Is Verndale Elementary a good school?

Verndale Elementary ranks 566 th of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Verndale Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 263 students attended Verndale Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Verndale Elementary?

Students at Verndale Elementary are 92% White, 6% Two or more races, 1% Asian, 1% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Verndale Elementary attend?

Students who attend Verndale Elementary usually go on to attend: High : Verndale Secondary

Verndale Elementary

Summary:

Verndale Elementary is a public elementary school serving 263 students in grades PK-6 in the small town of Verndale, Minnesota. While the school is part of the Verndale Public School District, which has a 1-star rating, Verndale Elementary faces some unique challenges compared to nearby schools.

One key difference is the school's racial makeup, with a significantly higher percentage of white students (91.63%) compared to the state average and nearby schools like New York Mills Elementary and Sebeka Elementary. Academically, Verndale Elementary's performance on MCA-III tests is generally lower than state averages and the nearby schools, with proficiency rates in Math (40.94%) and Reading (42.86%) falling below the state's 45.47% and 49.85% respectively. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Minnesota elementary schools and has a 1-2 star rating from SchoolDigger.

Additionally, Verndale Elementary has a relatively high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 44.02% to 60.84% in recent years. This suggests a higher proportion of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds compared to the state and nearby schools. While the school's enrollment has remained relatively stable, the academic underperformance and equity issues within the student population indicate that Verndale Elementary may require targeted interventions and additional support to improve educational outcomes for its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

411 SW Brown St
Verndale, MN 56481-3000

(218) 445-5184

District: Verndale Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
566^th of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,713

Students who attend Verndale Elementary usually attend:

High:

Verndale Secondary

Student/teacher ratio: 11.8

Number of students: 263

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.6%

Two or more races:

5.7%

Asian:

1.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 60.8%

See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

Compare Verndale Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Verndale Elementary ranks worse than 64.2% of elementary schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 42.16. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (91.6%), two or more races (5.7%), Asian (1.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 60.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Verndale Elementary is 11.8. (See more...)

Compare Verndale Elementary employs 22.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Verndale Elementary is $10,713.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Verndale Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Verndale Elementary 566^th of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Verndale 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:

Verndale Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Verndale Public School District 326^th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Verndale Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Verndale Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2003	43.90	469^th	674	30.4%
2004	61.12	287^th	676	57.5%
2005	40.71	497^th	685	27.4%
2006	43.90	536^th	756	29.1%
2007	40.84	590^th	777	24.1%
2008	52.38	453^rd	781	42.0%
2010	70.91	216^th	803	73.1%
2011	48.37	528^th	814	35.1%
2012	60.74	390^th	820	52.4%
2013	34.70	635^th	824	22.9%
2014	40.93	584^th	826	29.3%
2015	53.30	478^th	840	43.1%
2016	43.29	579^th	848	31.7%
2017	45.19	550^th	853	35.5%
2018	44.59	557^th	847	34.2%
2019	43.31	584^th	870	32.9%
2021	40.38	597^th	869	31.3%
2022	34.15	626^th	858	27.0%
2023	31.84	619^th	845	26.7%
2024	42.16	566^th	881	35.8%

See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Verndale Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	18.95	396^th	463	14.5%
2019	25.01	414^th	515	19.6%
2022	30.13	393^rd	500	21.4%
2023	35.37	362^nd	524	30.9%
2024	41.02	348^th	572	39.2%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Verndale Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	53.56	364^th	728	50.0%
2019	59.68	295^th	740	60.1%
2021	44.32	408^th	683	40.3%
2022	40.54	414^th	663	37.6%
2023	46.70	433^rd	774	44.1%
2024	40.48	508^th	793	35.9%

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

Rank History for Female students at Verndale Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	44.05	517^th	774	33.2%
2019	39.71	549^th	787	30.2%
2021	37.02	566^th	783	27.7%
2022	47.98	460^th	799	42.4%
2023	44.79	489^th	787	37.9%
2024	54.10	404^th	809	50.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at Verndale Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	45.28	502^nd	779	35.6%
2019	46.49	500^th	798	37.3%
2021	35.40	575^th	784	26.7%
2022	23.13	655^th	808	18.9%
2023	20.73	656^th	799	17.9%
2024	28.31	634^th	826	23.2%

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

Rank History for White students at Verndale Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	29.59	574^th	712	19.4%
2019	22.39	645^th	722	10.7%
2021	18.02	655^th	710	7.7%
2022	18.74	662^nd	725	8.7%
2023	13.72	675^th	712	5.2%
2024	23.07	627^th	730	14.1%

