Cowern Elementary

Summary:

Cowern Elementary is a public elementary school located in North Saint Paul, Minnesota, serving 403 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale School District, which is ranked 338 out of 463 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Cowern Elementary stands out for its diverse student population, with 27.54% White, 22.58% African American, 13.65% Hispanic, 25.81% Asian, and 9.43% two or more races. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA-III), is generally lower than the state and district averages. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 31.33% of Cowern students were proficient or better in Math, compared to 30.38% for the district and 45.47% for the state. Similarly, only 28.24% of Cowern students were proficient or better in Reading, compared to 35.17% for the district and 49.85% for the state. The school's performance also varies significantly across different student subgroups, with Castle Elementary and North Metro Flex Academy outperforming Cowern in certain areas.

Cowern Elementary faces additional challenges, including a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (71.22%) and a relatively low student-teacher ratio (13.2 students per teacher). These factors likely contribute to the school's academic performance issues, which have been declining over the years. To address these challenges, the school and the district will need to implement targeted interventions and learn from the successes of nearby higher-performing schools, while also addressing the needs of students from low-income families.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 2131 N Margaret St
       North Saint Paul, MN  55109-8888


(651) 748-6800

District: North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale

SchoolDigger Rank:
740th of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,749 Help


Students who attend Cowern Elementary usually attend:

High:    North Senior High

Student/teacher ratio:  11.3 Help
Number of students:  397

Racial breakdown:

Asian:
29.2%
White:
21.7%
African American:
21.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  73.3% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Cowern Elementary ranks worse than 84% of elementary schools in Minnesota. It also ranks last among 6 ranked elementary schools in the North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 17.87. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Cowern Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: Asian (29.2%), White (21.7%), African American (21.2%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 73.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cowern Elementary is 11.3, which is the 2nd best among 6 elementary schools in the North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Cowern Elementary employs 35 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cowern Elementary is $15,749, which is the highest among 8 elementary schools in the North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cowern Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Cowern Elementary 740th of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Cowern Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
White students:


North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale:

SchoolDigger ranks North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale 338th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Cowern Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Cowern Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 36.95 513th 674 23.9%
2004 59.38 307th 676 54.6%
2005 46.34 459th 685 33.0%
2006 60.56 331st 756 56.2%
2007 47.59 509th 777 34.5%
2008 59.18 369th 781 52.8%
2009 51.41 255th 434 41.2%
2010 42.29 590th 803 26.5%
2011 63.20 346th 814 57.5%
2012 60.64 392nd 820 52.2%
2013 46.61 527th 824 36.0%
2014 51.88 475th 826 42.5%
2015 47.96 535th 840 36.3%
2016 48.51 525th 848 38.1%
2017 48.03 533rd 853 37.5%
2018 43.58 569th 847 32.8%
2019 44.56 574th 870 34.0%
2021 32.16 646th 869 25.7%
2022 37.16 605th 858 29.5%
2023 23.65 668th 845 20.9%
2024 17.87 740th 881 16.0%
See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Cowern Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 47.70 48th 87 44.8%
2023 21.83 66th 77 14.3%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Cowern Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 44.10 145th 276 47.5%
2024 52.13 109th 303 64.0%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Cowern Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.40 341st 463 26.3%
2019 49.45 280th 515 45.6%
2021 88.06 19th 417 95.4%
2023 68.64 122nd 524 76.7%
2024 31.74 411th 572 28.1%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Cowern Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.90 483rd 728 33.7%
2019 40.26 490th 740 33.8%
2021 53.19 326th 683 52.3%
2022 42.95 395th 663 40.4%
2023 32.92 557th 774 28.0%
2024 20.94 668th 793 15.8%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Cowern Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.54 597th 774 22.9%
2019 23.05 649th 787 17.5%
2021 23.25 632nd 783 19.3%
2022 32.82 584th 799 26.9%
2023 12.57 691st 787 12.2%
2024 9.55 742nd 809 8.3%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Cowern Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.78 442nd 779 43.3%
2019 60.29 370th 798 53.6%
2021 37.61 558th 784 28.8%
2022 40.15 557th 808 31.1%
2023 35.58 565th 799 29.3%
2024 28.73 632nd 826 23.5%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Cowern Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 34.54 87th 136 36.0%
2022 36.67 73rd 131 44.3%
2023 28.32 86th 128 32.8%
2024 21.89 122nd 154 20.8%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Cowern Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.09 146th 266 45.1%
2022 71.32 65th 282 77.0%
2023 58.90 94th 279 66.3%
2024 34.66 201st 310 35.2%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Cowern Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.24 66th 220 70.0%
2019 56.79 84th 219 61.6%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Cowern Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.17 469th 712 34.1%
2019 45.80 433rd 722 40.0%
2021 15.94 666th 710 6.2%
2022 31.12 570th 725 21.4%
2023 15.06 659th 712 7.4%
2024 11.41 699th 730 4.2%
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.

