J Nelson Kelly Elementary School

Summary:

J Nelson Kelly Elementary School is a public elementary school in Grand Forks, North Dakota, serving 476 students in grades PK-5. This school stands out as an exceptional educational institution within the Grand Forks 1 school district, which is ranked 6th out of 20 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

J Nelson Kelly Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in North Dakota, with a statewide ranking between 2nd and 5th place over the past several years. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school ranked 3rd out of 50 North Dakota elementary schools and received a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. This academic excellence is reflected in the school's test scores, which are significantly higher than the district and state averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 68% of students were proficient or better in NDSA Mathematics, compared to 43% for the Grand Forks 1 district and 41% for the state of North Dakota. However, the school has a relatively homogeneous student population, with a majority of white students (82.56% in 2022-2023), in contrast to some nearby schools like Wilder Elementary (54.24% white), Lake Agassiz Elementary (47.42% white), and Century Elementary (48.33% white).

J Nelson Kelly Elementary School also stands out for its low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, with only 14.08% in the 2022-2023 school year. This is significantly lower than some nearby schools, such as Wilder Elementary (62.15%), Lake Agassiz Elementary (63.38%), and Winship Elementary (66.52%), which have much higher percentages of economically disadvantaged students. Additionally, J Nelson Kelly Elementary has experienced a relatively low chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 3% to 12% over the past several years, lower than the rates observed at some nearby schools.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

3000 Cherry St
Grand Forks, ND 58201

(701) 746-2265

District: Grand Forks 1

SchoolDigger Rank:
3^rd of 50 North Dakota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,918

Students who attend J Nelson Kelly Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Schroeder Middle School
High:	Red River High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.5

Number of students: 476

Racial breakdown:

White:

82.6%

Two or more races:

8.6%

Hispanic:

3.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 14.1%

See top rated North Dakota elementary schools

Compare J Nelson Kelly Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details J Nelson Kelly Elementary School ranks better than 94% of elementary schools in North Dakota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 97.62. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (82.6%), two or more races (8.6%), Hispanic (3.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 14.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at J Nelson Kelly Elementary School is 13.5, which is the highest among 11 elementary schools in the Grand Forks 1 School District! (See more...)

Compare J Nelson Kelly Elementary School employs 35.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at J Nelson Kelly Elementary School is $12,918, which is the lowest among 11 elementary schools in the Grand Forks 1 School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

J Nelson Kelly Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Grand Forks 1:

SchoolDigger ranks Grand Forks 1 6^th of 20 North Dakota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for J Nelson Kelly Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at J Nelson Kelly Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ND State Percentile
2012	63.03	71^st	195	63.6%
2013	76.88	25^th	217	88.5%
2014	79.28	15^th	217	93.1%
2015	89.52	3^rd	194	98.5%
2016	82.03	14^th	207	93.2%
2017	88.35	13^th	202	93.6%
2018	98.40	1^st	46	97.8%
2019	94.22	2^nd	42	95.2%
2021	85.66	5^th	39	87.2%
2022	97.09	2^nd	47	95.7%
2023	97.36	2^nd	48	95.8%
2024	97.62	3^rd	50	94.0%

See the entire list of North Dakota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for White students at J Nelson Kelly Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ND State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	96.52	2^nd	23	91.3%

See the entire list of Best North Dakota Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, 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: North Dakota Department of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for J Nelson Kelly Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	628	1	6	4	22	n/a	n/a	27	688
1989	631	5	5	3	53	n/a	n/a	39	736
1990	583	4	4	1	17	n/a	n/a	0	609
1991	597	2	9	4	25	n/a	n/a	0	637
1992	599	9	5	10	27	n/a	n/a	0	650
1993	593	9	8	5	33	n/a	n/a	0	648
1994	588	4	12	4	27	n/a	n/a	0	635
1995	592	4	14	4	18	n/a	n/a	0	632
1996	592	4	14	4	18	n/a	n/a	0	632
1997	610	5	9	7	18	n/a	n/a	0	649
1998	594	7	7	7	9	n/a	n/a	0	624
1999	527	7	7	8	9	n/a	n/a	0	558
2000	434	4	5	8	9	n/a	n/a	0	460
2001	467	12	7	7	9	n/a	n/a	0	502
2002	405	4	0	7	6	n/a	n/a	0	422
2003	405	4	0	7	6	n/a	n/a	0	422
2004	435	2	2	2	15	n/a	n/a	0	456
2005	438	5	8	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	456
2006	430	4	4	4	11	n/a	n/a	0	453
2007	433	4	7	7	11	n/a	n/a	0	462
2008	443	7	8	11	14	n/a	n/a	0	483
2009	427	10	5	12	14	n/a	n/a	0	468
2010	443	7	2	10	12	n/a	n/a	0	474
2011	446	10	4	0	14	0	7	0	481
2012	456	13	6	7	16	0	0	0	498
2013	469	16	6	4	19	0	0	0	514
2014	469	12	9	6	19	0	3	0	518
2015	456	18	10	5	19	0	1	0	509
2016	375	16	10	9	20	0	1	0	431
2017	384	14	7	6	15	1	1	0	428
2018	394	14	8	9	8	0	3	0	436
2019	406	14	4	16	10	1	25	0	476
2020	404	12	3	18	11	0	31	0	479
2021	391	9	6	19	7	1	34	0	467
2022	413	8	7	15	2	0	36	0	481
2023	393	14	9	18	1	0	41	0	476

