Summary:
The 55342 zip code area is home to two schools - Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart Secondary and Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart Elementary, both part of the Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart school district. While the elementary school is a standout performer, ranking 48th out of 881 Minnesota elementary schools, the secondary school has struggled, ranking 350th out of 480 high schools in the state.
The elementary school boasts significantly higher proficiency rates in Math, Reading, and Science compared to the secondary school and state averages. For instance, in 2023-2024, 78.13% of elementary students were proficient in Math, compared to just 19.57% of secondary students and the state average of 45.47%. However, the secondary school's test scores are consistently below state averages, with particularly low proficiency rates in 11th grade Math at 6.45% versus the state average of 34.99%.
Both schools face socioeconomic challenges, with a high proportion of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch - 60.7% at the elementary school and 48.31% at the secondary school. While the secondary school maintains a relatively high 4-year graduation rate of 94.5%, it also has a concerning dropout rate of 5.4%. Addressing the disparities between the two schools and the socioeconomic factors impacting the student population could be crucial in improving the overall educational outcomes for the community.
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