Is Rutherford Elementary a good school?

Rutherford Elementary ranks 234 th of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Rutherford Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 560 students attended Rutherford Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Rutherford Elementary?

Students at Rutherford Elementary are 85% White, 5% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 1% African American.

What schools do graduates of Rutherford Elementary attend?

Students who attend Rutherford Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Stillwater Middle School High : Stillwater Area High School

Rutherford Elementary

Summary:

Rutherford Elementary is a public elementary school in Stillwater, Minnesota, serving 555 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. It is part of the Stillwater Area Public Schools district, which is ranked 65 out of 463 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Rutherford Elementary consistently performs above the state and district averages in Math, Reading, and Science proficiency, with particularly strong results in 3rd and 4th grade Math. However, the school's performance for female students and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds lags behind, ranking in the bottom 50% of Minnesota elementary schools. Additionally, the school's ranking has declined in recent years, dropping from a high of 55th out of 853 schools in 2016-2017 to 234th out of 881 schools in 2023-2024.

While Rutherford Elementary outperforms other schools in the Stillwater district, it lags behind top-performing schools in the nearby Mahtomedi Public School District, such as O.H. Anderson Elementary, and the high-performing charter school, St. Croix Preparatory Academy Lower. The school's declining ranking and performance gaps between student groups suggest that Rutherford Elementary may need to focus on equity and addressing the unique needs of all its students to maintain its high academic standards.

Detail:

Public K-5

115 Rutherford Rd
Stillwater, MN 55082-4524

(651) 351-6400

District: Stillwater Area Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
234^th of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,518

Students who attend Rutherford Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Stillwater Middle School
High:	Stillwater Area High School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.3

Number of students: 560

Racial breakdown:

White:

85.0%

Two or more races:

5.2%

Hispanic:

4.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 13%

See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

Compare Rutherford Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Rutherford Elementary ranks better than 73.4% of elementary schools in Minnesota. It also ranks 5^th among 8 ranked elementary schools in the Stillwater Area Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 72.3. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (85%), two or more races (5.2%), Hispanic (4.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 13% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Rutherford Elementary is 16.3. 4 elementary schools in the Stillwater Area Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Rutherford Elementary employs 34.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Rutherford Elementary is $12,518. 6 elementary schools in the Stillwater Area Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Rutherford Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Rutherford Elementary 234^th of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Rutherford 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:

Stillwater Area Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Stillwater Area Public Schools 65^th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Rutherford Elementary.

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Your rating for Rutherford Elementary?

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Rank History for Rutherford Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Rutherford Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2003	76.01	112^th	674	83.4%
2004	74.25	132^nd	676	80.5%
2005	84.33	31^st	685	95.5%
2006	82.41	62^nd	756	91.8%
2007	77.16	113^th	777	85.5%
2008	76.27	123^rd	781	84.3%
2010	76.70	115^th	803	85.7%
2011	81.22	75^th	814	90.8%
2012	79.47	99^th	820	87.9%
2013	81.06	99^th	824	88.0%
2014	80.93	96^th	826	88.4%
2015	84.38	60^th	840	92.9%
2016	84.18	60^th	848	92.9%
2017	85.66	55^th	853	93.6%
2018	79.22	133^rd	847	84.3%
2019	81.92	112^th	870	87.1%
2021	61.78	345^th	869	60.3%
2022	70.81	255^th	858	70.3%
2023	65.15	306^th	845	63.8%
2024	72.30	234^th	881	73.4%

See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Rutherford Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	82.45	46^th	463	90.1%
2019	81.96	48^th	515	90.7%
2021	46.49	226^th	417	45.8%
2022	69.50	118^th	500	76.4%
2023	56.78	202^nd	524	61.5%
2024	65.01	147^th	572	74.3%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Rutherford Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	56.38	329^th	728	54.8%
2021	27.95	531^st	683	22.3%
2022	18.93	579^th	663	12.7%
2023	40.31	493^rd	774	36.3%
2024	49.60	421^st	793	46.9%

