Is Willow River Elementary a good school?

Willow River Elementary ranks 441 st of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Willow River Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 224 students attended Willow River Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Willow River Elementary?

Students at Willow River Elementary are 90% White, 4% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 3% American Indian.

What schools do graduates of Willow River Elementary attend?

Students who attend Willow River Elementary usually go on to attend: High : Willow River Secondary

Willow River Elementary

Summary:

Willow River Elementary is a public elementary school serving 218 students in grades PK-6 in the small town of Willow River, Minnesota. While the school has some strengths, such as a low student-teacher ratio, it faces challenges in academic performance, particularly in the upper elementary grades and for certain student populations.

One key differentiator of Willow River Elementary is its significantly higher percentage of white students (89.91%) compared to the state average and nearby schools like Barnum Elementary and East Central Elementary. The school's academic performance on the MCA-III assessments has been mixed, with the school performing above the Moose Lake Public School District average in most subjects but lagging behind the state average, especially in math and reading for the upper grades. Additionally, Willow River Elementary has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 35.32% to 46.33% over the past three school years.

Interestingly, Willow River Elementary has seen a significant decline in its statewide ranking over the past decade, dropping from 188 out of 870 Minnesota elementary schools in 2018-2019 to 441 out of 881 in 2023-2024. This suggests that the school's performance has not kept pace with other schools in the state. When compared to nearby schools like Barnum Elementary, East Central Elementary, and Moose Lake Elementary, Willow River Elementary generally performs below the average in both math and reading proficiency, indicating that the school may need to implement strategies to improve academic outcomes and close the achievement gap with its peers.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

8142 Pine St
Willow River, MN 55795-0066

(218) 372-3131

District: Willow River Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
441^st of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,165

Students who attend Willow River Elementary usually attend:

High:

Willow River Secondary

Student/teacher ratio: 11.7

Number of students: 224

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.2%

Hispanic:

3.6%

Two or more races:

3.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 44.2%

See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

Compare Willow River Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Willow River Elementary ranks worse than 50.1% of elementary schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 53.99. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (90.2%), Hispanic (3.6%), two or more races (3.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 44.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Willow River Elementary is 11.7. (See more...)

Compare Willow River Elementary employs 19.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Willow River Elementary is $12,165.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Willow River Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Willow River Elementary 441^st of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Willow River 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:

Willow River Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Willow River Public School District 304^th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Willow River Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Willow River Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2003	54.22	372^nd	674	44.8%
2004	47.83	422^nd	676	37.6%
2005	31.93	558^th	685	18.5%
2006	48.61	477^th	756	36.9%
2007	37.92	618^th	777	20.5%
2008	35.88	621^st	781	20.5%
2009	42.36	312^th	434	28.1%
2010	57.73	418^th	803	47.9%
2011	48.77	523^rd	814	35.7%
2012	57.00	442^nd	820	46.1%
2013	47.51	518^th	824	37.1%
2014	39.49	593^rd	826	28.2%
2015	50.18	511^th	840	39.2%
2016	56.37	447^th	848	47.3%
2017	70.06	263^rd	853	69.2%
2018	59.40	390^th	847	54.0%
2019	75.10	188^th	870	78.4%
2021	46.27	555^th	869	36.1%
2022	44.34	547^th	858	36.2%
2023	63.98	319^th	845	62.2%
2024	53.99	441^st	881	49.9%

See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Willow River Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	18.46	375^th	417	10.1%
2024	53.40	231^st	572	59.6%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Willow River Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	64.46	243^rd	728	66.6%
2019	92.81	11^th	740	98.5%
2021	68.73	176^th	683	74.2%
2022	52.68	323^rd	663	51.3%
2023	77.82	112^th	774	85.5%
2024	65.03	248^th	793	68.7%

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

Rank History for Female students at Willow River Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	67.21	262^nd	774	66.1%
2019	80.46	101^st	787	87.2%
2021	52.15	434^th	783	44.6%
2022	42.47	521^st	799	34.8%
2023	56.27	379^th	787	51.8%
2024	50.90	445^th	809	45.0%

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

Rank History for Male students at Willow River Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	47.41	487^th	779	37.5%
2019	64.35	312^th	798	60.9%
2021	29.44	601^st	784	23.3%
2022	38.83	566^th	808	30.0%
2023	66.03	274^th	799	65.7%
2024	55.07	407^th	826	50.7%

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

Rank History for White students at Willow River Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	40.92	472^nd	712	33.7%
2019	59.93	279^th	722	61.4%
2021	23.48	629^th	710	11.4%
2022	22.86	634^th	725	12.6%
2023	37.45	485^th	712	31.9%
2024	33.87	530^th	730	27.4%

