Cook County Middle

Cook County Middle School is a public middle school in Grand Marais, Minnesota, serving 92 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Cook County Public Schools district, which is ranked 291 out of 446 districts in the state.

Academically, Cook County Middle School has consistently underperformed compared to the state average in both math and reading proficiency on the MCA-III assessments. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school's math proficiency rate was 15.56%, compared to the state average of 45.21%, while its reading proficiency rate was 42.05%, compared to the state average of 49.59%. The school's performance has been particularly low in math, with proficiency rates ranging from 10.75% to 27.96% over the past few years. Student group performance also varies, with male students and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds generally performing better than female students and white students.

The school's small enrollment of 92 students, high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, and fluctuating student-teacher ratio may present unique challenges in terms of resource allocation, staffing, and providing personalized support to students. The school's location in a rural area may also contribute to these challenges. Overall, the data suggests that Cook County Middle School faces significant challenges in improving academic performance and addressing equity issues, and the school's leadership and the broader community may need to work collaboratively to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to address these concerns.