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Riverside Elementary

Q: Is Riverside Elementary a good school?

Riverside Elementary ranks 525 th of 872 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-4

525^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 872 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Better than 40% of Minnesota elementary schools

Summary

Riverside Elementary is a public elementary school located in Brainerd, Minnesota, serving grades PK-4 with a total enrollment of 461 students. The school is part of the Brainerd Public School District, which is ranked 203 out of 446 districts in the state.

Riverside Elementary's academic performance, as measured by the MCA-III tests, is generally below the district and state averages in both math and reading proficiency across all grades. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, the school's math proficiency for all grades was 47.9%, compared to the district's 45.64% and the state's 45.21%. Similarly, its reading proficiency for all grades was 43.11%, compared to the district's 51.48% and the state's 49.59%. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Minnesota elementary schools, with a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger in recent years.

Riverside Elementary has a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic status backgrounds, with around 60-65% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch in recent years. This is significantly higher than the nearby Nisswa Elementary (29.8%) and Baxter Elementary (34.64%). However, the school has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 10.3 to 11.1 students per teacher in recent years, which is lower than the nearby schools.

407

Students ?

10.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,397

Per pupil spending ?

57.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

220 3rd St NW
Brainerd, MN 56401-3225

(218) 454-6800

District: Brainerd Public School District

Students who attend Riverside Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Forestview Middle
High:	Brainerd Senior High

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.5%

Two or more races:

8.1%

Hispanic:

3.7%

See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

Compare Riverside Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 36th percentile in 2015 → 40th in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Near the bottom of Brainerd Public School District's ranking

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school46%

District avg49%

Minnesota avg47%

525^th of 872

Minnesota public elementary schools ?

Bottom 40%▲ up 3 pts since 2015

From bottom 36% (2015) to bottom 40% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Minnesota Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 6Elementary Schools in the Brainerd Public School District

203^rd of 446Brainerd Public School District among Minnesota districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2025	44.4	525 of 872	39.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.2	573 of 881	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.9	552 of 845	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	40.9	580 of 858	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	57.9	407 of 869	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	63.2	362 of 870	58.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	59.6	388 of 847	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2017	64.6	333 of 853	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2016	59.8	394 of 848	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2015	48.0	534 of 840	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2014	61.7	360 of 826	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2013	74.3	182 of 824	77.9%	★★★★☆
2012	61.1	381 of 820	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2011	66.0	292 of 814	64.1%	★★★☆☆
2010	51.9	502 of 803	37.5%	★★☆☆☆
2009	81.9	42 of 434	90.3%	★★★★★
2008	91.1	4 of 781	99.5%	★★★★★
2007	92.9	2 of 777	99.7%	★★★★★
2006	88.9	16 of 756	97.9%	★★★★★
2005	92.0	1 of 685	99.9%	★★★★★
2004	86.3	29 of 676	95.7%	★★★★★
2003	86.9	25 of 674	96.3%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2025	42.3	509 of 799	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	35.8	566 of 809	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	41.2	521 of 787	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.0	525 of 799	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	55.6	390 of 783	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	60.2	357 of 787	54.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	55.6	406 of 774	47.5%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2025	57.2	308 of 764	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	50.3	412 of 793	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	61.5	286 of 774	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	63.4	213 of 663	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	58.9	275 of 683	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	71.2	163 of 740	78.0%	★★★★☆
2018	67.4	207 of 728	71.6%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2025	44.8	504 of 812	37.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	44.3	508 of 826	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.0	525 of 799	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	36.7	582 of 808	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	55.8	384 of 784	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	62.4	337 of 798	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	61.2	339 of 779	56.5%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2025	32.4	399 of 562	29.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	39.4	360 of 572	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	44.6	294 of 524	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	37.6	333 of 500	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	54.8	173 of 417	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	62.5	183 of 515	64.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	54.8	214 of 463	53.8%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2025	18.8	643 of 714	9.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	17.5	672 of 730	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	19.0	643 of 712	9.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	19.2	656 of 725	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	38.5	493 of 710	30.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	40.4	497 of 722	31.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	36.5	520 of 712	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)60th percentile+20 vs school

Male (2025)38th percentile~ school

Female (2025)36th percentile-3 vs school

Special Education (2025)29th percentile-11 vs school

White (2025)10th percentile-30 vs school

By subject vs Minnesota (2024-2025) ?