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 Willow River Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	269	2	3	0	6	n/a	n/a	280
1989	266	2	4	0	7	n/a	n/a	279
1990	273	2	3	0	4	n/a	n/a	282
1991	276	2	2	0	3	n/a	n/a	283
1992	280	2	2	0	3	n/a	n/a	287
1993	295	2	2	2	3	n/a	n/a	304
1994	278	2	0	3	7	n/a	n/a	290
1995	250	0	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	254
1996	250	0	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	254
1997	232	1	0	7	4	n/a	n/a	244
1998	223	1	1	5	3	n/a	n/a	233
1999	247	2	0	6	3	n/a	n/a	258
2000	227	3	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	234
2001	233	3	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	240
2002	244	3	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	249
2003	244	3	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	249
2004	233	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	235
2005	233	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	235
2006	218	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	219
2007	227	3	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	231
2008	227	2	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	230
2009	229	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	229
2010	230	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	230
2011	237	0	0	3	1	0	4	245
2012	239	0	0	3	0	0	6	248
2013	241	0	0	3	2	0	4	250
2014	237	0	0	1	1	0	5	244
2015	238	0	0	1	2	0	6	247
2016	227	0	0	1	4	0	8	240
2017	223	0	0	2	3	0	5	233
2018	212	0	0	3	2	0	6	223
2019	203	0	0	2	2	0	9	216
2020	231	0	1	4	1	0	9	246
2021	215	0	0	5	1	0	6	227
2022	202	0	0	7	5	0	4	218
2023	196	3	0	6	6	0	7	218
2024	202	0	0	8	6	0	8	224

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 Willow River Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	280	14.4	19.4	26.8
1989	279	15.0	18.6	29
1990	282	15.3	18.4	24.5
1991	283	15.4	18.3	30
1992	287	16.1	17.8	23.3
1993	304	16.7	18.2	32.9
1994	290	19.5	14.9	34.1
1995	254	16.7	15.2	30.7
1996	254	16.7	15.2	30.7
1997	244	15.9	15.3	34
1998	233	n/a	0.0	36.9
1999	258	15.6	16.5	39.9
2000	234	18.5	12.6	53
2001	240	18.5	13.0	53.8
2002	249	19.5	12.8	54.2
2003	249	19.5	12.8	54.2
2004	235	18.8	12.5	48.5
2005	235	16.5	14.2	54
2006	219	17.5	12.5	55.7
2007	231	16.5	14.0	44.2
2008	230	16.1	14.3	47.8
2009	229	16.4	14.0	51.5
2010	230	17.2	13.3	46.5
2011	245	17.4	14.0	37.6
2012	248	16.5	14.9	41.1
2013	250	18.5	13.4	43.2
2014	244	18.6	13.0	41
2015	247	19.0	13.0	40.5
2016	240	19.0	12.6	36.7
2017	233	19.1	12.1	41.6
2018	223	18.8	11.8	39
2019	216	16.8	12.8	42.6
2020	246	17.0	14.4	42.3
2021	227	17.2	13.1	36.6
2022	218	17.6	12.3	35.3
2023	218	19.9	10.9	46.3
2024	224	19.1	11.7	44.2

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 Willow River Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	280	14.4	19.4	26.8
1989	279	15.0	18.6	29
1990	282	15.3	18.4	24.5
1991	283	15.4	18.3	30
1992	287	16.1	17.8	23.3
1993	304	16.7	18.2	32.9
1994	290	19.5	14.9	34.1
1995	254	16.7	15.2	30.7
1996	254	16.7	15.2	30.7
1997	244	15.9	15.3	34
1998	233	n/a	0.0	36.9
1999	258	15.6	16.5	39.9
2000	234	18.5	12.6	53
2001	240	18.5	13.0	53.8
2002	249	19.5	12.8	54.2
2003	249	19.5	12.8	54.2
2004	235	18.8	12.5	48.5
2005	235	16.5	14.2	54
2006	219	17.5	12.5	55.7
2007	231	16.5	14.0	44.2
2008	230	16.1	14.3	47.8
2009	229	16.4	14.0	51.5
2010	230	17.2	13.3	46.5
2011	245	17.4	14.0	37.6
2012	248	16.5	14.9	41.1
2013	250	18.5	13.4	43.2
2014	244	18.6	13.0	41
2015	247	19.0	13.0	40.5
2016	240	19.0	12.6	36.7
2017	233	19.1	12.1	41.6
2018	223	18.8	11.8	39
2019	216	16.8	12.8	42.6
2020	246	17.0	14.4	42.3
2021	227	17.2	13.1	36.6
2022	218	17.6	12.3	35.3
2023	218	19.9	10.9	46.3
2024	224	19.1	11.7	44.2

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 Willow River Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$12,165

