Is Central Elementary a good school?

Central Elementary ranks 408 th of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Central Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 382 students attended Central Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Central Elementary?

Students at Central Elementary are 88% White, 7% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Central Elementary attend?

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

Central Elementary

Summary:

Central Elementary is a public elementary school located in Norwood Young America, Minnesota, serving 382 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Central Public School District, which is ranked 137 out of 463 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Central Elementary consistently ranks in the top 40% of Minnesota elementary schools, with a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's proficiency rates in Math and Reading on the MCA-III assessments are generally higher than the state and district averages, particularly in 3rd and 4th grades. However, the school's racial demographics differ significantly from the state, with a much higher percentage of white students (87.96%) and lower percentages of African American (0.52%) and Asian (0%) students. This suggests a potential achievement gap that the school and district should address. Interestingly, male students at Central Elementary have consistently outperformed their female counterparts, while special education and low-socioeconomic students have shown improved performance in recent years.

When compared to nearby schools, Central Elementary's academic performance is generally on par with or slightly better than the Belle Plaine and Lester Prairie districts. However, the high-performing Waconia Public School District and Cologne Academy charter school in the area provide a benchmark for even stronger academic achievement that Central Elementary could strive for.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

655 7th St SW
Norwood Young America, MN 55368-0367

(952) 467-7300

District: Central Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
408^th of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,102

Students who attend Central Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Central Middle
High:	Central Senior High

Student/teacher ratio: 12.5

Number of students: 382

Racial breakdown:

White:

88.0%

Hispanic:

7.3%

Two or more races:

4.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 27.5%

See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

Compare Central Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Central Elementary ranks better than 53.7% of elementary schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 57.94. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (88%), Hispanic (7.3%), two or more races (4.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 27.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central Elementary is 12.5. (See more...)

Compare Central Elementary employs 30.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central Elementary is $10,102.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Central Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Central Elementary 408^th of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See 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:

Central Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Central Public School District 137^th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Central Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2003	63.73	258^th	674	61.7%
2004	51.39	390^th	676	42.3%
2005	64.13	243^rd	685	64.5%
2006	53.02	432^nd	756	42.9%
2007	47.37	512^th	777	34.1%
2008	59.24	365^th	781	53.3%
2009	61.72	180^th	434	58.5%
2010	59.64	385^th	803	52.1%
2011	59.49	393^rd	814	51.7%
2012	61.07	382^nd	820	53.4%
2013	64.90	321^st	824	61.0%
2014	67.45	282^nd	826	65.9%
2015	62.58	357^th	840	57.5%
2016	56.75	441^st	848	48.0%
2017	64.74	330^th	853	61.3%
2018	58.65	403^rd	847	52.4%
2019	66.86	311^th	870	64.3%
2021	66.06	303^rd	869	65.1%
2022	68.17	280^th	858	67.4%
2023	62.78	332^nd	845	60.7%
2024	57.94	408^th	881	53.7%

See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	53.29	220^th	463	52.5%
2022	61.21	165^th	500	67.0%
2023	60.24	175^th	524	66.6%
2024	48.49	289^th	572	49.5%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	52.43	377^th	728	48.2%
2019	64.02	253^rd	740	65.8%
2023	72.79	159^th	774	79.5%
2024	41.63	497^th	793	37.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	56.03	402^nd	774	48.1%
2019	73.52	190^th	787	75.9%
2021	59.73	337^th	783	57.0%
2022	60.90	342^nd	799	57.2%
2023	55.68	389^th	787	50.6%
2024	55.19	395^th	809	51.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	58.39	373^rd	779	52.1%
2019	58.15	395^th	798	50.5%
2021	67.78	241^st	784	69.3%
2022	72.42	202^nd	808	75.0%
2023	64.29	294^th	799	63.2%
2024	56.68	388^th	826	53.0%

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

Rank History for White students at Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	42.40	459^th	712	35.5%
2019	55.44	332^nd	722	54.0%
2021	41.24	463^rd	710	34.8%
2022	48.42	404^th	725	44.3%
2023	38.02	478^th	712	32.9%
2024	37.06	501^st	730	31.4%