Cowern Elementary 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 Cowern Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 447 2 5 2 0 n/a n/a 0 456
1989 468 4 5 1 0 n/a n/a 0 478
1990 468 2 7 1 0 n/a n/a 0 478
1991 439 4 10 2 1 n/a n/a 0 456
1992 436 5 10 0 0 n/a n/a 0 451
1993 463 4 10 0 0 n/a n/a 0 477
1994 452 7 7 3 1 n/a n/a 0 470
1995 465 4 17 3 1 n/a n/a 0 490
1996 465 4 17 3 1 n/a n/a 0 490
1997 449 7 11 6 2 n/a n/a 0 475
1998 445 9 14 8 5 n/a n/a 0 481
1999 417 15 10 5 4 n/a n/a 0 451
2000 416 12 7 6 4 n/a n/a 0 445
2001 412 15 21 8 3 n/a n/a 0 459
2002 385 21 27 13 2 n/a n/a 0 448
2003 385 21 27 13 2 n/a n/a 0 448
2004 404 27 32 18 5 n/a n/a 0 486
2005 356 19 35 20 9 n/a n/a 0 439
2006 308 20 33 32 5 n/a n/a 0 398
2007 298 30 47 26 8 n/a n/a 0 409
2008 278 32 46 31 9 n/a n/a 0 396
2009 267 29 48 30 10 n/a n/a 0 384
2010 265 58 63 26 8 n/a n/a 0 420
2011 269 36 55 24 3 0 18 0 405
2012 282 50 54 37 3 0 25 0 451
2013 267 50 59 46 1 0 32 0 455
2014 239 51 60 62 1 0 46 0 459
2015 246 64 53 61 2 0 60 0 486
2016 255 51 45 63 5 0 45 0 464
2017 223 45 54 65 5 0 47 0 439
2018 193 47 58 53 5 0 57 0 413
2019 196 52 79 49 10 0 55 0 441
2020 195 53 88 55 10 0 55 0 456
2021 172 61 104 55 7 0 51 0 450
2022 157 74 102 52 0 0 55 0 440
2023 111 91 104 55 3 1 38 0 403
2024 86 84 116 65 3 1 42 0 397

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 Cowern Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 456 20.2 22.5 5.5
1989 478 21.2 22.5 8.4
1990 478 19.7 24.2 5.9
1991 456 18.2 25.0 7.7
1992 451 19.5 23.1 8.6
1993 477 21.3 22.4 8.4
1994 470 23.3 20.2 10.4
1995 490 14.0 35.0 12
1996 490 14.0 35.0 12
1997 475 25.0 19.0 11.8
1998 481 n/a 0.0 13.1
1999 451 30.5 14.8 13.3
2000 445 20.9 21.3 18.9
2001 459 23.8 19.3 19.4
2002 448 28.7 15.6 24.1
2003 448 28.7 15.6 24.1
2004 486 23.2 20.9 26.1
2005 439 25.0 17.6 32.1
2006 398 22.2 17.9 29.9
2007 409 22.5 18.2 33.7
2008 396 21.3 18.6 37.6
2009 384 23.5 16.3 41.4
2010 420 23.9 17.5 47.1
2011 405 23.5 17.1 46.9
2012 451 25.5 17.6 54.1
2013 455 29.1 15.6 55.4
2014 459 28.9 15.8 54
2015 486 28.0 17.3 53.7
2016 464 29.0 16.0 51.1
2017 439 29.0 15.0 52.8
2018 413 33.0 12.5 51.8
2019 441 32.5 13.5 48.5
2020 456 27.6 16.4 50
2021 450 28.7 15.6 37.1
2022 440 24.7 17.7 49.8
2023 403 30.5 13.2 71.2
2024 397 35.0 11.3 73.3

