Finlayson Elementary

Q: Is Finlayson Elementary a good school?

Finlayson Elementary ranks 570 th of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Finlayson Elementary is a small public elementary school in Finlayson, Minnesota, serving grades PK-6 with an enrollment of 52 students. The school is part of the Hinckley-Finlayson School District, which is ranked 354 out of 463 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Finlayson Elementary stands out in several ways. It has a significantly higher percentage of white students (90.38%) compared to nearby schools like Hinckley Elementary (64.71%) and Moose Lake Elementary (89.64%). The school also outperforms the district on state standardized tests, with 46.34% of students proficient or better in Math and 34.15% in Reading, compared to 28.19% and 32.84% for the district, respectively. Additionally, Finlayson Elementary has a very low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 10 to 11.7 students per teacher, significantly lower than nearby schools.

However, the school has seen a significant decline in its statewide ranking and SchoolDigger star rating over the past several years, dropping from a 5-star rating and 47th rank out of 870 Minnesota elementary schools in 2018-2019 to a 2-star rating and 570th rank out of 881 schools in 2023-2024. This suggests that the school's performance may be declining relative to other schools in the state. Additionally, the high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 37.7% to 51.92%, indicates potential socioeconomic challenges that the school may be facing.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

2159 Hwy 18
Finlayson, MN 55735-0128

(320) 233-7611

District: Hinckley-Finlayson School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
570^th of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,831

Students who attend Finlayson Elementary usually attend:

High:

Hinckley-Finlayson Secondary

Student/teacher ratio: 10.0

Number of students: 52

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.4%

Hispanic:

7.7%

Asian:

1.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 51.9%

See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

Compare Finlayson Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Finlayson Elementary ranks worse than 64.7% of elementary schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 41.69. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (90.4%), Hispanic (7.7%), Asian (1.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 51.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Finlayson Elementary is 10. (See more...)

Compare Finlayson Elementary employs 5.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Finlayson Elementary is $12,831.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Finlayson Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Finlayson Elementary 570^th of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Finlayson Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

Hinckley-Finlayson School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Hinckley-Finlayson School District 354^th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Finlayson Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Finlayson Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2003	33.94	527^th	674	21.8%
2004	29.45	558^th	676	17.5%
2005	30.35	566^th	685	17.4%
2006	35.19	616^th	756	18.5%
2007	42.34	572^nd	777	26.4%
2008	23.05	685^th	781	12.3%
2010	55.13	459^th	803	42.8%
2011	70.89	213^th	814	73.8%
2012	49.30	528^th	820	35.6%
2014	67.33	285^th	826	65.5%
2016	59.44	398^th	848	53.1%
2017	65.77	324^th	853	62.0%
2018	72.18	224^th	847	73.6%
2019	87.78	47^th	870	94.6%
2021	61.00	357^th	869	58.9%
2022	66.69	300^th	858	65.0%
2023	49.78	488^th	845	42.2%
2024	41.69	570^th	881	35.3%

See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for White students at Finlayson Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	58.02	294^th	712	58.7%
2019	83.24	64^th	722	91.1%
2021	42.50	444^th	710	37.5%
2022	48.15	405^th	725	44.1%
2023	26.62	591^st	712	17.0%
2024	21.53	638^th	730	12.6%

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 Finlayson Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1995	127	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	127
1996	127	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	127
1997	121	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	123
1998	101	0	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	102
1999	106	0	0	0	2	n/a	n/a	108
2000	111	0	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	112
2001	106	1	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	108
2002	103	3	1	0	1	n/a	n/a	108
2003	103	3	1	0	1	n/a	n/a	108
2004	79	7	1	3	2	n/a	n/a	92
2005	77	2	3	3	1	n/a	n/a	86
2006	67	6	5	2	1	n/a	n/a	81
2007	73	8	5	2	3	n/a	n/a	91
2008	73	8	1	2	2	n/a	n/a	86
2009	69	6	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	78
2010	75	4	0	1	2	n/a	n/a	82
2011	70	7	0	0	4	0	0	81
2012	66	5	0	0	4	0	0	75
2013	60	5	0	0	6	0	0	71
2014	61	4	0	0	8	0	0	73
2015	61	4	0	0	4	0	0	69
2016	63	2	0	0	4	0	0	69
2017	72	3	0	0	2	0	0	77
2018	67	2	0	0	1	0	0	70
2019	77	2	0	1	1	0	1	82
2020	71	0	0	2	0	0	2	75
2021	65	0	0	2	0	0	1	68
2022	59	0	0	2	0	0	0	61
2023	47	0	1	4	0	0	0	52

