Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

New rankings! SchoolDigger recently updated its Minnesota rankings with newly released test scores for the 2025-26 school year.

Be the first to know when we post new rankings!

Tatanka Elementary STEM School

Q: Is Tatanka Elementary STEM School a good school?

Tatanka Elementary STEM School ranks 590 th of 869 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

590^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 869 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Better than 32% of Minnesota elementary schools

Summary

Tatanka Elementary STEM School is a K–5 school at 703 8th St NE in Buffalo, Minnesota, serving 393 students — the second-largest of the four elementary schools in the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools district. In 2025-26 it ranks 590th of 869 Minnesota elementary schools — the 32nd percentile, 2 stars — down from the 71st percentile in 2018-19, a loss of roughly 39 percentile points over that span. The 2024-25 year interrupted the slide, but 2025-26 gave back part of that gain rather than confirming a recovery.

On all-grades tests, Tatanka records the lowest math (39.8), reading (42.5), and science (14.8) proficiency of every comparison school with reported data. Its own district averages 52.5 in math, 51.7 in reading, and 28.9 in science; the state posts 44.9, 48.6, and 25.5. Northwinds Elementary, 1.3 miles away in the same district, posts 63.4, 57.6, and 35.5. Even Parkside Elementary, 0.6 miles away, serves a higher share of low-income students (42.82% vs 35.11%) yet outperforms Tatanka in all three subjects. Science is the sharpest departure: from 53.3% in 2022-23, above both district and state, to 14.8% — the lowest of the group, and roughly 11 points under the state and 14 under the district.

The weakest grade-level results are 5th-grade math (22.2) and 4th-grade reading (30.9), under the state by about 20 and 18 points. Reported subgroups cluster between the 8th and 39th percentiles, with special education students at the 8th percentile and 0 stars, down from the 35th percentile two years earlier. Falling poverty rates and a 14.8 student-teacher ratio comparable to Northwinds suggest the gap is not explained by demographics or class size. Meanwhile Montrose Elementary School of Innov climbed from the 42nd to the 70th percentile in three years, showing that schools in this area can improve.

393

Students ?

14.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,828

Per pupil spending ?

35.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

703 8th St NE
Buffalo, MN 55313-1897

(763) 682-8600

District: Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools

Students who attend Tatanka Elementary STEM School usually attend:

Middle:	Buffalo Community Middle
High:	Buffalo Senior High

Racial breakdown:

White:

76.6%

African American:

8.1%

Two or more races:

6.9%

See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

Compare Tatanka Elementary STEM School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 67th percentile in 2016 → 32nd in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Minnesota average (38% vs 43% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 35 percentile points since 2016

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school38%

District avg48%

Minnesota avg43%

590^th of 869

Minnesota public elementary schools ?

Bottom 32%▼ down 35 pts since 2016

From top 33% (2016) to bottom 32% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Minnesota Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

6^th of 6Elementary Schools in the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools