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

Rank History for Female students at Rutherford Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	77.71	128^th	774	83.5%
2019	76.59	151^st	787	80.8%
2021	54.66	407^th	783	48.0%
2022	65.55	289^th	799	63.8%
2023	62.95	312^th	787	60.4%
2024	64.24	290^th	809	64.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at Rutherford Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	77.01	146^th	779	81.3%
2019	82.68	87^th	798	89.1%
2021	64.22	288^th	784	63.3%
2022	71.00	223^rd	808	72.4%
2023	63.24	300^th	799	62.5%
2024	75.93	170^th	826	79.4%

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

Rank History for White students at Rutherford Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	65.67	226^th	712	68.3%
2019	73.41	151^st	722	79.1%
2021	46.91	395^th	710	44.4%
2022	59.80	278^th	725	61.7%
2023	50.08	366^th	712	48.6%
2024	56.26	306^th	730	58.1%

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, January 24, 2011

This school is the best of both worlds. It is technically an Open Environment school, but this program is executed very much like a Traditional school. The children are encouraged to reach their own personal highest potential, wherever that might be. I have two gifted children who are being taught curricula well above grade level because that is where their skills are. This is done respectfully and quietly without the kids feeling any sense of differentiation between the skill levels. I also have a special needs child whose developmental delays are handled beautifully as well, with respect and enthusiasm. They have enough flexibility within this program to individualize and think outside the box, without going too crazy and leaving the children unprepared for the real world. There are other open environment schools in the area that seem to have less structure and more freedom of choice for the kids (which certainly has its merit for some) but this was not a good fit for my children. In my opinion Rutherford does an EXCELLENT job striking a balance between the open environment, and respectful accountability. It does not feel chaotic or distracting at all. I encourage you to tour it to see what I mean. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Rutherford Elementary

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2000	586	0	15	4	0	n/a	n/a	605
2001	619	0	16	2	1	n/a	n/a	638
2002	694	1	22	2	1	n/a	n/a	720
2003	694	1	22	2	1	n/a	n/a	720
2004	733	1	27	4	0	n/a	n/a	765
2005	718	1	25	8	0	n/a	n/a	752
2006	684	2	22	10	0	n/a	n/a	718
2007	708	0	30	12	1	n/a	n/a	751
2008	716	2	30	13	2	n/a	n/a	763
2009	681	6	38	11	1	n/a	n/a	737
2010	696	4	33	12	1	n/a	n/a	746
2011	707	2	34	13	0	1	7	764
2012	639	2	32	11	0	1	12	697
2013	599	1	27	11	0	1	17	656
2014	572	2	29	9	0	0	24	636
2015	533	2	23	6	0	0	31	595
2016	518	1	16	10	0	0	35	580
2017	544	1	12	12	0	0	40	609
2018	534	8	24	17	0	0	28	611
2019	507	14	27	23	0	0	28	599
2020	455	14	28	36	2	0	32	567
2021	444	16	26	30	1	0	31	548
2022	403	19	14	26	0	0	21	483
2023	461	19	18	26	1	0	30	555
2024	476	7	20	27	1	0	29	560

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 Rutherford Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2000	605	31.5	19.2	1.5
2001	638	32.2	19.8	2.2
2002	720	37.0	19.5	2.1
2003	720	37.0	19.5	2.1
2004	765	38.2	20.0	1.7
2005	752	37.7	19.9	2.3
2006	718	35.2	20.4	2.2
2007	751	35.3	21.3	3.5
2008	763	38.2	20.0	4.6
2009	737	37.6	19.6	5
2010	746	36.9	20.1	5.5
2011	764	39.9	19.1	6.7
2012	697	38.8	17.9	6.6
2013	656	37.3	17.5	7.8
2014	636	36.6	17.3	6.8
2015	595	32.0	18.5	5.2
2016	580	29.0	20.0	5.2
2017	609	32.2	18.8	4.6
2018	611	34.3	17.8	10.6
2019	599	32.3	18.5	8
2020	567	30.0	18.8	15.3
2021	548	33.8	16.1	14.4
2022	483	28.6	16.8	15.5
2023	555	32.6	17.0	16
2024	560	34.3	16.3	13