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 J Nelson Kelly Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	688	29.0	23.7	n/a
1989	736	30.5	24.1	n/a
1990	609	26.6	22.8	n/a
1991	637	25.0	25.4	n/a
1992	650	27.0	24.0	9.1
1993	648	34.0	19.1	10.3
1994	635	32.5	19.5	10.1
1995	632	26.5	23.8	10.1
1996	632	26.5	23.8	10.1
1997	649	26.5	24.5	9.6
1998	624	33.3	18.7	9.8
1999	558	35.8	15.6	7.9
2000	460	32.4	14.2	19.1
2001	502	30.8	16.3	12.7
2002	422	29.7	14.2	15.6
2003	422	29.7	14.2	15.6
2004	456	29.0	15.7	14.5
2005	456	30.7	14.9	16.2
2006	453	32.9	13.8	14.3
2007	462	32.4	14.3	16.5
2008	483	32.4	14.9	19
2009	468	33.9	13.8	19
2010	474	33.9	13.9	18.8
2011	481	33.6	14.3	21.2
2012	498	32.1	15.5	17.9
2013	514	34.5	14.8	15.6
2014	518	34.7	14.9	15.4
2015	509	35.0	14.5	15.9
2016	431	32.0	13.4	17.6
2017	428	32.5	13.1	16.4
2018	436	31.5	13.8	14.9
2019	476	33.5	14.2	16.2
2020	479	34.5	13.8	14.4
2021	467	34.5	13.5	11.3
2022	481	35.5	13.5	6.4
2023	476	35.2	13.5	14.1

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 J Nelson Kelly Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	688	29.0	23.7	n/a
1989	736	30.5	24.1	n/a
1990	609	26.6	22.8	n/a
1991	637	25.0	25.4	n/a
1992	650	27.0	24.0	9.1
1993	648	34.0	19.1	10.3
1994	635	32.5	19.5	10.1
1995	632	26.5	23.8	10.1
1996	632	26.5	23.8	10.1
1997	649	26.5	24.5	9.6
1998	624	33.3	18.7	9.8
1999	558	35.8	15.6	7.9
2000	460	32.4	14.2	19.1
2001	502	30.8	16.3	12.7
2002	422	29.7	14.2	15.6
2003	422	29.7	14.2	15.6
2004	456	29.0	15.7	14.5
2005	456	30.7	14.9	16.2
2006	453	32.9	13.8	14.3
2007	462	32.4	14.3	16.5
2008	483	32.4	14.9	19
2009	468	33.9	13.8	19
2010	474	33.9	13.9	18.8
2011	481	33.6	14.3	21.2
2012	498	32.1	15.5	17.9
2013	514	34.5	14.8	15.6
2014	518	34.7	14.9	15.4
2015	509	35.0	14.5	15.9
2016	431	32.0	13.4	17.6
2017	428	32.5	13.1	16.4
2018	436	31.5	13.8	14.9
2019	476	33.5	14.2	16.2
2020	479	34.5	13.8	14.4
2021	467	34.5	13.5	11.3
2022	481	35.5	13.5	6.4
2023	476	35.2	13.5	14.1

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 J Nelson Kelly Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$209 (2.0%)	$10,318 (98.0%)	$10,526
2020	$604 (5.4%)	$10,509 (94.6%)	$11,113
2021	$601 (4.9%)	$11,777 (95.1%)	$12,378
2022	$1,414 (10.9%)	$11,504 (89.1%)	$12,918

Data source: North Dakota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on J Nelson Kelly Elementary School

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 2^nd of 42 Elementary schools	Ranks 2^nd of 48 Elementary schools	0.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades Mathematics (J Nelson Kelly Elementary School)	68	67	1%
All Grades Mathematics (Grand Forks 1)	46	40	6%
All Grades Mathematics (North Dakota)	45	39	6%
All Grades Reading (J Nelson Kelly Elementary School)	63	63
All Grades Reading (Grand Forks 1)	49	48	1%
All Grades Reading (North Dakota)	47	44	3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	476	476
African American	14	14
American Indian	10	1	90%
Asian	4	9	125%
Hispanic	16	18	12.5%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	406	393	3.2%
Two or More Races	25	41	64%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	16.2%	14.1%	2.1%