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 Central Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	527	527
1989	517	2	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	521
1990	505	3	2	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	513
1991	521	3	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	529
1992	519	2	7	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	534
1993	539	3	5	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	551
1994	509	2	8	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	522
1995	452	1	5	7	4	n/a	n/a	0	469
1996	452	1	5	7	4	n/a	n/a	0	469
1997	422	0	4	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	429
1998	395	0	6	2	2	n/a	n/a	25	430
1999	408	1	5	5	6	n/a	n/a	0	425
2000	406	0	5	10	4	n/a	n/a	0	425
2001	421	0	7	14	7	n/a	n/a	0	449
2002	411	7	9	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	440
2003	411	7	9	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	440
2004	382	7	7	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	419
2005	371	8	14	19	0	n/a	n/a	0	412
2006	383	9	21	25	0	n/a	n/a	0	438
2007	415	14	16	28	2	n/a	n/a	0	475
2008	417	7	18	30	0	n/a	n/a	0	472
2009	405	14	14	27	0	n/a	n/a	0	460
2010	404	12	12	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	450
2011	422	2	4	17	0	0	0	0	445
2012	415	1	3	26	0	0	3	0	448
2013	421	6	5	30	1	0	11	0	474
2014	393	6	5	27	1	0	15	0	447
2015	391	8	2	37	2	0	14	0	454
2016	398	12	2	43	1	0	16	0	472
2017	404	16	1	34	1	0	21	0	477
2018	390	11	1	30	1	1	25	0	459
2019	369	13	1	28	1	3	28	0	443
2020	361	9	1	29	0	5	23	0	428
2021	325	5	0	28	0	2	20	0	380
2022	342	5	0	27	0	0	15	0	389
2023	336	2	0	28	0	0	16	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 Central Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	527	34.1	15.4	0
1989	521	37.3	13.9	11.1
1990	513	36.7	13.9	7.8
1991	529	39.4	13.4	8.7
1992	534	38.7	13.7	10.7
1993	551	36.3	15.2	10.7
1994	522	36.9	14.1	6.7
1995	469	33.1	14.2	8.5
1996	469	33.1	14.2	8.5
1997	429	32.4	13.2	9.1
1998	430	n/a	0.0	10.9
1999	425	33.9	12.5	9.9
2000	425	35.2	12.1	16.9
2001	449	34.7	12.9	17.1
2002	440	30.4	14.5	18
2003	440	30.4	14.5	18
2004	419	29.6	14.2	22
2005	412	27.3	15.1	26
2006	438	27.9	15.7	24.9
2007	475	30.7	15.5	26.3
2008	472	32.6	14.5	21
2009	460	34.9	13.2	25.9
2010	450	33.8	13.3	22.2
2011	445	36.4	12.1	22.2
2012	448	34.7	12.8	21.7
2013	474	36.3	13.0	24.3
2014	447	33.5	13.3	22.1
2015	454	35.0	12.9	22.9
2016	472	33.0	14.3	25.2
2017	477	34.4	13.8	21.8
2018	459	35.4	12.9	20
2019	443	33.1	13.3	26.2
2020	428	32.0	13.3	21.3
2021	380	32.6	11.6	13.9
2022	389	33.3	11.6	11.8
2023	382	30.5	12.5	27.5

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 Central Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	527	34.1	15.4	0
1989	521	37.3	13.9	11.1
1990	513	36.7	13.9	7.8
1991	529	39.4	13.4	8.7
1992	534	38.7	13.7	10.7
1993	551	36.3	15.2	10.7
1994	522	36.9	14.1	6.7
1995	469	33.1	14.2	8.5
1996	469	33.1	14.2	8.5
1997	429	32.4	13.2	9.1
1998	430	n/a	0.0	10.9
1999	425	33.9	12.5	9.9
2000	425	35.2	12.1	16.9
2001	449	34.7	12.9	17.1
2002	440	30.4	14.5	18
2003	440	30.4	14.5	18
2004	419	29.6	14.2	22
2005	412	27.3	15.1	26
2006	438	27.9	15.7	24.9
2007	475	30.7	15.5	26.3
2008	472	32.6	14.5	21
2009	460	34.9	13.2	25.9
2010	450	33.8	13.3	22.2
2011	445	36.4	12.1	22.2
2012	448	34.7	12.8	21.7
2013	474	36.3	13.0	24.3
2014	447	33.5	13.3	22.1
2015	454	35.0	12.9	22.9
2016	472	33.0	14.3	25.2
2017	477	34.4	13.8	21.8
2018	459	35.4	12.9	20
2019	443	33.1	13.3	26.2
2020	428	32.0	13.3	21.3
2021	380	32.6	11.6	13.9
2022	389	33.3	11.6	11.8
2023	382	30.5	12.5	27.5

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 Central Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$10,102

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on 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 311^th of 870 Elementary schools	Ranks 332^nd of 845 Elementary schools	3.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Central Elementary)	65.2	61.9	3.3%
3rd Grade Math (Central Public School District)	65.2	61.9	3.3%
3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)	65.6	59.1	6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Central Elementary)	54.6	46	8.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Central Public School District)	54.6	46	8.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)	54.6	47.4	7.2%
4th Grade Math (Central Elementary)	77.3	64.6	12.6%
4th Grade Math (Central Public School District)	77.3	64.6	12.6%
4th Grade Math (Minnesota)	63.9	57.1	6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Central Elementary)	71.6	53.9	17.8%
4th Grade Reading (Central Public School District)	71.6	53.9	17.8%
4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	55.4	48.4	7.1%
5th Grade Math (Central Elementary)	60	56.3	3.8%
5th Grade Math (Central Public School District)	60	56.3	3.8%
5th Grade Math (Minnesota)	52	44.4	7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Central Elementary)	70.8	54.7	16.1%
5th Grade Reading (Central Public School District)	70.8	54.7	16.1%
5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	65.8	58.7	7%
5th Grade Science (Central Elementary)	53.9	50	3.8%
5th Grade Science (Central Public School District)	53.9	50	3.8%
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	443	382	13.8%
African American	13	2	84.6%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	28	28
Pacific Islander	3	0	100%
White	369	336	8.9%
Two or More Races	28	16	42.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	26.2%	27.5%	1.3%