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

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Enrollment information for Verndale Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	259	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	259
1989	241	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	241
1990	234	0	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	237
1991	231	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	232
1992	229	0	2	0	5	n/a	n/a	0	236
1993	250	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	250
1994	233	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	233
1995	225	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	225
1996	225	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	225
1997	234	1	4	0	3	n/a	n/a	0	242
1998	219	1	3	2	1	n/a	n/a	7	233
1999	228	1	0	4	3	n/a	n/a	0	236
2000	207	4	0	10	3	n/a	n/a	0	224
2001	222	2	0	7	5	n/a	n/a	0	236
2002	226	1	1	5	3	n/a	n/a	0	236
2003	226	1	1	5	3	n/a	n/a	0	236
2004	225	3	1	5	6	n/a	n/a	0	240
2005	216	2	2	5	5	n/a	n/a	0	230
2006	221	0	1	4	3	n/a	n/a	0	229
2007	218	0	1	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	224
2008	224	2	1	3	4	n/a	n/a	0	234
2009	224	3	0	1	4	n/a	n/a	0	232
2010	248	2	0	0	3	n/a	n/a	0	253
2011	243	1	0	0	0	0	10	0	254
2012	252	1	0	1	0	0	12	0	266
2013	253	1	0	0	0	0	12	0	266
2014	243	1	5	0	2	0	11	0	262
2015	263	2	4	0	1	0	10	0	280
2016	275	4	4	0	3	0	8	0	294
2017	270	3	5	3	5	2	7	0	295
2018	274	4	4	3	7	0	7	0	299
2019	286	2	4	3	5	0	3	0	303
2020	264	3	5	2	8	0	6	0	288
2021	236	1	3	2	9	0	8	0	259
2022	243	1	3	2	4	0	11	0	264
2023	241	1	3	3	0	0	15	0	263

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 Verndale Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	259	15.4	16.8	35.5
1989	241	17.4	13.8	36.9
1990	237	20.3	11.6	40.9
1991	232	16.5	14.0	34.1
1992	236	19.0	12.4	43.2
1993	250	20.4	12.3	44.4
1994	233	16.6	14.0	48.5
1995	225	17.9	12.6	40.9
1996	225	17.9	12.6	40.9
1997	242	18.2	13.3	35.1
1998	233	n/a	0.0	39.8
1999	236	14.5	16.3	42.4
2000	224	16.0	14.0	59.8
2001	236	18.1	13.0	60.6
2002	236	17.1	13.8	53
2003	236	17.1	13.8	53
2004	240	14.6	16.4	65.4
2005	230	17.9	12.8	67.8
2006	229	19.6	11.7	64.2
2007	224	18.1	12.4	61.2
2008	234	17.4	13.4	60.7
2009	232	20.1	11.5	59.9
2010	253	20.0	12.6	67.6
2011	254	20.7	12.2	66.9
2012	266	19.8	13.4	65.8
2013	266	19.7	13.4	60.9
2014	262	17.4	15.0	64.1
2015	280	22.0	12.7	66.4
2016	294	24.0	12.2	57.5
2017	295	23.9	12.3	55.9
2018	299	24.7	12.0	56.9
2019	303	22.6	13.4	56.1
2020	288	21.6	13.2	49
2021	259	21.7	11.8	44
2022	264	21.2	12.4	44.3
2023	263	22.2	11.8	60.8

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 Verndale Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	259	15.4	16.8	35.5
1989	241	17.4	13.8	36.9
1990	237	20.3	11.6	40.9
1991	232	16.5	14.0	34.1
1992	236	19.0	12.4	43.2
1993	250	20.4	12.3	44.4
1994	233	16.6	14.0	48.5
1995	225	17.9	12.6	40.9
1996	225	17.9	12.6	40.9
1997	242	18.2	13.3	35.1
1998	233	n/a	0.0	39.8
1999	236	14.5	16.3	42.4
2000	224	16.0	14.0	59.8
2001	236	18.1	13.0	60.6
2002	236	17.1	13.8	53
2003	236	17.1	13.8	53
2004	240	14.6	16.4	65.4
2005	230	17.9	12.8	67.8
2006	229	19.6	11.7	64.2
2007	224	18.1	12.4	61.2
2008	234	17.4	13.4	60.7
2009	232	20.1	11.5	59.9
2010	253	20.0	12.6	67.6
2011	254	20.7	12.2	66.9
2012	266	19.8	13.4	65.8
2013	266	19.7	13.4	60.9
2014	262	17.4	15.0	64.1
2015	280	22.0	12.7	66.4
2016	294	24.0	12.2	57.5
2017	295	23.9	12.3	55.9
2018	299	24.7	12.0	56.9
2019	303	22.6	13.4	56.1
2020	288	21.6	13.2	49
2021	259	21.7	11.8	44
2022	264	21.2	12.4	44.3
2023	263	22.2	11.8	60.8

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 Verndale Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$10,712

