Summary:
Prairie Creek Community School is the only school in the Prairie Creek Community School district, a K–5 elementary school with 180 students in Northfield, MN.
As its own single-school district, Prairie Creek Community School posts district and school results that are identical. It holds 4 stars and ranks 96 of 458 Minnesota districts, the 79th percentile. Proficiency is above the state in all three tested subjects. In 2025–2026, math was 53.3% versus 44.9% statewide, reading 60.7% versus 48.6%, and science 41.4% versus 25.5%. Reading is the most consistent strength across grades: 3rd grade was 63.3% versus 46.8%, 4th grade 56.7% versus 48.8%, and 5th grade 62.1% versus 54.5%. Math is above state overall but uneven — 3rd grade 66.7% versus 57.9% and 5th grade 43.3% versus 41.9%, while 4th grade fell below state at 50.0% versus 55.2%. Science is the largest relative advantage, though it narrowed from 63.33% versus 26.15% in 2024–2025 to 41.4% versus 25.5% in 2025–2026.
Two watch items stand out. First, scores slipped year over year: math fell 4.65 points, reading 7.12 points, and science 21.93 points. Second, school rank moved from 191 to 219 to 249, with percentile easing from 78 to 75 to 71, even as the school kept 4 stars and stayed above state. With 180 students across K–5, grade-level cohorts are small, so a few students changing proficiency status can move percentages by several points — important context for interpreting year-to-year swings. The school also reports a student-teacher ratio of 11.9 and a free/reduced lunch rate of 17.78%, which describe its environment but do not by themselves explain achievement.
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