133^rd of 458Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools 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	36.5	590 of 869	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	42.5	544 of 872	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	29.4	659 of 881	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	46.5	514 of 845	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	51.3	486 of 858	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	59.4	385 of 869	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	69.9	256 of 870	70.6%	★★★★☆
2018	69.9	258 of 847	69.5%	★★★☆☆
2017	70.4	258 of 853	69.8%	★★★★☆
2016	68.6	276 of 848	67.5%	★★★☆☆
2015	58.8	409 of 840	51.3%	★★★☆☆
2014	62.2	351 of 826	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2013	63.0	336 of 824	59.2%	★★★☆☆
2012	62.2	367 of 820	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2011	64.4	324 of 814	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2010	61.3	362 of 803	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2008	54.4	429 of 781	45.1%	★★☆☆☆
2007	51.0	467 of 777	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2006	59.4	351 of 756	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2005	57.9	335 of 685	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2004	60.1	297 of 676	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2003	70.8	166 of 674	75.4%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	29.6	591 of 790	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	42.2	511 of 799	36.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	27.8	618 of 809	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	41.0	523 of 787	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	51.1	441 of 799	44.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	51.7	438 of 783	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	69.7	229 of 787	70.9%	★★★★☆
2018	67.2	264 of 774	65.9%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	29.1	590 of 764	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	45.3	438 of 764	42.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	25.6	640 of 793	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	44.8	451 of 774	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	61.9	225 of 663	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	63.9	216 of 683	68.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	81.5	66 of 740	91.1%	★★★★★
2018	64.1	247 of 728	66.1%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	43.6	495 of 807	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	40.9	540 of 812	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	30.4	618 of 826	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	49.2	448 of 799	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	48.4	478 of 808	40.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	63.1	298 of 784	62.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	66.5	284 of 798	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	69.5	238 of 779	69.4%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	16.6	531 of 579	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	27.1	450 of 562	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	38.0	371 of 572	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	47.2	269 of 524	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	43.1	303 of 500	39.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	36.2	296 of 417	29.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	48.6	284 of 515	44.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	72.6	96 of 463	79.3%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	23.2	602 of 710	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	22.4	619 of 714	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	11.5	698 of 730	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	27.3	588 of 712	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	35.5	529 of 725	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	47.1	391 of 710	44.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	51.9	361 of 722	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	55.1	326 of 712	54.2%	★★★☆☆

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)

Male (2026)39th percentile+7 vs school

Female (2026)25th percentile-7 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)23rd percentile-9 vs school

White (2026)15th percentile-17 vs school

Special Education (2026)8th percentile-24 vs school

By subject vs Minnesota (2025-2026) ?

Reading42%-6 vs state

Math40%-5 vs state

Science15%-11 vs state

4.5

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★1

4★1

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Tatanka Elementary STEM School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, September 7, 2016

I love Tatanka. Not every Elementary School Principal personally stands at the entrance and welcomes each kid to school every morning. I love how involved all the teachers and staff are with each child. The STEM program is amazing, it takes a step further into the learn curriculum Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, June 27, 2012

They are initiating STEM in 2012-2013 and also offer an advanced program for qualified students called QUEST. The extra activities scheduled throughout the school year presented by the PTO bring families and classmates together. Close Quote