Schools Near 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 7th Grade	MCA-III Math 8th 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 7th Grade	MCA-III Reading 8th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	MCA-III Science 5th Grade	MCA-III Science 8th Grade	MCA-III Science All Grades	Total
Central Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	655 7th St SW	Norwood Young America	55368	Carver County	Central Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(952) 467-7300	382	31	12.5	27.5%	336 (88.0%)	2 (0.5%)	28 (7.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.2%)	57.9	408^th of 881 public elementary schools	53.7%		62.8	332^nd of 845 public elementary schools	60.7%	76	66.1	60.9	50.8				58.9	50.0	43.5	55.2				49.5	38.2		38.2	$10,102
Cologne Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	1221 Village Pkwy	Cologne	55322	Carver County	Cologne Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(952) 466-2276	658	52	12.6	17.8%	488 (74.2%)	18 (2.7%)	24 (3.6%)	85 (12.9%)	6 (0.9%)	6 (0.9%)	31 (4.7%)	92.4	23^rd of 881 public elementary schools	97.4%		92	22^nd of 845 public elementary schools	97.4%	1	77.0	85.9	77.8	82.4	81.5	82.1	80.9	66.2	84.6	74.4	76.5	81.5	80.6	77.1	72.2	71.6	72.0	$12,205
Cologne Academy Online	Public, Virtual, Charter	K-8	1221 Village Pkwy	Cologne	55322	Carver County	Cologne Academy	Yes	No	Yes	No	(952) 466-2276	31	5	5.9	45.2%	19 (61.3%)	2 (6.5%)	5 (16.1%)	3 (9.7%)	2 (6.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)							81.8							90.9
Green Isle Community School	Public, Charter	K-6	190 McGrann St	Green Isle	55338	Sibley County	Green Isle Community School	Yes	No	No	No	(507) 326-7144	47	4	11.2	36.2%	41 (87.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.1%)	2 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (6.4%)								(n/a)							47.1							47.1				$11,842
Southview Elementary	Public	K-5	225 W 4th St	Waconia	55387	Carver County	Waconia Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(952) 442-0620	568	37	15.5	14.4%	486 (85.6%)	13 (2.3%)	28 (4.9%)	7 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (6.0%)	80.2	141^st of 881 public elementary schools	84.0%		75.4	200^th of 845 public elementary schools	76.3%	59	72.6	73.4	58.4				68.4	52.6	66.0	75.3				64.4	55.1		55.1	$11,679
Bayview Elementary	Public	K-5	24 S Walnut St	Waconia	55387	Carver County	Waconia Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(952) 442-0630	562	36	15.7	16.7%	496 (88.3%)	4 (0.7%)	34 (6.0%)	4 (0.7%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (3.7%)	82.3	121^st of 881 public elementary schools	86.3%		81.1	125^th of 845 public elementary schools	85.2%	4	79.8	77.2	65.2				74.3	65.7	66.3	69.7				67.1	44.9		44.9	$11,341
Laketown Elementary	Public	K-5	960 Airport Road	Waconia	55387	Carver County	Waconia Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 442-0690	530	32	16.3	8.7%	476 (89.8%)	8 (1.5%)	21 (4.0%)	6 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.6%)	87.4	69^th of 881 public elementary schools	92.2%		89.2	49^th of 845 public elementary schools	94.2%	20	82.9	72.9	82.2				78.9	73.2	55.2	79.5				68.1	65.8		65.8	$11,092
Lester Prairie Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	131 Hickory St N	Lester Prairie	55354	McLeod County	Lester Prairie Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 395-2521	248	18	14.0	39.9%	172 (69.4%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (25.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	13 (5.2%)	35.1	619^th of 881 public elementary schools	29.7%		40.8	569^th of 845 public elementary schools	32.7%	50	38.5	44.1	42.5	26.7			38.5	38.5	29.4	52.5	43.3			41.5	27.5		27.5	$9,504
Lincoln Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	1621 16th St E	Glencoe	55336	McLeod County	Glencoe-Silver Lake School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 864-2677	329	27	12.3	49.5%	232 (70.5%)	4 (1.2%)	78 (23.7%)	2 (0.6%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.0%)								(n/a)																		$12,679
Chatfield Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	330 S Market St	Belle Plaine	56011	Scott County	Belle Plaine Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(952) 873-2401	340	29	11.8	35.9%	285 (83.8%)	8 (2.4%)	25 (7.4%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.6%)								(n/a)																		$21,906

Central Elementary

Central Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Central Public School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Central Elementary

Rank History for all students at Central Elementary

Rank History for Special Education students at Central Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Central Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Central Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Central Elementary

Rank History for White students at Central Elementary

Enrollment information for Central Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Central Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Central Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Central Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Central Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Central Elementary