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 Cowern Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 456 20.2 22.5 5.5
1989 478 21.2 22.5 8.4
1990 478 19.7 24.2 5.9
1991 456 18.2 25.0 7.7
1992 451 19.5 23.1 8.6
1993 477 21.3 22.4 8.4
1994 470 23.3 20.2 10.4
1995 490 14.0 35.0 12
1996 490 14.0 35.0 12
1997 475 25.0 19.0 11.8
1998 481 n/a 0.0 13.1
1999 451 30.5 14.8 13.3
2000 445 20.9 21.3 18.9
2001 459 23.8 19.3 19.4
2002 448 28.7 15.6 24.1
2003 448 28.7 15.6 24.1
2004 486 23.2 20.9 26.1
2005 439 25.0 17.6 32.1
2006 398 22.2 17.9 29.9
2007 409 22.5 18.2 33.7
2008 396 21.3 18.6 37.6
2009 384 23.5 16.3 41.4
2010 420 23.9 17.5 47.1
2011 405 23.5 17.1 46.9
2012 451 25.5 17.6 54.1
2013 455 29.1 15.6 55.4
2014 459 28.9 15.8 54
2015 486 28.0 17.3 53.7
2016 464 29.0 16.0 51.1
2017 439 29.0 15.0 52.8
2018 413 33.0 12.5 51.8
2019 441 32.5 13.5 48.5
2020 456 27.6 16.4 50
2021 450 28.7 15.6 37.1
2022 440 24.7 17.7 49.8
2023 403 30.5 13.2 71.2
2024 397 35.0 11.3 73.3

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 Cowern Elementary

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $15,749

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Cowern 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 574th of 870 Elementary schoolsRanks 668th of 845 Elementary schools
 13.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Cowern Elementary)71.649.3
 22.4%
   3rd Grade Math (North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale)59.947.2
 12.7%
   3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)65.659.1
 6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Cowern Elementary)48.533.3
 15.2%
   3rd Grade Reading (North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale)45.838.6
 7.2%
   3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)54.647.4
 7.2%
4th Grade Math (Cowern Elementary)50.736.4
 14.3%
   4th Grade Math (North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale)58.542.8
 15.8%
   4th Grade Math (Minnesota)63.957.1
 6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Cowern Elementary)3930.2
 8.7%
   4th Grade Reading (North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale)44.434.6
 9.8%
   4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)55.448.4
 7.1%
5th Grade Math (Cowern Elementary)56.923.6
 33.3%
   5th Grade Math (North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale)54.628.4
 26.2%
   5th Grade Math (Minnesota)5244.4
 7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Cowern Elementary)63.136.6
 26.5%
   5th Grade Reading (North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale)63.242.3
 20.9%
   5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)65.858.7
 7%
5th Grade Science (Cowern Elementary)46.225.7
 20.4%
   5th Grade Science (North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale)47.632
 15.6%
   5th Grade Science (Minnesota)54.948.4
 6.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students441403
 8.6%
African American5291
 75%
American Indian103
 70%
Asian79104
 31.6%
Hispanic4955
 12.2%
Pacific Islander01
White196111
 43.4%
Two or More Races5538
 30.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients48.5%71.2%
 22.7%


Schools Near Cowern Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Cowern Elementary

Students at Cowern Elementary are 29% Asian, 22% White, 21% African American, 16% Hispanic, 11% Two or more races.

Cowern Elementary ranks in the bottom 16.0% of Minnesota elementary schools.

Students who attend Cowern Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : North Senior High

In the 2023-24 school year, 397 students attended Cowern Elementary.


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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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