Schools Near J Nelson Kelly Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				NDSA Mathematics (2024)	NDSA Reading (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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	NDSA Mathematics All Grades	NDSA Reading All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
J Nelson Kelly Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3000 Cherry St	Grand Forks	58201	Grand Forks County	Grand Forks 1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(701) 746-2265	476	35	13.5	14.1%	393 (82.6%)	14 (2.9%)	18 (3.8%)	9 (1.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (8.6%)	97.6	3^rd of 50 public elementary schools	94.0%		97.4	2^nd of 48 public elementary schools	95.8%	1	68.0	71.0	$12,918	$1,414	$11,504
Viking Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	809 22nd Ave S	Grand Forks	58201	Grand Forks County	Grand Forks 1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(701) 746-2300	320	26	12.1	40.0%	216 (67.5%)	14 (4.4%)	34 (10.6%)	12 (3.8%)	8 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (11.3%)								(n/a)			$13,837	$2,105	$11,732
Lewis And Clark Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1100 13th Ave S	Grand Forks	58201	Grand Forks County	Grand Forks 1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(701) 746-2285	168	16	10.7	38.7%	124 (73.8%)	2 (1.2%)	20 (11.9%)	2 (1.2%)	3 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (10.1%)								(n/a)			$17,713	$2,503	$15,211
Ben Franklin Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1016 S 20th St	Grand Forks	58201	Grand Forks County	Grand Forks 1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(701) 746-2250	328	29	11.2	32.0%	246 (75.0%)	13 (4.0%)	22 (6.7%)	7 (2.1%)	8 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (9.8%)								(n/a)			$14,956	$1,975	$12,981
Phoenix Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	351 4th Ave S	Grand Forks	58201	Grand Forks County	Grand Forks 1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(701) 746-2240	260	21	12.5	45.4%	176 (67.7%)	16 (6.2%)	25 (9.6%)	2 (0.8%)	17 (6.5%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (9.2%)								(n/a)			$18,714	$2,829	$15,884
Discovery Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3300 43rd Ave S	Grand Forks	58201	Grand Forks County	Grand Forks 1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(701) 787-4359	557	43	12.8	12.7%	417 (74.9%)	42 (7.5%)	25 (4.5%)	26 (4.7%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (7.9%)	93	5^th of 50 public elementary schools	90.0%		85.4	6^th of 48 public elementary schools	87.5%	1	65.0	62.0	$13,207	$1,409	$11,798
Century Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3351 17th Ave S	Grand Forks	58201	Grand Forks County	Grand Forks 1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(701) 746-2440	420	34	12.3	50.5%	203 (48.3%)	63 (15.0%)	48 (11.4%)	23 (5.5%)	23 (5.5%)	1 (0.2%)	59 (14.0%)								(n/a)			$15,230	$1,871	$13,359
Winship Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1412 5th Ave N	Grand Forks	58203	Grand Forks County	Grand Forks 1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(701) 746-2325	227	24	9.5	66.5%	103 (45.4%)	32 (14.1%)	28 (12.3%)	31 (13.7%)	12 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (9.3%)								(n/a)			$15,333	$2,359	$12,974
Wilder Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1009 N 3rd St	Grand Forks	58203	Grand Forks County	Grand Forks 1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(701) 746-2320	177	20	9.0	62.1%	96 (54.2%)	8 (4.5%)	39 (22.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (9.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (10.2%)								(n/a)			$16,065	$2,254	$13,810
Lake Agassiz Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	605 Stanford Rd	Grand Forks	58203	Grand Forks County	Grand Forks 1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(701) 746-2275	426	37	11.5	63.4%	202 (47.4%)	57 (13.4%)	67 (15.7%)	10 (2.3%)	34 (8.0%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (13.1%)								(n/a)			$15,343	$2,535	$12,808

Frequently Asked Questions about J Nelson Kelly Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of J Nelson Kelly Elementary School?

Students at J Nelson Kelly Elementary School are 83% White, 9% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 3% African American, 2% Asian.

What district is J Nelson Kelly Elementary School in?

Grand Forks 1

Is J Nelson Kelly Elementary School a good school?

Yes. J Nelson Kelly Elementary School ranks in the top 6.0% of North Dakota elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of J Nelson Kelly Elementary School attend?

Students who attend J Nelson Kelly Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Schroeder Middle School
High : Red River High School

How many students attend J Nelson Kelly Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 476 students attended J Nelson Kelly Elementary School.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.