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West Central Area North Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-4

55^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 869 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Better than 94% of Minnesota elementary schools

Summary

West Central Area North Elementary is a PK–4 school in Elbow Lake, a small city in rural west-central Minnesota, serving 144 students as part of the West Central Area district. Its 2025–2026 SchoolDigger rank is 55th of 869 elementary schools, placing it in the 94th percentile with 5 stars—roughly the top 6% of Minnesota elementary schools. That is the school’s highest recent rank, up from 185th in 2024–2025. Math is a consistent strength: all-grade math proficiency is 76.8%, about 32 points above the state. Reading has surged to 67.9%, up more than 15 points from the prior year and nearly 20 points above the state.

Among nearby schools, West Central Area North Elementary has the highest current rank. West Central Area South Elementary is next at 118th, followed by Ashby Elementary at 174th and Evansville Elementary at 202nd. The school’s all-grade math proficiency is the highest among nearby schools with reported MCA data: 76.8%, compared with 69.2% at West Central Area South Elementary, 67.7% at Ashby Elementary, 66.4% at Evansville Elementary, and 61.9% at Herman-Norcross Elementary. Reading is essentially tied with West Central Area South Elementary—68.4% there versus 67.9% at West Central Area North Elementary. The school also has a favorable student/teacher ratio of 9.6 and serves a higher free/reduced lunch population than Evansville Elementary and Ashby Elementary, yet posts stronger overall math and reading results.

Subgroup results are a major differentiator. In 2024–2025, low socioeconomic status students ranked 7th of 764 schools—99th percentile with 5 stars—and the prior two years were also in the 93rd–94th percentile with 5 stars. Female students ranked in the 96th percentile in 2025–2026, male students in the 85th percentile, and special education students in the 70th percentile in the most recent available year. The school’s free/reduced lunch rate has declined from 48.04% to 40.97% over two years, while its student/teacher ratio remains favorable at 9.6. One caveat: with 144 students in PK–4, grade-level percentages can swing noticeably from one small cohort to another. Overall, West Central Area North Elementary stands out as a high-performing, equity-focused school with consistently strong math, sharply improved reading, and exceptional results for low-income students.

144

Students ?

9.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,651

Per pupil spending ?

41.0%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in Minnesota receive free school meals.

81.8%

Kindergartners vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) (2025-26)

Exemptions: 15.2% (MMR)

411 1st St SE
Elbow Lake, MN 56531-4505

(218) 685-7500

District: West Central Area

Students who attend West Central Area North Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	WCA Middle School
High:	West Central Area Secondary

Racial breakdown:

White:

86.1%

Two or more races:

6.3%

Hispanic:

4.9%

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At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 79th percentile in 2016 → 94th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Minnesota average (72% vs 47% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 6% of Minnesota elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 15 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school72%

District avg52%

Minnesota avg47%

55^th of 869

Minnesota public elementary schools ?

Top 6%▲ up 15 pts since 2016

From top 21% (2016) to top 6% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Minnesota Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 2Elementary Schools in the West Central Area

68^th of 458West Central Area 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
2026	88.7	55 of 869	93.7%	★★★★★
2025	76.5	185 of 872	78.8%	★★★★☆
2024	74.6	208 of 881	76.4%	★★★★☆
2023	80.3	135 of 845	84.0%	★★★★☆
2022	85.2	85 of 858	90.1%	★★★★★
2021	64.1	320 of 869	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	82.3	108 of 870	87.6%	★★★★☆
2018	71.5	235 of 847	72.3%	★★★★☆
2017	70.2	260 of 853	69.5%	★★★☆☆
2016	75.9	178 of 848	79.0%	★★★★☆
2015	77.6	145 of 840	82.7%	★★★★☆
2014	71.1	231 of 826	72.0%	★★★★☆
2013	16.9	730 of 824	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	42.9	594 of 820	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	42.3	595 of 814	26.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	52.7	490 of 803	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2008	48.1	503 of 781	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2007	60.6	336 of 777	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2006	60.1	338 of 756	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2005	51.8	410 of 685	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2004	76.4	112 of 676	83.4%	★★★★☆
2003	46.1	447 of 674	33.7%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	90.5	33 of 790	95.8%	★★★★★
2025	81.5	111 of 799	86.1%	★★★★☆
2024	68.8	247 of 809	69.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.6	349 of 787	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	79.7	111 of 799	86.1%	★★★★☆
2021	62.0	315 of 783	59.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	78.6	121 of 787	84.6%	★★★★☆
2018	76.8	141 of 774	81.8%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2025	95.1	7 of 764	99.1%	★★★★★
2024	87.0	48 of 793	93.9%	★★★★★
2023	84.3	57 of 774	92.6%	★★★★★
2018	64.3	244 of 728	66.5%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	80.6	119 of 807	85.3%	★★★★☆
2025	66.1	279 of 812	65.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	74.0	188 of 826	77.2%	★★★★☆
2023	88.4	42 of 799	94.7%	★★★★★
2022	85.1	68 of 808	91.6%	★★★★★
2021	60.1	332 of 784	57.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	79.5	115 of 798	85.6%	★★★★☆
2018	55.8	406 of 779	47.9%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2023	62.6	156 of 524	70.2%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	81.6	89 of 710	87.5%	★★★★☆
2025	60.5	263 of 714	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	57.0	300 of 730	58.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	62.1	254 of 712	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	74.3	147 of 725	79.7%	★★★★☆
2021	42.2	452 of 710	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	62.3	259 of 722	64.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	54.6	331 of 712	53.5%	★★★☆☆