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Willow River 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 188^th of 870 Elementary schools	Ranks 319^th of 845 Elementary schools	16.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Willow River Elementary)	80	79.4	0.6%
3rd Grade Math (Willow River Public School District)	80	79.4	0.6%
3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)	65.6	59.1	6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Willow River Elementary)	62.9	61.8	1.1%
3rd Grade Reading (Willow River Public School District)	62.9	61.8	1.1%
3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)	54.6	47.4	7.2%
4th Grade Math (Willow River Elementary)	80	59.4	20.6%
4th Grade Math (Willow River Public School District)	80	59.4	20.6%
4th Grade Math (Minnesota)	63.9	57.1	6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Willow River Elementary)	74.3	50	24.3%
4th Grade Reading (Willow River Public School District)	74.3	50	24.3%
4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	55.4	48.4	7.1%
5th Grade Math (Willow River Elementary)	66.7	33.3	33.3%
5th Grade Math (Willow River Public School District)	66.7	33.3	33.3%
5th Grade Math (Minnesota)	52	44.4	7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Willow River Elementary)	77.8	69.2	8.5%
5th Grade Reading (Willow River Public School District)	77.8	69.2	8.5%
5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	65.8	58.7	7%
5th Grade Science (Willow River Elementary)	75	59.3	15.7%
5th Grade Science (Willow River Public School District)	75	59.3	15.7%
5th Grade Science (Minnesota)	54.9	48.4	6.5%
6th Grade Math (Willow River Elementary)	30.8	29.4	1.4%
6th Grade Math (Willow River Public School District)	30.8	29.4	1.4%
6th Grade Math (Minnesota)	50.5	39.7	10.8%
6th Grade Reading (Willow River Elementary)	64	50	14%
6th Grade Reading (Willow River Public School District)	64	50	14%
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	216	218	0.9%
African American	0	3
American Indian	2	6	200%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	2	6	200%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	203	196	3.4%
Two or More Races	9	7	22.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	42.6%	46.3%	3.7%

Schools Near Willow River 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
Willow River Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	8142 Pine St	Willow River	55795	Pine County	Willow River Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 372-3131	224	19	11.7	44.2%	202 (90.2%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.6%)	54	441^st of 881 public elementary schools	49.9%		64	319^th of 845 public elementary schools	62.2%	122	68.8	54.6	40.5	24.1	47.3	43.8	54.6	43.2	46.4	46.9	59.5	59.5	$12,165
Moose Lake Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	4812 County Rd 10	Moose Lake	55767	Carlton County	Moose Lake Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 485-4834	304	25	12.2	44.1%	269 (88.5%)	4 (1.3%)	7 (2.3%)	3 (1.0%)	5 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (5.3%)	54	442^nd of 881 public elementary schools	49.8%		57.6	395^th of 845 public elementary schools	53.3%	47	48.8	39.0	42.9	40.8	42.9	44.2	41.5	57.1	57.1	50.0	65.7	65.7	$11,820
Finlayson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	2159 Hwy 18	Finlayson	55735	Pine County	Hinckley-Finlayson School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 233-7611	58	6	10.1	63.8%	53 (91.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (5.2%)	1 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.7%)	41.7	570^th of 881 public elementary schools	35.3%		49.8	488^th of 845 public elementary schools	42.2%	82	66.7		27.3	45.5	46.3	33.3		45.5	36.4	34.2	36.4	36.4	$12,831
East Central Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	61085 State Highway 23	Finlayson	55735	Pine County	East Central School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 245-6013	382	25	15.5	55.2%	304 (79.6%)	1 (0.3%)	10 (2.6%)	3 (0.8%)	39 (10.2%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.5%)	54.7	437^th of 881 public elementary schools	50.4%		56.4	408^th of 845 public elementary schools	51.7%	29	48.0	57.9	54.7	40.0	51.0	28.0	51.8	62.3	59.0	50.0	37.7	37.7	$12,261
East Central Early Childhood	Public	PK-K	61085 State Highway 23	Finlayson	55735	Pine County	East Central School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 245-6013	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Barnum Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	3813 E. North St.	Barnum	55707	Carlton County	Barnum Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 389-6976	337	28	11.8	41.5%	293 (86.9%)	1 (0.3%)	7 (2.1%)	4 (1.2%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.3%)	71.8	237^th of 881 public elementary schools	73.1%		67.3	276^th of 845 public elementary schools	67.3%	39	52.4	63.3	53.7	50.0	54.9	47.6	58.0	76.7	57.7	59.9	65.1	65.1	$11,858

Willow River Elementary

Willow River Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Willow River Public School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Willow River Elementary

Rank History for all students at Willow River Elementary

Rank History for Special Education students at Willow River Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Willow River Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Willow River Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Willow River Elementary

Rank History for White students at Willow River Elementary

Enrollment information for Willow River Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Willow River Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Willow River Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Willow River Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Willow River Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Willow River Elementary