Math48%+3 vs state

Reading43%-6 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Sunday, April 12, 2009

My kids went to Riverside before the failed referendum made us switch to Baxter. Baxter can't hold a candle to Riverside. My kids used to love school, now they hate it. Close Quote

Schools Near Riverside Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				MCA-III Math (2025)					MCA-III Reading (2025)					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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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	Total
Riverside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	220 3rd St NW	Brainerd	56401	Crow Wing County	Brainerd Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 454-6800	407	40	10.2	57.5%	344 (84.5%)	4 (1.0%)	15 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.5%)	1 (0.2%)	33 (8.1%)	44.4	525^th of 872 public elementary schools	39.8%		41.2	573^rd of 881 public elementary schools	35.0%	48	44.8	52.1			47.9	41.7	45.1			43.1	$15,397
Discovery Woods	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	604 N 7th St	Brainerd	56401	Crow Wing County	Discovery Woods	Yes	No	No	Yes	(218) 828-8200	101	11	8.9	64.4%	77 (76.2%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (17.8%)	29	658^th of 872 public elementary schools	24.5%		29.4	658^th of 881 public elementary schools	25.3%		35.3		9.1	9.1	25.0	35.3		45.5	63.6	41.7	$9,692
Harrison Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	1515 Oak St	Brainerd	56401	Crow Wing County	Brainerd Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 454-6500	230	19	12.1	59.1%	200 (87.0%)	2 (0.9%)	7 (3.0%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.9%)	1 (0.4%)	17 (7.4%)	45.3	518^th of 872 public elementary schools	40.6%		32.3	638^th of 881 public elementary schools	27.6%	120	68.2	41.3			54.4	52.3	19.6			35.6	$14,382
Lowell Elementary	Public	K-4	704 3rd Ave NE	Brainerd	56401	Crow Wing County	Brainerd Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 454-6550	355	26	13.9	39.7%	314 (88.5%)	1 (0.3%)	12 (3.4%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (6.5%)	84.4	100^th of 872 public elementary schools	88.5%		88	62^nd of 881 public elementary schools	93.0%	38	74.7	71.6			73.2	59.5	67.6			63.4	$11,809
Garfield Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	1120 10th Ave NE	Brainerd	56401	Crow Wing County	Brainerd Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 454-6450	250	21	12.1	52.4%	203 (81.2%)	2 (0.8%)	8 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (10.0%)	26.9	674^th of 872 public elementary schools	22.7%		52.2	468^th of 881 public elementary schools	46.9%	206	24.2	42.6			32.5	18.5	51.9			33.6	$12,674
Baxter Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	12191 Jasperwood Drive	Baxter	56425	Crow Wing County	Brainerd Public School District	No	No	No	No	(218) 454-6400	506	34	14.9	31.8%	462 (91.3%)	9 (1.8%)	11 (2.2%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	19 (3.8%)	68.8	282^nd of 872 public elementary schools	67.7%		73.8	220^th of 881 public elementary schools	75.0%	62	64.3	59.1			61.8	53.6	54.3			53.9	$11,504
Nisswa Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	5533 Lakers Lane	Nisswa	56468	Crow Wing County	Brainerd Public School District	No	No	No	No	(218) 961-6860	249	18	13.8	27.3%	233 (93.6%)	1 (0.4%)	4 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.6%)	75.4	203^rd of 872 public elementary schools	76.7%		79.7	147^th of 881 public elementary schools	83.3%	56	64.3	83.0			72.8	46.4	66.0			55.3	$12,324
Pillager Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	323 E 2nd St S	Pillager	56473	Cass County	Pillager Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 746-2110	521	40	12.9	41.5%	488 (93.7%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.6%)	65.8	315^th of 872 public elementary schools	63.9%		63.6	329^th of 881 public elementary schools	62.7%	14	57.1	66.7			61.7	46.7	57.3			51.7	$11,169
Cuyuna Range Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	509 6th Ave NE	Crosby	56441	Crow Wing County	Crosby-Ironton Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 545-8803	533	40	13.4	47.7%	492 (92.3%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.5%)	46.5	506^th of 872 public elementary schools	42.0%		58.1	403^rd of 881 public elementary schools	54.3%	103	53.4	35.4	42.7	41.8	43.5	32.9	43.9	53.7	47.5	44.9	$12,452
Eagle View Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	6539 County Rd 11	Breezy Point	56472	Crow Wing County	Pequot Lakes Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 562-6100	557	44	12.5	36.6%	530 (95.2%)	2 (0.4%)	13 (2.3%)	3 (0.5%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.1%)	80.2	147^th of 872 public elementary schools	83.1%		81.8	124^th of 881 public elementary schools	85.9%	23	68.1	73.6			70.9	54.0	66.7			60.3	$10,458

Frequently Asked Questions about Riverside Elementary

What district is Riverside Elementary in?

Brainerd Public School District

What is the racial makeup of Riverside Elementary?

Students at Riverside Elementary are 85% White, 8% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 2% American Indian.

What schools do graduates of Riverside Elementary attend?

Students who attend Riverside Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Forestview Middle
High : Brainerd Senior High

Is Riverside Elementary a good school?

Riverside Elementary ranks 525^th of 872 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Riverside Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 407 students attended Riverside Elementary.

Rate Riverside Elementary!

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Schools in Brainerd, MN

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Minnesota Department of Education.

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.