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East Central Senior Secondary

Q: Is East Central Senior Secondary a good school?

East Central Senior Secondary ranks 224 th of 473 Minnesota high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 7-12

224^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 473 Minnesota High Schools

Better than 53% of Minnesota high schools

Summary

East Central Senior Secondary is a public school in Finlayson, MN, serving 309 students in grades 7–12 as part of the East Central School District. The school made a notable jump in state rankings, moving from the 25th percentile (1 star) in 2024–25 to the 53rd percentile (3 stars) in 2025–26 — its strongest showing since 2016–17. That places it above Hinckley-Finlayson Secondary (42nd percentile) but below Moose Lake Secondary (61st) and Willow River Secondary (68th).

Science is the brightest spot: all-grade science proficiency is 26.7%, above the state's 25.5% and well above Moose Lake (13.5%) and Hinckley-Finlayson (18.9%), rebounding from 10.34% the prior year. Math and reading remain the biggest academic challenges — 20.6% in math and 29.7% in reading, both well below state averages of 44.9% and 48.6%. Middle school is the weakest area: 7th-grade math 19.2% versus the state's 40.3%, 7th-grade reading 17.6% versus 43.5%, 8th-grade math 20.5%, and 8th-grade reading 30% versus 50%. Tenth-grade reading (40.7%) is close to the state's 42.5%.

Completion outcomes are the most concerning. The graduation rate is 76.1% (state 84.9%), the lowest among nearby schools with reported data, and the 9.5% dropout rate is more than double the state's 4.2%. Poverty does not fully explain the gap: Willow River has a similar free/reduced lunch rate (38.54% versus 37.54%) yet reports 96.3% graduation and 0% dropout. On the positive side, class sizes are in line with peers at 14:1, improved from 17.9:1, and the free/reduced lunch rate has fallen from 52.63% in 2022–23. Among student groups, low-income students rank in the 79th percentile (4 stars) and female students in the 69th percentile (3 stars).

309

Students ?

14.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,146

Per pupil spending ?

37.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

61085 State Highway 23
Finlayson, MN 55735-8888

(320) 245-6016

District: East Central School District

Feeder schools for East Central Senior Secondary:

Elementary:

East Central Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

82.5%

Two or more races:

6.8%

American Indian:

4.9%

See top rated Minnesota high schools

Compare East Central Senior Secondary to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 39th percentile in 2016 → 53rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 14 percentile points since 2016

✓Above the Minnesota median (53rd percentile)

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Minnesota average (26% vs 43% meeting standards)

!Graduation rate below the Minnesota average (76% vs 85%)

!Dropout rate above the Minnesota average (10% vs 4%)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school26%

District avg31%

Minnesota avg43%

Middle school

444^th of 546

Minnesota public middle schools ?

Bottom 19%▼ down 14 pts since 2016

From bottom 33% (2016) to bottom 19% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Minnesota Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

224^th of 473

Minnesota public high schools ?

Top 47%▲ up 14 pts since 2016

From bottom 39% (2016) to top 47% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Minnesota High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

313^th of 458East Central 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)

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	21.7	444 of 546	18.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	37.3	341 of 519	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	40.7	332 of 545	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	28.4	394 of 529	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	18.9	433 of 520	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	31.1	380 of 521	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	29.5	405 of 533	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	22.2	428 of 518	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	26.5	407 of 523	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	38.4	341 of 508	32.9%	★★☆☆☆
2015	32.2	382 of 516	26.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	21.9	411 of 490	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	32.3	367 of 488	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	43.3	318 of 469	32.2%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	25.2	363 of 467	22.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	40.2	279 of 450	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	56.3	193 of 474	59.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	41.7	281 of 455	38.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	19.2	393 of 467	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	42.1	265 of 443	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	41.5	295 of 439	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	26.3	357 of 436	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	16.8	407 of 458	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	34.2	302 of 432	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	48.9	230 of 473	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	36.0	305 of 459	33.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	20.6	353 of 404	12.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	53.6	161 of 399	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	26.8	329 of 415	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	30.9	307 of 401	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	14.2	431 of 483	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	25.5	357 of 452	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	22.4	394 of 479	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	16.6	396 of 464	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	16.8	410 of 476	13.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	16.9	380 of 437	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	22.0	377 of 454	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	16.8	381 of 438	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2024	20.1	273 of 307	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.3	251 of 298	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	15.7	260 of 282	7.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	13.1	240 of 253	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	13.7	407 of 435	6.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	30.0	305 of 415	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	27.6	350 of 440	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	19.0	381 of 436	12.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	8.7	424 of 438	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	17.5	380 of 422	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	15.4	395 of 428	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	9.3	403 of 428	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	55.6	224 of 473	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	31.5	337 of 450	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	34.6	336 of 480	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	30.1	362 of 476	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	33.1	343 of 472	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	32.3	328 of 428	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	55.0	263 of 492	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	62.2	219 of 494	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2017	68.6	170 of 489	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2016	49.3	299 of 489	38.9%	★★☆☆☆
2015	78.1	94 of 504	81.3%	★★★★☆
2014	77.7	92 of 483	81.0%	★★★★☆
2013	58.3	260 of 534	51.3%	★★★☆☆
2012	54.2	316 of 539	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2011	61.8	258 of 545	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2010	65.0	217 of 540	59.8%	★★★☆☆
2008	52.5	286 of 460	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2007	36.2	345 of 463	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	56.0	256 of 450	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2005	59.1	279 of 452	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2004	44.2	342 of 433	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	67.5	123 of 398	69.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	40.3	236 of 358	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.4	255 of 403	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	33.4	291 of 396	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	32.2	288 of 388	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	27.3	278 of 339	18.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	63.7	150 of 401	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	60.0	178 of 395	54.9%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	72.5	80 of 377	78.8%	★★★★☆
2025	53.2	152 of 333	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	34.4	273 of 389	29.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	29.9	293 of 393	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	16.2	275 of 312	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	54.3	122 of 270	54.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	82.2	38 of 370	89.7%	★★★★☆
2018	59.0	158 of 374	57.8%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	33.2	281 of 395	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	17.5	334 of 377	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	21.2	340 of 405	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.8	332 of 398	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	24.8	335 of 403	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	29.9	280 of 351	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	30.8	318 of 411	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	47.6	247 of 398	37.9%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	38.4	136 of 224	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	29.3	169 of 216	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	18.0	195 of 214	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	34.8	289 of 394	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	19.0	336 of 376	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	24.3	337 of 402	16.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.9	339 of 398	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	21.2	349 of 401	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	21.4	324 of 364	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	29.6	325 of 412	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	50.1	242 of 414	41.5%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Middle school

