71.6 20.5 15.3
2018 1443 70.6 20.4 15.6
2019 1954 90.7 21.5 16.1
2020 1972 70.8 27.8 16.5
2021 1933 17.7 109.1 12.1
2022 1883 68.6 27.4 13.3
2023 1876 79.8 23.5 24.4
2024 1823 64.0 28.4 23.1

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 Forest Lake Area High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1650 85.6 19.2 6.2
1989 1543 87.0 17.7 5.5
1990 1477 83.3 17.7 4
1991 1487 78.6 18.9 6.3
1992 1541 81.2 18.9 9.1
1993 1549 83.6 18.5 9.3
1994 1558 83.1 18.7 7.9
1995 1647 80.6 20.4 8.1
1996 1647 80.6 20.4 8.1
1997 1790 87.9 20.4 7.7
1998 1808 n/a 0.0 4.9
1999 1849 106.5 17.4 6.2
2000 1780 99.4 17.9 8
2001 1788 88.8 20.1 9
2002 1730 91.4 18.9 9.3
2003 1730 91.4 18.9 9.3
2004 1759 92.7 19.0 10.5
2005 1776 88.5 20.1 10.3
2006 1835 87.8 20.9 13.5
2007 1865 90.2 20.7 14.1
2008 1802 93.1 19.4 16
2009 1694 85.3 19.9 14.2
2010 1655 82.7 19.9 16.7
2011 1610 76.7 20.9 16.6
2012 1547 73.8 20.9 17.5
2013 1507 73.9 20.3 17.6
2014 1442 74.9 19.2 18
2015 1497 72.0 20.7 17.5
2016 1501 71.0 21.1 16.4
2017 1475 71.6 20.5 15.3
2018 1443 70.6 20.4 15.6
2019 1954 90.7 21.5 16.1
2020 1972 70.8 27.8 16.5
2021 1933 17.7 109.1 12.1
2022 1883 68.6 27.4 13.3
2023 1876 79.8 23.5 24.4
2024 1823 64.0 28.4 23.1

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 Forest Lake Area High School

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $11,600

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Forest Lake Area High 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 60th of 492 High schoolsRanks 107th of 476 High schools
 10.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
10th Grade Reading (Forest Lake Area High School)67.551.9
 15.6%
   10th Grade Reading (Forest Lake Public School District)65.848.2
 17.6%
   10th Grade Reading (Minnesota)60.451.7
 8.7%
11th Grade Math (Forest Lake Area High School)54.241.3
 12.9%
   11th Grade Math (Forest Lake Public School District)5038.1
 11.9%
   11th Grade Math (Minnesota)4536
 9%
End of Course Science (Forest Lake Area High School)73.449
 24.5%
   End of Course Science (Forest Lake Public School District)72.146.6
 25.4%
   End of Course Science (Minnesota)54.441.8
 12.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students19541876
 4%
African American3657
 58.3%
American Indian136
 53.8%
Asian74116
 56.8%
Hispanic7677
 1.3%
Pacific Islander00
White16891545
 8.5%
Two or More Races6675
 13.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients16.1%24.4%
 8.2%


Schools Near Forest Lake Area High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Forest Lake Area High School

Forest Lake Area High School ranks 210th of 480 Minnesota high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,823 students attended Forest Lake Area High School.

Forest Lake Area High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Columbus Elementary
Elementary : Forest View Elementary
Elementary : Lino Lakes Elementary
Elementary : Linwood Elementary
Elementary : Scandia Elementary
Elementary : Wyoming Elementary
Middle : Forest Lake Area Middle School
Middle : Forest Lake Elementary

Students at Forest Lake Area High School are 80% White, 7% Asian, 5% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 3% African American.


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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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