Dowling Elementary

Public K-5

 3900 W River Pkwy
       Minneapolis, MN  55406-8888


(612) 668-4410

District: Minneapolis Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
289th of 843 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,719 Help


Students who attend Dowling Elementary usually attend:

High:    South High

Student/teacher ratio:  15.6 Help
Number of students:  297

Racial breakdown:

White:
55.6%
African American:
22.6%
Two or more races:
8.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  38.7% Help


 See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

 Compare Dowling Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Dowling Elementary ranks better than 65.7% of elementary schools in Minnesota. It also ranks 7th among 29 ranked elementary schools in the Minneapolis Public School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 66.35. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (55.6%), African American (22.6%), two or more races (8.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 38.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dowling Elementary is 15.6. 21 elementary schools in the Minneapolis Public School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Dowling Elementary employs 19 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dowling Elementary is $15,719, which is the 17th highest among 29 elementary schools in the Minneapolis Public School District.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Dowling Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Dowling Elementary 289th of 843 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Dowling Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
White students:


Minneapolis Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Minneapolis Public School District 312th of 448 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Dowling Elementary.

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Rank History for Dowling Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Dowling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 40.74 489th 674 27.4%
2004 37.16 512th 676 24.3%
2005 37.40 522nd 685 23.8%
2006 51.62 445th 756 41.1%
2007 47.17 515th 777 33.7%
2008 52.10 457th 781 41.5%
2009 47.85 277th 434 36.2%
2010 57.72 419th 803 47.8%
2011 65.29 304th 814 62.7%
2012 65.90 304th 820 62.9%
2013 65.02 316th 824 61.7%
2014 65.52 314th 826 62.0%
2015 58.04 420th 840 50.0%
2016 62.09 366th 848 56.8%
2017 57.25 425th 853 50.2%
2018 60.11 381st 847 55.0%
2019 59.61 413th 870 52.5%
2021 54.18 456th 869 47.5%
2022 71.26 249th 858 71.0%
2023 66.35 290th 845 65.7%
See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Dowling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 68.43 29th 96 69.8%
2021 36.02 32nd 45 28.9%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Dowling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.91 38th 242 84.3%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Dowling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 33.76 367th 515 28.7%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Dowling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.94 344th 728 52.7%
2019 52.13 373rd 740 49.6%
2021 34.76 484th 683 29.1%
2022 67.80 176th 663 73.5%
2023 62.51 273rd 774 64.7%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Dowling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.55 377th 774 51.3%
2019 65.27 293rd 787 62.8%
2021 47.29 484th 783 38.2%
2022 74.79 175th 799 78.1%
2023 62.92 313th 787 60.2%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Dowling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.69 368th 779 52.8%
2019 52.58 446th 798 44.1%
2021 56.46 375th 784 52.2%
2022 62.31 313th 808 61.3%
2023 65.28 281st 799 64.8%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Dowling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.26 101st 266 62.0%
2019 65.80 81st 283 71.4%
2021 56.23 86th 227 62.1%
2022 73.07 61st 282 78.4%
2023 68.78 69th 279 75.3%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Dowling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.48 106th 712 85.1%
2019 76.26 121st 722 83.2%
2021 63.72 223rd 710 68.6%
2022 76.72 120th 725 83.4%
2023 67.11 195th 712 72.6%
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.

Dowling Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.4)
60%

0%

0%

0%

40%

  

by a parent
Friday, March 9, 2018

Open Quote My twins are in Kindergarten, and the environment is amazing. They have learned so much in short time. One of my kids is in level J of reading (He reads chapter books), and the other one is in level E. They love math thanks to the system that their teacher uses. They are very organized at school and now at home. I could not be happier.

Thanks,

Marlyse Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, March 27, 2017

Open Quote My son is just about to wrap up 5th grade at Dowling, and so far there has been nothing but problems. As the other commenter wrote, the atmosphere at Dowling is anything but progressive and inclusive. The staff seem mostly concerned with creating an atmosphere of absolute obedience, which I suppose is fine if your trying to turn out soldiers, but not so great when trying to produce intelligent, curious young minds. Bullying is also a problem at Dowling, and as many times as my son has brought to the attention of the staff, it still has not been dealt with. Avoid this school at all cost. Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, December 15, 2014

Open Quote Avoid. Not what it seems. Very old school teaching-non progressive. NOT ENVIRONMENTAL!!!!!!!!!! It was at one point, but that aspect has flown. Active parents are headed to Upper Mississippi Academy (public school/ charter) which is really trying to match environmental values for families. Depressing tours-you really don't get a feel for details. lacking in any understanding of the what the coursework is. Unclear. Our leader actually told the group that she just saves up the recycling and throws it at home! Teachers routinely yell at students and don't do much in the way of creating real community-no Responsive Classroom. Morgue-like atmoshere. Scary if you want something more from public education. Principal mis-threaded for the job as is vice principal. They should be in business. Not able to speak intelligently about academics. It sure had the feel of boot camp education. factory farming. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Dowling Elementary