Female (2026)22nd percentile+4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)11th percentile-8 vs school

Special Education (2024)11th percentile-28 vs school

Male (2026)11th percentile-8 vs school

White (2026)6th percentile-12 vs school

High school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)79th percentile+26 vs school

Female (2026)69th percentile+16 vs school

Special Education (2026)39th percentile-13 vs school

Male (2026)29th percentile-24 vs school

White (2026)27th percentile-26 vs school

By subject vs Minnesota (2025-2026) ?

Reading30%-19 vs state

Science27%~ state avg

Math21%-24 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Great school, friendly staff. Close Quote

Schools Near East Central Senior Secondary

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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 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 7th Grade	MCA-IV Reading 8th Grade	MCA-IV Reading 10th Grade	MCA-IV Reading All Grades	MCA-IV Science 8th Grade	MCA-IV Science End of Course	MCA-IV Science All Grades	MCA-III Math 7th Grade	MCA-III Math 8th Grade	MCA-III Math 11th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	Total
East Central Senior Secondary	Public	7-12	61085 State Highway 23	Finlayson	55735	Pine County	East Central School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 245-6016	309	22	14.0	37.5%	255 (82.5%)	6 (1.9%)	10 (3.2%)	2 (0.6%)	15 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.8%)	55.6	224^th of 473 public high schools	52.6%		31.5	337^th of 450 public high schools	25.1%	113	17.6	30.0	40.7	29.7	10.8	37.7	26.7	19.2	20.5	22.5	20.6	$13,146
Crossroads Area Learning Center	Public	7-12	61085 State Highway 23	Finlayson	55735	Pine County	East Central School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 245-6016	32	2	16.0	71.9%	22 (68.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (25.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.1%)								(n/a)												$10,760
Willow River Secondary	Public	7-12	8142 Pine St	Willow River	55795	Pine County	Willow River Public School District	No	No	No	No	(218) 372-3131	205	16	13.0	38.5%	192 (93.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.4%)	67.1	150^th of 473 public high schools	68.3%		56.9	221^st of 450 public high schools	50.9%	71	27.0	48.3	50.0	40.8	10.3	48.5	30.6	10.8	10.3	18.5	12.9	$13,122
Pine County Transition Program	Public	9-12	201 Main St E	Hinckley	55037	Pine County	St. Croix River Education District	No	No	No	No	(320) 358-1214	19	3	6.3	31.6%	15 (78.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (10.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (10.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Hinckley-Finlayson Secondary	Public	7-12	201 Main St E	Hinckley	55037	Pine County	Hinckley-Finlayson School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 384-6132	398	27	14.6	52.3%	262 (65.8%)	3 (0.8%)	20 (5.0%)	3 (0.8%)	60 (15.1%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (12.6%)	44.9	275^th of 473 public high schools	41.9%		39.7	298^th of 450 public high schools	33.8%	23	23.1	28.8	33.3	28.3	8.0	31.1	18.9	17.3	11.3	25.9	16.7	$14,274
Pine County Transition Program	Public	12	201 Main St E	Hinckley	55037	Pine County	Hinckley-Finlayson School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 384-6132	0	2	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Empower Learning Center	Public	10-12	201 Main St E	Hinckley	55037	Pine County	Hinckley-Finlayson School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 384-6132	18	2	10.8	72.2%	8 (44.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (27.8%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (22.2%)								(n/a)												$8,862
Moose Lake Secondary	Public	7-12	4812 County Rd 10	Moose Lake	55767	Carlton County	Moose Lake Public School District	No	No	No	No	(218) 485-4435	276	20	13.8	28.6%	256 (92.8%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.0%)	62.8	185^th of 473 public high schools	60.9%		51.1	248^th of 450 public high schools	44.9%	63	37.5	43.4	52.6	44.7	3.8	27.0	13.5	35.3	39.6	34.1	36.7	$12,437
McF-Moose Lake/Willow River	Public	9-12	1000 Lakeshore Dr	Moose Lake	55767	Carlton County	Minnesota Department Of Corrections	No	No	No	No	(218) 485-5025	3	0			0 (0.0%)	1 (33.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (66.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about East Central Senior Secondary

What is the racial makeup of East Central Senior Secondary?

Students at East Central Senior Secondary are 83% White, 7% Two or more races, 5% American Indian, 3% Hispanic, 2% African American.

What schools feed into East Central Senior Secondary?

East Central Senior Secondary is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : East Central Elementary

What district is East Central Senior Secondary in?

East Central School District

How many students attend East Central Senior Secondary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 309 students attended East Central Senior Secondary.

Is East Central Senior Secondary a good school?

East Central Senior Secondary ranks 224^th of 473 Minnesota high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate East Central Senior Secondary!

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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.