Is Folwell Elementary a good school?

Folwell Elementary ranks 90 th of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Folwell Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 315 students attended Folwell Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Folwell Elementary?

Students at Folwell Elementary are 71% White, 11% Asian, 8% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 3% African American.

What schools do graduates of Folwell Elementary attend?

Students who attend Folwell Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Willow Creek Middle High : Mayo Senior High

Folwell Elementary

Summary:

Folwell Elementary is a public elementary school in Rochester, Minnesota, serving 315 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. The school consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in the state, earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger and exceptional academic performance on state assessments.

Folwell Elementary's academic achievements are particularly noteworthy, with 74.55% of students proficient or better in reading and 82.46% of 3rd-graders and 65.45% of 5th-graders scoring proficient or better in math on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA-III) in the 2023-2024 school year. This is significantly higher than the Rochester Public School District and state averages. The school's performance is also strong across different student subgroups, including female, male, and White students, who all rank among the top in the state.

When compared to other elementary schools in the area, Folwell stands out as a high-performing institution. For example, Riverside Central Elementary, located just 1.5 miles away, has much lower proficiency rates on the MCA-III assessments, with only 21.43% of students scoring proficient or better in reading and 13.74% in math. This contrast highlights Folwell Elementary's unique strengths and its potential to serve as a model for other schools in the Rochester Public School District.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

603 15th Ave SW
Rochester, MN 55902-8888

(507) 328-3220

District: Rochester Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
90^th of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,376

Students who attend Folwell Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Willow Creek Middle
High:	Mayo Senior High

Student/teacher ratio: 16.8

Number of students: 315

Racial breakdown:

White:

70.8%

Asian:

11.1%

Hispanic:

7.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 16.2%

See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

Compare Folwell Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Folwell Elementary ranks better than 89.8% of elementary schools in Minnesota. It also ranks 3^rd among 16 ranked elementary schools in the Rochester Public School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 85.14. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (70.8%), Asian (11.1%), Hispanic (7.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 16.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Folwell Elementary is 16.8. 12 elementary schools in the Rochester Public School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Folwell Elementary employs 18.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Folwell Elementary is $11,376. 13 elementary schools in the Rochester Public School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Folwell Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Folwell Elementary 90^th of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Folwell Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Rochester Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Rochester Public School District 205^th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Folwell Elementary.

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Your rating for Folwell Elementary?

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Rank History for Folwell Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Folwell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2003	72.07	152^nd	674	77.4%
2004	81.55	62^nd	676	90.8%
2005	76.49	109^th	685	84.1%
2006	88.20	21^st	756	97.2%
2007	84.91	34^th	777	95.6%
2008	84.64	44^th	781	94.4%
2009	74.72	89^th	434	79.5%
2010	80.47	67^th	803	91.7%
2011	79.57	97^th	814	88.1%
2012	69.35	238^th	820	71.0%
2013	72.26	210^th	824	74.5%
2014	67.41	283^rd	826	65.7%
2015	66.63	302^nd	840	64.0%
2016	74.43	193^rd	848	77.2%
2017	64.90	329^th	853	61.4%
2018	81.66	103^rd	847	87.8%
2019	73.45	212^th	870	75.6%
2021	84.90	79^th	869	90.9%
2022	89.76	36^th	858	95.8%
2024	85.14	90^th	881	89.8%

See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Folwell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	42.80	325^th	515	36.9%
2022	83.82	43^rd	500	91.4%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Folwell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	39.02	505^th	740	31.8%
2024	72.36	165^th	793	79.2%

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

Rank History for Female students at Folwell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	76.73	143^rd	774	81.5%
2019	71.62	210^th	787	73.3%
2021	89.73	27^th	783	96.6%
2022	89.82	26^th	799	96.7%
2024	76.18	162^nd	809	80.0%