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 Rutherford Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2000	605	31.5	19.2	1.5
2001	638	32.2	19.8	2.2
2002	720	37.0	19.5	2.1
2003	720	37.0	19.5	2.1
2004	765	38.2	20.0	1.7
2005	752	37.7	19.9	2.3
2006	718	35.2	20.4	2.2
2007	751	35.3	21.3	3.5
2008	763	38.2	20.0	4.6
2009	737	37.6	19.6	5
2010	746	36.9	20.1	5.5
2011	764	39.9	19.1	6.7
2012	697	38.8	17.9	6.6
2013	656	37.3	17.5	7.8
2014	636	36.6	17.3	6.8
2015	595	32.0	18.5	5.2
2016	580	29.0	20.0	5.2
2017	609	32.2	18.8	4.6
2018	611	34.3	17.8	10.6
2019	599	32.3	18.5	8
2020	567	30.0	18.8	15.3
2021	548	33.8	16.1	14.4
2022	483	28.6	16.8	15.5
2023	555	32.6	17.0	16
2024	560	34.3	16.3	13

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 Rutherford Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$12,518

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Rutherford 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 112^th of 870 Elementary schools	Ranks 306^th of 845 Elementary schools	23.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Rutherford Elementary)	84.1	67.5	16.6%
3rd Grade Math (Stillwater Area Public Schools)	72.9	65.9	7%
3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)	65.6	59.1	6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Rutherford Elementary)	73.8	47.8	26%
3rd Grade Reading (Stillwater Area Public Schools)	58.7	50	8.7%
3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)	54.6	47.4	7.2%
4th Grade Math (Rutherford Elementary)	67.3	62.1	5.2%
4th Grade Math (Stillwater Area Public Schools)	69.2	66.7	2.6%
4th Grade Math (Minnesota)	63.9	57.1	6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Rutherford Elementary)	70.1	51.6	18.5%
4th Grade Reading (Stillwater Area Public Schools)	63.2	55.4	7.8%
4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	55.4	48.4	7.1%
5th Grade Math (Rutherford Elementary)	67	45.6	21.4%
5th Grade Math (Stillwater Area Public Schools)	56.8	45.5	11.3%
5th Grade Math (Minnesota)	52	44.4	7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Rutherford Elementary)	82.1	57.8	24.3%
5th Grade Reading (Stillwater Area Public Schools)	76.5	69.9	6.7%
5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	65.8	58.7	7%
5th Grade Science (Rutherford Elementary)	72.4	64	8.4%
5th Grade Science (Stillwater Area Public Schools)	65.2	57	8.1%
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	599	555	7.3%
African American	14	19	35.7%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	27	18	33.3%
Hispanic	23	26	13%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	507	461	9.1%
Two or More Races	28	30	7.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	8%	16%	8%