Help
Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1994 207 112 19 17 54 n/a n/a 0 409
1995 211 106 28 21 49 n/a n/a 0 415
1996 211 106 28 21 49 n/a n/a 0 415
1997 218 108 24 22 46 n/a n/a 0 418
1998 199 97 25 21 51 n/a n/a 0 393
1999 202 102 28 23 50 n/a n/a 0 405
2000 199 88 27 20 42 n/a n/a 0 376
2001 199 123 18 18 37 n/a n/a 0 395
2002 221 114 13 13 29 n/a n/a 0 390
2003 221 114 13 13 29 n/a n/a 0 390
2004 234 121 18 16 29 n/a n/a 0 418
2005 230 141 15 21 27 n/a n/a 0 434
2006 247 152 17 31 21 n/a n/a 0 468
2007 242 153 22 30 24 n/a n/a 0 471
2008 264 158 24 26 28 n/a n/a 0 500
2009 283 125 28 27 25 n/a n/a 0 488
2010 296 118 24 28 19 n/a n/a 0 485
2011 299 108 28 32 15 0 4 0 486
2012 323 91 22 28 13 0 13 0 490
2013 312 115 20 22 13 0 21 0 503
2014 300 126 20 29 15 0 25 0 515
2015 279 154 17 27 14 0 31 0 522
2016 262 155 10 27 7 0 42 0 503
2017 243 169 7 27 9 0 45 0 500
2018 225 182 8 33 4 0 47 0 499
2019 234 161 3 28 6 0 45 0 477
2020 222 169 7 25 7 0 55 0 485
2021 221 154 7 24 7 0 49 0 462
2022 134 66 7 22 9 0 26 0 264
2023 165 67 5 23 13 0 24 0 297

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 Dowling Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1994 409 39.4 10.4 34
1995 415 0.0 0.0 34.5
1996 415 0.0 0.0 34.5
1997 418 31.8 13.1 35.9
1998 393 n/a 0.0 32.8
1999 405 34.2 11.8 34.1
2000 376 31.3 12.0 37.8
2001 395 32.8 12.0 41.5
2002 390 29.8 13.1 38.5
2003 390 29.8 13.1 38.5
2004 418 30.4 13.8 39.7
2005 434 29.8 14.6 42.9
2006 468 23.7 19.7 42.3
2007 471 24.8 19.0 39.3
2008 500 22.0 22.7 40.4
2009 488 32.4 15.1 34.2
2010 485 29.6 16.3 34.8
2011 486 30.8 15.7 35.6
2012 490 31.0 15.7 33.3
2013 503 32.4 15.5 38.8
2014 515 32.8 15.6 42.1
2015 522 34.0 15.3 49.8
2016 503 35.0 14.3 48.5
2017 500 36.6 13.6 48
2018 499 34.6 14.3 54.1
2019 477 33.0 14.4 44.9
2020 485 31.3 15.4 42.9
2021 462 31.3 14.7 36.6
2022 264 22.4 11.7 34.8
2023 297 19.0 15.6 38.7

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 Dowling Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1994 409 39.4 10.4 34
1995 415 0.0 0.0 34.5
1996 415 0.0 0.0 34.5
1997 418 31.8 13.1 35.9
1998 393 n/a 0.0 32.8
1999 405 34.2 11.8 34.1
2000 376 31.3 12.0 37.8
2001 395 32.8 12.0 41.5
2002 390 29.8 13.1 38.5
2003 390 29.8 13.1 38.5
2004 418 30.4 13.8 39.7
2005 434 29.8 14.6 42.9
2006 468 23.7 19.7 42.3
2007 471 24.8 19.0 39.3
2008 500 22.0 22.7 40.4
2009 488 32.4 15.1 34.2
2010 485 29.6 16.3 34.8
2011 486 30.8 15.7 35.6
2012 490 31.0 15.7 33.3
2013 503 32.4 15.5 38.8
2014 515 32.8 15.6 42.1
2015 522 34.0 15.3 49.8
2016 503 35.0 14.3 48.5
2017 500 36.6 13.6 48
2018 499 34.6 14.3 54.1
2019 477 33.0 14.4 44.9
2020 485 31.3 15.4 42.9
2021 462 31.3 14.7 36.6
2022 264 22.4 11.7 34.8
2023 297 19.0 15.6 38.7

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 Dowling Elementary

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $15,719

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Dowling 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 413th of 870 Elementary schoolsRanks 290th of 845 Elementary schools
 13.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Dowling Elementary)67.570.9
 3.4%
   3rd Grade Math (Minneapolis Public School District)51.846.4
 5.4%
   3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)65.659.1
 6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Dowling Elementary)56.370.9
 14.7%
   3rd Grade Reading (Minneapolis Public School District)45.942.2
 3.7%
   3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)54.647.4
 7.2%
4th Grade Math (Dowling Elementary)67.550
 17.5%
   4th Grade Math (Minneapolis Public School District)48.243.9
 4.3%
   4th Grade Math (Minnesota)63.957.1
 6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Dowling Elementary)59.760
 0.3%
   4th Grade Reading (Minneapolis Public School District)4442.4
 1.6%
   4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)55.448.4
 7.1%
5th Grade Math (Dowling Elementary)44.430.8
 13.7%
   5th Grade Math (Minneapolis Public School District)40.328
 12.3%
   5th Grade Math (Minnesota)5244.4
 7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Dowling Elementary)67.162.3
 4.8%
   5th Grade Reading (Minneapolis Public School District)53.444.9
 8.4%
   5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)65.858.7
 7%
5th Grade Science (Dowling Elementary)61.753.9
 7.9%
   5th Grade Science (Minneapolis Public School District)40.836.1
 4.8%
   5th Grade Science (Minnesota)54.948.4
 6.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students477297
 37.7%
African American16167
 58.4%
American Indian613
 116.7%
Asian35
 66.7%
Hispanic2823
 17.9%
Pacific Islander00
White234165
 29.5%
Two or More Races4524
 46.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients44.9%38.7%
 6.1%


Schools Near Dowling Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Dowling Elementary

Students who attend Dowling Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : South High

Students at Dowling Elementary are 56% White, 23% African American, 8% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic, 4% American Indian, 2% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 297 students attended Dowling Elementary.

Dowling Elementary ranks 289th of 843 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


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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. School Attendance Areas provided by ATTOM.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that school and district boundary data 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.





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