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

Rank History for Male students at Folwell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	82.98	74^th	779	90.5%
2019	71.46	217^th	798	72.8%
2021	75.21	160^th	784	79.6%
2022	86.41	55^th	808	93.2%
2024	88.13	47^th	826	94.3%

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

Rank History for White students at Folwell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	80.53	78^th	712	89.0%
2019	65.59	228^th	722	68.4%
2021	85.85	44^th	710	93.8%
2022	82.63	73^rd	725	89.9%
2024	80.32	97^th	730	86.7%

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 parent
Monday, April 9, 2018

The best Elementary school in the Mayo area. The school is a very positive environment. The teachers are wonderful! Excellent services for speech and gifted students. Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, January 29, 2018

We love our school. It’s small and the teachers
and principle care a lot about the kids. Best public elementary in Rochester! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Folwell Elementary

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1994	323	3	10	10	0	n/a	n/a	346
1995	233	4	11	8	1	n/a	n/a	257
1996	233	4	11	8	1	n/a	n/a	257
1997	228	14	12	4	0	n/a	n/a	258
1998	208	4	12	4	0	n/a	n/a	228
1999	250	11	18	5	0	n/a	n/a	284
2000	240	10	18	3	1	n/a	n/a	272
2001	245	18	21	2	1	n/a	n/a	287
2002	231	11	25	7	1	n/a	n/a	275
2003	231	11	25	7	1	n/a	n/a	275
2004	230	28	17	15	0	n/a	n/a	290
2005	205	21	19	21	0	n/a	n/a	266
2006	221	21	25	23	1	n/a	n/a	291
2007	251	13	25	20	2	n/a	n/a	311
2008	239	15	28	21	1	n/a	n/a	304
2009	218	22	28	24	1	n/a	n/a	293
2010	231	13	27	23	1	n/a	n/a	295
2011	231	18	30	19	3	0	3	304
2012	213	14	30	13	3	0	16	289
2013	226	16	28	18	1	0	23	312
2014	244	18	26	22	1	0	26	337
2015	250	25	32	20	1	0	27	355
2016	264	11	37	16	2	0	29	359
2017	272	19	36	24	6	0	28	385
2018	257	21	31	26	6	0	24	365
2019	242	22	30	24	5	0	19	342
2020	228	16	29	21	2	0	19	315
2021	195	21	29	26	2	0	17	290
2022	226	17	24	27	1	1	17	313
2023	223	9	35	24	2	1	21	315

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 Folwell Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1994	346	13.5	25.6	4.6
1995	257	13.6	18.9	8.6
1996	257	13.6	18.9	8.6
1997	258	14.1	18.3	8.5
1998	228	n/a	0.0	7.5
1999	284	14.4	19.7	6
2000	272	13.9	19.6	7
2001	287	13.5	21.3	7.7
2002	275	13.7	20.1	5.5
2003	275	13.7	20.1	5.5
2004	290	14.7	19.7	19
2005	266	14.4	18.5	22.6
2006	291	14.9	19.5	21.6
2007	311	15.6	19.9	17
2008	304	15.6	19.5	16.4
2009	293	14.1	20.8	19.5
2010	295	13.1	22.4	21
2011	304	14.1	21.5	19.7
2012	289	17.0	16.9	19.4
2013	312	15.3	20.3	18.9
2014	337	15.5	21.6	23.7
2015	355	18.0	19.7	25.1
2016	359	21.0	17.0	20.9
2017	385	22.4	17.1	20
2018	365	24.4	14.9	18.4
2019	342	22.9	14.9	18.1
2020	315	19.4	16.1	10.8
2021	290	18.2	15.8	10.3
2022	313	18.9	16.4	13.4
2023	315	18.6	16.8	16.2