Schools Near Rutherford 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 All Grades	MCA-III Reading 3rd Grade	MCA-III Reading 4th Grade	MCA-III Reading 5th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	MCA-III Science 5th Grade	MCA-III Science All Grades	Total
Rutherford Elementary	Public	K-5	115 Rutherford Rd	Stillwater	55082	Washington County	Stillwater Area Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(651) 351-6400	560	34	16.3	13.0%	476 (85.0%)	7 (1.3%)	27 (4.8%)	20 (3.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.2%)	72.3	234^th of 881 public elementary schools	73.4%		65.1	306^th of 845 public elementary schools	63.8%	72	74.0	63.6	45.7	61.1	63.5	56.1	67.6	62.3	46.7	46.7	$12,518
Lily Lake Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2003 Willard St W	Stillwater	55082	Washington County	Stillwater Area Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(651) 351-6800	417	32	13.0	30.9%	327 (78.4%)	17 (4.1%)	26 (6.2%)	11 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	35 (8.4%)	75.3	196^th of 881 public elementary schools	77.8%		59.3	375^th of 845 public elementary schools	55.6%	179	66.2	75.0	45.1	61.8	63.1	58.8	70.4	64.2	52.1	52.1	$14,495
Stonebridge Elementary	Public	K-5	900 Owens St N	Stillwater	55082	Washington County	Stillwater Area Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(651) 351-8700	432	25	17.2	13.4%	377 (87.3%)	8 (1.9%)	16 (3.7%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	27 (6.3%)	68	280^th of 881 public elementary schools	68.2%		57.3	400^th of 845 public elementary schools	52.7%	120	65.8	58.4	41.7	56.5	54.4	55.7	65.0	57.8	55.0	55.0	$12,892
New Heights Elementary School	Public, Charter	K-5	614 W Mulberry St	Stillwater	55082	Washington County	New Heights School Inc.	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(651) 439-1962	36	3	11.0	69.4%	27 (75.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (22.2%)								(n/a)				16.7				33.3
A/O Program	Public	PK, KG-1	1111 South Holcombe St	Stillwater	55082	Washington County	Northeast Metro 916	No	No	No	No	(651) 964-1274	9	2	5.2	33.3%	5 (55.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (44.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Stillwater Special Services-Ecse	Public	PK	1111 Holcombe St S	Stillwater	55082	Washington County	Stillwater Area Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(651) 351-8605	222	15	14.7	23.0%	164 (73.9%)	13 (5.9%)	18 (8.1%)	11 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	15 (6.8%)								(n/a)											$30,180
Gate 4/5	Public	4-5	523 Marsh Street W.	Stillwater	55082	Washington County	Stillwater Area Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(651) 351-6905	62	1	52.9	4.8%	53 (85.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.6%)	6 (9.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.2%)	99.3	2^nd of 881 public elementary schools	99.8%		99.1	1^st of 845 public elementary schools	99.9%	1		100.0	89.7	95.0		96.9	100.0	98.4	96.6	96.6	$3,320
Marine Area Community School	Public, Charter	K-6	601 Main St N	Stillwater	55082	Washington County	Marine Area Community School	Yes	No	No	No	(651) 409-3122	126	13	9.5	17.5%	113 (89.7%)	2 (1.6%)	2 (1.6%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (6.3%)	28.9	661^st of 881 public elementary schools	25.0%		40.9	566^th of 845 public elementary schools	33.0%	95	53.3	26.7	16.7	31.3	46.7	25.0	44.4	38.8	33.3	33.3	$12,203
Wildwood Elementary	Public	K-2	8698 75th Street North	Stillwater	55082	Washington County	Mahtomedi Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(651) 407-2101	584	44	13.3	13.2%	481 (82.4%)	17 (2.9%)	25 (4.3%)	12 (2.1%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (7.7%)								(n/a)											$12,950
Mahtomedi Preschool	Public	PK	8698 75th Street North	Stillwater	55082	Washington County	Mahtomedi Public School District	No	No	No	No	(651) 407-2164	30	1	30.0	23.3%	25 (83.3%)	3 (10.0%)	1 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.3%)								(n/a)											$34,281

Rutherford Elementary

Rutherford Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Stillwater Area Public Schools:

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Rutherford Elementary

Rank History for all students at Rutherford Elementary

Rank History for Special Education students at Rutherford Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Rutherford Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Rutherford Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Rutherford Elementary

Rank History for White students at Rutherford Elementary

Review counts

Enrollment information for Rutherford Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Rutherford Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Rutherford Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Rutherford Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Rutherford Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Rutherford Elementary

Frequently Asked Questions about Rutherford Elementary

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