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 Finlayson Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	127	0.0	0.0	41.7
1996	127	0.0	0.0	41.7
1997	123	8.9	13.8	46.3
1998	102	n/a	0.0	36.3
1999	108	9.2	11.7	28.7
2000	112	8.9	12.6	41.1
2001	108	9.3	11.6	38.9
2002	108	8.6	12.6	36.1
2003	108	8.6	12.6	36.1
2004	92	10.1	9.1	40.2
2005	86	9.0	9.6	37.2
2006	81	6.9	11.7	43.2
2007	91	6.7	13.6	48.4
2008	86	6.5	13.2	48.8
2009	78	6.8	11.5	39.7
2010	82	6.7	12.1	54.9
2011	81	6.7	11.9	51.9
2012	75	6.7	11.1	56
2013	71	6.7	10.5	63.4
2014	73	6.6	11.0	57.5
2015	69	7.0	9.8	53.6
2016	69	7.0	9.8	58
2017	77	6.4	11.9	49.4
2018	70	6.8	10.1	44.3
2019	82	8.3	9.7	45.1
2020	75	6.2	12.0	46.7
2021	68	6.2	10.9	41.2
2022	61	5.2	11.7	37.7
2023	52	5.2	10.0	51.9

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 Finlayson Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	127	0.0	0.0	41.7
1996	127	0.0	0.0	41.7
1997	123	8.9	13.8	46.3
1998	102	n/a	0.0	36.3
1999	108	9.2	11.7	28.7
2000	112	8.9	12.6	41.1
2001	108	9.3	11.6	38.9
2002	108	8.6	12.6	36.1
2003	108	8.6	12.6	36.1
2004	92	10.1	9.1	40.2
2005	86	9.0	9.6	37.2
2006	81	6.9	11.7	43.2
2007	91	6.7	13.6	48.4
2008	86	6.5	13.2	48.8
2009	78	6.8	11.5	39.7
2010	82	6.7	12.1	54.9
2011	81	6.7	11.9	51.9
2012	75	6.7	11.1	56
2013	71	6.7	10.5	63.4
2014	73	6.6	11.0	57.5
2015	69	7.0	9.8	53.6
2016	69	7.0	9.8	58
2017	77	6.4	11.9	49.4
2018	70	6.8	10.1	44.3
2019	82	8.3	9.7	45.1
2020	75	6.2	12.0	46.7
2021	68	6.2	10.9	41.2
2022	61	5.2	11.7	37.7
2023	52	5.2	10.0	51.9

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 Finlayson Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$12,831

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Finlayson 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 47^th of 870 Elementary schools	Ranks 488^th of 845 Elementary schools	52.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
4th Grade Math (Finlayson Elementary)	92.3	80	12.3%
4th Grade Math (Hinckley-Finlayson School District)	53.5	34.3	19.2%
4th Grade Math (Minnesota)	63.9	56.4	7.5%
4th Grade Reading (Finlayson Elementary)	76.9	50	26.9%
4th Grade Reading (Hinckley-Finlayson School District)	43.7	29.6	14.1%
4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	55.4	49.6	5.8%
6th Grade Math (Finlayson Elementary)	54.6	54.6
6th Grade Math (Hinckley-Finlayson School District)	19.2	28.6	9.3%
6th Grade Math (Minnesota)	50.5	39.3	11.2%
6th Grade Reading (Finlayson Elementary)	90.9	45.5	45.5%
6th Grade Reading (Hinckley-Finlayson School District)	46.2	47.1	1%
6th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	62.8	54.4	8.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	82	52	36.6%
African American	2	0	100%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	1	4	300%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	77	47	39%
Two or More Races	1	0	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	45.1%	51.9%	6.8%

Schools Near Finlayson 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
Finlayson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	2159 Hwy 18	Finlayson	55735	Pine County	Hinckley-Finlayson School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 233-7611	52	5	10.0	51.9%	47 (90.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (7.7%)	1 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	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
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	400	26	15.3	56.0%	326 (81.5%)	2 (0.5%)	12 (3.0%)	5 (1.3%)	32 (8.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.8%)	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)
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	218	20	10.9	46.3%	196 (89.9%)	3 (1.4%)	6 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.2%)	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	493	37	13.2	70.8%	319 (64.7%)	3 (0.6%)	32 (6.5%)	6 (1.2%)	76 (15.4%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (11.6%)	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	309	22	13.8	49.8%	277 (89.6%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.3%)	4 (1.3%)	7 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (5.2%)	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

Frequently Asked Questions about Finlayson Elementary

What schools do graduates of Finlayson Elementary attend?

Students who attend Finlayson Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Hinckley-Finlayson Secondary

How many students attend Finlayson Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 52 students attended Finlayson Elementary.

Is Finlayson Elementary a good school?

Finlayson Elementary ranks 570^th of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Finlayson Elementary in?

Hinckley-Finlayson School District

What is the racial makeup of Finlayson Elementary?

Students at Finlayson Elementary are 90% White, 8% Hispanic, 2% Asian.

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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.