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 Folwell Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1994	346	13.5	25.6	4.6
1995	257	13.6	18.9	8.6
1996	257	13.6	18.9	8.6
1997	258	14.1	18.3	8.5
1998	228	n/a	0.0	7.5
1999	284	14.4	19.7	6
2000	272	13.9	19.6	7
2001	287	13.5	21.3	7.7
2002	275	13.7	20.1	5.5
2003	275	13.7	20.1	5.5
2004	290	14.7	19.7	19
2005	266	14.4	18.5	22.6
2006	291	14.9	19.5	21.6
2007	311	15.6	19.9	17
2008	304	15.6	19.5	16.4
2009	293	14.1	20.8	19.5
2010	295	13.1	22.4	21
2011	304	14.1	21.5	19.7
2012	289	17.0	16.9	19.4
2013	312	15.3	20.3	18.9
2014	337	15.5	21.6	23.7
2015	355	18.0	19.7	25.1
2016	359	21.0	17.0	20.9
2017	385	22.4	17.1	20
2018	365	24.4	14.9	18.4
2019	342	22.9	14.9	18.1
2020	315	19.4	16.1	10.8
2021	290	18.2	15.8	10.3
2022	313	18.9	16.4	13.4
2023	315	18.6	16.8	16.2

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 Folwell Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$11,376

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Folwell 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 Pandemic (2021-2022)	Change (%)
Ranks 212^th of 870 Elementary schools	Ranks 36^th of 858 Elementary schools	20.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Pandemic (2021-2022)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Folwell Elementary)	79.7	80.4	0.7%
3rd Grade Math (Rochester Public School District)	64.5	56	8.5%
3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)	65.6	59	6.6%
3rd Grade Reading (Folwell Elementary)	67.2	74	6.8%
3rd Grade Reading (Rochester Public School District)	54.9	47.6	7.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)	54.6	48.1	6.5%
4th Grade Math (Folwell Elementary)	91.1	73.9	17.2%
4th Grade Math (Rochester Public School District)	61.8	52.7	9.1%
4th Grade Math (Minnesota)	63.9	56.4	7.5%
4th Grade Reading (Folwell Elementary)	72.9	78.7	5.8%
4th Grade Reading (Rochester Public School District)	52.4	48.9	3.5%
4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	55.4	49.6	5.8%
5th Grade Math (Folwell Elementary)	50	68.5	18.5%
5th Grade Math (Rochester Public School District)	47.2	42.4	4.8%
5th Grade Math (Minnesota)	52	43.1	9%
5th Grade Reading (Folwell Elementary)	71.7	77.8	6.1%
5th Grade Reading (Rochester Public School District)	62.3	59.7	2.5%
5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	65.8	59.4	6.4%
5th Grade Science (Folwell Elementary)	53.3	69.8	16.5%
5th Grade Science (Rochester Public School District)	44.9	46.5	1.6%
5th Grade Science (Minnesota)	54.9	50	4.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	342	315	7.9%
African American	22	9	59.1%
American Indian	5	2	60%
Asian	30	35	16.7%
Hispanic	24	24
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	242	223	7.9%
Two or More Races	19	21	10.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	18.1%	16.2%	1.9%