Schools Near Tatanka Elementary STEM School

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				MCA-IV Reading (2026)					MCA-IV Science (2026)		MCA-III Math (2026)					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 (2025)	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	Total
Tatanka Elementary STEM School	Public	K-5	703 8th St NE	Buffalo	55313	Wright County	Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 682-8600	393	26	14.8	35.1%	301 (76.6%)	32 (8.1%)	24 (6.1%)	7 (1.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.9%)	36.5	590^th of 869 public elementary schools	32.1%		42.5	544^th of 872 public elementary schools	37.6%	46	44.4	30.9	51.9		42.5	14.8	14.8	51.4	41.8	22.2		39.8	$10,828
Parkside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	207 3rd St NE	Buffalo	55313	Wright County	Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 682-8500	348	27	12.8	42.8%	286 (82.2%)	7 (2.0%)	26 (7.5%)	6 (1.7%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.0%)	42.7	541^st of 869 public elementary schools	37.7%		44.3	527^th of 872 public elementary schools	39.6%	14	40.0	42.7	49.1		43.9	25.0	25.0	47.3	45.3	33.3		42.2	$13,171
Discovery Elementary	Public	K-5	301 2nd Ave NE	Buffalo	55313	Wright County	Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools	No	No	No	No	(763) 682-8400	257	15	16.6	16.0%	252 (98.1%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	48.6	480^th of 869 public elementary schools	44.8%		51.4	464^th of 872 public elementary schools	46.8%	16	43.9	50.0	50.0		47.9	17.1	17.1	43.9	69.0	30.6		48.7	$12,939
Northwinds Elementary	Public	K-5	1111 7th Ave NW	Buffalo	55313	Wright County	Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools	No	No	No	No	(763) 682-8800	419	28	14.8	25.8%	394 (94.0%)	7 (1.7%)	10 (2.4%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.4%)	74.9	208^th of 869 public elementary schools	76.1%		67.3	296^th of 872 public elementary schools	66.1%	88	58.7	54.9	59.0		57.6	35.5	35.5	77.3	70.0	44.3		63.4	$11,493
Maple Lake Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	200 Highway 55 E	Maple Lake	55358	Wright County	Maple Lake Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 963-3024	404	33	12.2	27.2%	384 (95.0%)	1 (0.2%)	7 (1.7%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.2%)	72	240^th of 869 public elementary schools	72.4%		66	314^th of 872 public elementary schools	64.0%	74	42.6	56.9	65.9	64.8	56.7	34.1	34.1	59.0	67.7	52.3	50.9	58.3	$11,302
Monticello Nature Based Education	Public	PK, KG-5	9842 Briarwood Avenue NE	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Monticello Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 272-2801	65	0		23.1%	59 (90.8%)	1 (1.5%)	3 (4.6%)	1 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.5%)	83.9	105^th of 869 public elementary schools	87.9%		80	148^th of 872 public elementary schools	83.0%	43		43.8	81.8		65.8	50.0	50.0		62.5	77.3		71.1
Montrose Elementary School of Innov	Public	PK, KG-5	100 2nd St S	Montrose	55363	Wright County	Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 682-8345	363	25	14.4	45.7%	307 (84.6%)	14 (3.9%)	29 (8.0%)	9 (2.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	68.9	263^rd of 869 public elementary schools	69.7%		59.6	376^th of 872 public elementary schools	56.9%	113	58.8	46.7	67.3		57.2	34.5	34.5	72.5	56.7	40.0		56.0	$13,186
Little Mountain Elementary	Public	1-5	9350 Fallon Ave NE	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Monticello Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 272-2600	576	42	13.6	32.6%	414 (71.9%)	29 (5.0%)	61 (10.6%)	23 (4.0%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (7.6%)	67.9	272^nd of 869 public elementary schools	68.7%		66.2	310^th of 872 public elementary schools	64.4%	38	41.9	59.2	71.3		57.6	32.0	32.0	59.7	53.3	54.3		55.8	$12,686
Eastview Education Center	Public	PK-K	9375 Fenning Ave NE	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Monticello Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 272-2801	301	43	7.0	38.5%	229 (76.1%)	14 (4.7%)	33 (11.0%)	7 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (6.0%)								(n/a)													$16,426
Swan River Montessori Charter School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	500 Maple St	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Swan River Montessori Charter School	Yes	No	No	No	(763) 271-7926	161	12	12.9	3.7%	151 (93.8%)	1 (0.6%)	4 (2.5%)	2 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.9%)	66.2	289^th of 869 public elementary schools	66.7%		60.1	368^th of 872 public elementary schools	57.8%	79	71.4	60.0	52.6	72.7	63.4	20.0	20.0	76.2	66.7	20.0		53.5	$12,079

Frequently Asked Questions about Tatanka Elementary STEM School

How many students attend Tatanka Elementary STEM School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 393 students attended Tatanka Elementary STEM School.

Is Tatanka Elementary STEM School a good school?

Tatanka Elementary STEM School ranks 590^th of 869 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Tatanka Elementary STEM School?

Students at Tatanka Elementary STEM School are 77% White, 8% African American, 7% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 2% Asian.

What district is Tatanka Elementary STEM School in?

Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools

What schools do graduates of Tatanka Elementary STEM School attend?

Students who attend Tatanka Elementary STEM School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Buffalo Community Middle
High : Buffalo Senior High

Rate Tatanka Elementary STEM School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MNMinnesota Elementary School Rankings

MNMinnesota District Rankings

Schools in Buffalo, MN

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Tatanka Elementary STEM School!

Latest Minnesota data All new data »

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

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

2024–25 MCA-III test scoresAug 29, 2025

2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesMay 8, 2025

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.