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Verndale 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 584^th of 870 Elementary schools	Ranks 619^th of 845 Elementary schools	6.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Verndale Elementary)	74	60	14%
3rd Grade Math (Verndale Public School District)	74	60	14%
3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)	65.6	59.1	6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Verndale Elementary)	61.2	35.3	25.9%
3rd Grade Reading (Verndale Public School District)	61.2	35.3	25.9%
3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)	54.6	47.4	7.2%
4th Grade Math (Verndale Elementary)	57.5	55.3	2.2%
4th Grade Math (Verndale Public School District)	57.5	55.3	2.2%
4th Grade Math (Minnesota)	63.9	57.1	6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Verndale Elementary)	42.5	36.8	5.7%
4th Grade Reading (Verndale Public School District)	42.5	36.8	5.7%
4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	55.4	48.4	7.1%
5th Grade Math (Verndale Elementary)	29	18.5	10.4%
5th Grade Math (Verndale Public School District)	29	18.5	10.4%
5th Grade Math (Minnesota)	52	44.4	7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Verndale Elementary)	71.1	37	34%
5th Grade Reading (Verndale Public School District)	71.1	37	34%
5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	65.8	58.7	7%
5th Grade Science (Verndale Elementary)	50	34.8	15.2%
5th Grade Science (Verndale Public School District)	50	34.8	15.2%
5th Grade Science (Minnesota)	54.9	48.4	6.5%
6th Grade Math (Verndale Elementary)	26.3	8.1	18.2%
6th Grade Math (Verndale Public School District)	26.3	8.1	18.2%
6th Grade Math (Minnesota)	50.5	39.7	10.8%
6th Grade Reading (Verndale Elementary)	50.9	40.5	10.3%
6th Grade Reading (Verndale Public School District)	50.9	40.5	10.3%
6th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	62.8	53.4	9.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	303	263	13.2%
African American	2	1	50%
American Indian	5	0	100%
Asian	4	3	25%
Hispanic	3	3
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	286	241	15.7%
Two or More Races	3	15	400%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	56.1%	60.8%	4.7%

Schools Near Verndale 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
Verndale Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	411 SW Brown St	Verndale	56481	Wadena County	Verndale Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 445-5184	263	22	11.8	60.8%	241 (91.6%)	1 (0.4%)	3 (1.1%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (5.7%)	42.2	566^th of 881 public elementary schools	35.8%		31.8	619^th of 845 public elementary schools	26.7%	53	76.7	55.6	16.1	13.3	40.9	53.3	27.8	46.7	46.7	42.9	41.9	41.9	$10,713
Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	215 Colfax Ave SW	Wadena	56482	Wadena County	Wadena-Deer Creek School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 632-2400	449	36	12.3	61.9%	386 (86.0%)	5 (1.1%)	27 (6.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.5%)	30.4	650^th of 881 public elementary schools	26.2%		44.5	535^th of 845 public elementary schools	36.7%	115	55.8	35.4			45.3	31.6	32.1			31.9			$12,842
Bertha Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	310 Central Ave S	Bertha	56437	Todd County	Bertha-Hewitt Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 924-2500	297	20	15.0	62.6%	269 (90.6%)	3 (1.0%)	13 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.7%)	59	385^th of 881 public elementary schools	56.3%		62.4	342^nd of 845 public elementary schools	59.5%	43	61.5	43.2	41.9	61.8	51.6	34.6	32.4	71.9	62.9	50.8	56.3	56.3	$12,003
Staples-Motley Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	1025 4th St NE	Staples	56479	Wadena County	Staples-Motley School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 894-5400	301	24	12.3	60.5%	266 (88.4%)	2 (0.7%)	13 (4.3%)	3 (1.0%)	9 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.7%)	42.8	559^th of 881 public elementary schools	36.5%		34.1	607^th of 845 public elementary schools	28.2%	48	63.3	45.1			55.0	33.9	39.2			36.4			$12,285
Sebeka Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	200 1st St NW	Sebeka	56477	Wadena County	Sebeka Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 837-5101	215	24	9.0	61.4%	203 (94.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.7%)	65.6	306^th of 881 public elementary schools	65.3%		60.4	363^rd of 845 public elementary schools	57.0%	57	88.2	65.7	40.9	42.9	60.2	61.8	22.9	54.6	61.0	50.0	59.1	59.1	$12,778
New York Mills Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	209 N Hayes Ave	New York Mills	56567	Otter Tail County	New York Mills Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 385-4201	443	29	15.2	51.2%	414 (93.5%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.1%)	78	162^nd of 881 public elementary schools	81.6%		68.6	268^th of 845 public elementary schools	68.3%	106	72.2	79.0	61.5	45.3	65.5	59.7	57.9	62.0	57.8	59.2	63.5	63.5	$9,458

Verndale Elementary

Verndale Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Verndale Public School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Verndale Elementary

Rank History for all students at Verndale Elementary

Rank History for Special Education students at Verndale Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Verndale Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Verndale Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Verndale Elementary

Rank History for White students at Verndale Elementary

Enrollment information for Verndale Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Verndale Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Verndale Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Verndale Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Verndale Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Verndale Elementary