Schools Near Folwell 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
Folwell Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	603 15th Ave SW	Rochester	55902	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-3220	315	19	16.8	16.2%	223 (70.8%)	9 (2.9%)	24 (7.6%)	35 (11.1%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	21 (6.7%)	85.1	90^th of 881 public elementary schools	89.8%					(n/a)	82.5	54.7	65.5				67.9	77.2	66.0	80.0				74.6	63.0		63.0	$11,376
Washington District-Wide Elementary	Public	K-5	1200 11th Ave NW	Rochester	55901	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-3800	332	20	16.3	18.7%	203 (61.1%)	32 (9.6%)	17 (5.1%)	41 (12.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (11.7%)	85.5	86^th of 881 public elementary schools	90.2%					(n/a)	73.7	76.3	63.8				71.8	59.7	67.8	75.0				67.1	64.6		64.6	$12,463
Rochester Math And Science Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	415 16th St SW	Rochester	55902	Olmsted County	Rochester Math And Science Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(507) 252-5995	414	13	32.5	99.8%	0 (0.0%)	412 (99.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	16.5	752^nd of 881 public elementary schools	14.6%		13.4	731^st of 845 public elementary schools	13.5%	21	26.3	6.5	12.8	25.0	29.8	54.9	26.8	21.1	10.9	51.3	35.4	23.4	31.4	28.6	23.7	7.8	14.6	$17,173
Riverside Central Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	506 5th Ave SE	Rochester	55904	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(507) 328-3700	417	37	11.4	79.1%	133 (31.9%)	94 (22.5%)	97 (23.3%)	24 (5.8%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (15.6%)	6.7	820^th of 881 public elementary schools	6.9%					(n/a)	14.0	20.3	6.4				13.7	26.0	20.3	19.1				21.4	7.9		7.9	$17,286
Sunset Terrace Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1707 19th Ave NW	Rochester	55901	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(507) 328-3770	467	33	14.2	55.9%	216 (46.3%)	125 (26.8%)	25 (5.4%)	55 (11.8%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (9.4%)	42.3	564^th of 881 public elementary schools	36.0%					(n/a)	53.3	58.9	40.3				50.5	35.1	29.8	44.8				36.8	44.8		44.8	$12,381
Lincoln K-8 District-Wide School	Public	K-8	1122 8th Ave SE	Rochester	55904	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-3550	469	24	19.8	14.5%	331 (70.6%)	37 (7.9%)	22 (4.7%)	38 (8.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (8.7%)	83	113^th of 881 public elementary schools	87.2%					(n/a)	79.7	79.3	52.6	61.4	68.0	51.1	66.1	59.3	63.8	63.2	70.5	70.0	62.2	64.5	64.9	37.8	52.9	$11,594
Bishop Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	406 36th Ave NW	Rochester	55901	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-3100	512	35	14.7	41.2%	275 (53.7%)	69 (13.5%)	59 (11.5%)	73 (14.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (7.0%)	61.7	353^rd of 881 public elementary schools	59.9%					(n/a)	75.5	60.5	40.7				59.3	56.1	50.0	55.0				54.0	38.5		38.5	$12,598
Bamber Valley Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2001 Bamber Valley Rd SW	Rochester	55902	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-3030	633	37	17.2	25.8%	414 (65.4%)	18 (2.8%)	90 (14.2%)	51 (8.1%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (9.0%)	76	186^th of 881 public elementary schools	78.9%					(n/a)	69.8	67.9	55.5				64.1	57.3	57.8	73.6				63.2	50.0		50.0	$11,066
Jefferson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1201 10th Ave NE	Rochester	55906	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-3500	525	36	14.4	36.2%	338 (64.4%)	59 (11.2%)	47 (9.0%)	32 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (9.3%)	85.4	88^th of 881 public elementary schools	90.0%					(n/a)	80.0	75.3	57.9				70.6	71.8	61.2	74.7				69.4	61.1		61.1	$13,443
Hoover Elementary	Public	3-5	369 Elton Hills Dr NW	Rochester	55901	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-3450	226	14	16.1	36.7%	133 (58.8%)	39 (17.3%)	19 (8.4%)	11 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	23 (10.2%)	47.8	520^th of 881 public elementary schools	41.0%					(n/a)	57.8	52.0	36.0				48.9	47.0	33.8	57.3				46.0	40.0		40.0	$15,828

Folwell Elementary

Folwell Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Rochester Public School District:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Folwell Elementary

Rank History for all students at Folwell Elementary

Rank History for Special Education students at Folwell Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Folwell Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Folwell Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Folwell Elementary

Rank History for White students at Folwell Elementary

Review counts

Enrollment information for Folwell Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Folwell Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Folwell Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Folwell Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Folwell Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Folwell Elementary

Frequently Asked Questions about Folwell Elementary

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