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)99th percentile+20 vs school

Female (2026)96th percentile~ school

White (2026)87th percentile-6 vs school

Male (2026)85th percentile-8 vs school

Special Education (2023)70th percentile-14 vs school

By subject vs Minnesota (2025-2026) ?

Math77%+32 vs state

Reading68%+19 vs state

★

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Schools Near West Central Area North Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				MCA-IV Reading (2026)					MCA-IV Science (2026)		MCA-III Math (2026)					Vaccination (2025-26)		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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCA-IV Reading 3rd Grade	MCA-IV Reading 4th Grade	MCA-IV Reading 5th Grade	MCA-IV Reading 6th Grade	MCA-IV Reading All Grades	MCA-IV Science 5th Grade	MCA-IV Science All Grades	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	Vaccination: Kindergartners vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Total
West Central Area North Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	411 1st St SE	Elbow Lake	56531	Grant County	West Central Area	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 685-7500	144	15	9.6	41.0%	124 (86.1%)	4 (2.8%)	7 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (6.3%)	88.7	55^th of 869 public elementary schools	93.7%		76.5	185^th of 872 public elementary schools	78.8%	130	67.9	67.9			67.9			78.6	75.0			76.8	81.8%	15.2%	$13,651
Ashby Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	300 Birch Ave	Ashby	56309	Grant County	Ashby Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 747-2257	178	16	11.2	33.1%	174 (97.8%)	1 (0.6%)	3 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	77.5	174^th of 869 public elementary schools	80.0%		74.3	215^th of 872 public elementary schools	75.3%	41	66.7	67.7	69.2	55.0	65.3	15.4	15.4	73.7	81.3	53.8	57.9	67.7	85.2%	3.7%	$8,994
Evansville Elementary	Public	2-5	123 2nd Ave W	Evansville	56326	Douglas County	Brandon-Evansville Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 834-4084	163	8	19.4	32.5%	149 (91.4%)	2 (1.2%)	3 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (5.5%)	75.4	202^nd of 869 public elementary schools	76.8%		76.5	188^th of 872 public elementary schools	78.4%	14	55.0	44.0	75.0		55.7	50.0	50.0	67.5	64.0	68.8		66.4			$11,068
Herman-Norcross Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	504 Lois Ave N	Herman	56248	Grant County	Herman-Norcross Community School	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 677-2291	56	9	5.9	41.1%	48 (85.7%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (7.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.6%)								(n/a)					33.3							61.9			$17,973
Brandon Elementary	Public	PK, KG-1	206 3rd St W	Brandon	56135	Douglas County	Brandon-Evansville Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 834-4084	107	12	9.2	40.2%	101 (94.4%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.7%)								(n/a)															$10,500
West Central Area South Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	31 N Central	Kensington	56343	Douglas County	West Central Area	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 965-7600	138	12	11.1	39.9%	123 (89.1%)	3 (2.2%)	7 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.4%)	83.1	118^th of 869 public elementary schools	86.4%		59.9	370^th of 872 public elementary schools	57.6%	252	65.0	72.2			68.4			61.9	77.8			69.2	81.8%	9.1%	$14,376

Frequently Asked Questions about West Central Area North Elementary

What district is West Central Area North Elementary in?

West Central Area

What schools do graduates of West Central Area North Elementary attend?

Students who attend West Central Area North Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : WCA Middle School
High : West Central Area Secondary

What is the racial makeup of West Central Area North Elementary?

Students at West Central Area North Elementary are 86% White, 6% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic, 3% African American.

How many students attend West Central Area North Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 144 students attended West Central Area North Elementary.

Is West Central Area North Elementary a good school?

Yes. West Central Area North Elementary ranks in the top 6.3% of Minnesota elementary schools.

Rate West Central Area North Elementary!

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Latest Minnesota data All new data »

2022–23 dropout ratesNewNov 13, 2026

2019–20 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)Oct 19, 2026

2024–25 through 2025–26 MCA-III & MCA-IV test scoresSep 30, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

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.