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Birch Lake Elementary

Q: Is Birch Lake Elementary a good school?

Birch Lake Elementary ranks 607 th of 869 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

607^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 869 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Better than 30% of Minnesota elementary schools

Summary

Birch Lake Elementary is a PK–5 school in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, serving 239 students — the smallest K–5 enrollment among its in-district peers — as part of the White Bear Lake School District. It currently ranks 607 of 869 Minnesota elementary schools (30th percentile, 2 stars), about 27 percentile points below its own district, and has stayed in the bottom third for five straight years.

Science is the clearest concern: at 7.5% proficiency, Birch Lake sits at roughly one-third of the district (26.3%) and state (25.5%) rates, while every other White Bear Lake K–5 school lands between 26.3% and 57.1%. Science has fallen from 41.2% in 2022-23 to 7.5% across four different cohorts, suggesting a program-level issue rather than one weak class. Fifth grade math is the other outlier at 17.5% versus 43.8% districtwide, even though 3rd and 4th grade math are near state average and 5th grade reading (46.3%) is the school's strongest reading grade. Reading overall trails the district by 13.1 points. Class size, notably, is a strength at 10.7 students per teacher.

Comparisons with neighbors are striking. Lincoln Elementary, 0.85 miles away in the same district, ranks 96th percentile with 73.2% math and 57.1% science; its low-income share is lower, but the science gap of nearly 50 points is wider than demographics alone would suggest. More instructive is Vadnais Heights Elementary, which serves a similar low-income population and reaches the 70th percentile with 60.2% math — evidence the current outcomes are not inevitable. Lakeaires Elementary, the closest demographic match, posts nearly identical results. On the positive side, Birch Lake's special-education students (47th percentile) and low-income students (45th percentile) both rank above the school's overall 30th percentile.

239

Students ?

10.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,796

Per pupil spending ?

46.0%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in Minnesota receive free school meals.

1616 Birch Lake Ave
White Bear Lake, MN 55110-3309

(651) 653-2776

District: White Bear Lake School District

Racial breakdown:

White:

53.6%

Hispanic:

16.7%

African American:

11.3%

See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

Compare Birch Lake Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 53rd percentile in 2016 → 30th in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Minnesota average (37% vs 43% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 23 percentile points since 2016

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school37%

District avg47%

Minnesota avg43%

607^th of 869

Minnesota public elementary schools ?

Bottom 30%▼ down 23 pts since 2016

From top 47% (2016) to bottom 30% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Minnesota Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

6^th of 8Elementary Schools in the White Bear Lake School District

197^th of 458White Bear Lake 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)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	35.1	607 of 869	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	32.6	620 of 872	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	37.0	602 of 881	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.3	560 of 845	33.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	43.4	558 of 858	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	29.4	661 of 869	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	43.6	583 of 870	33.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	56.3	433 of 847	48.9%	★★☆☆☆
2017	64.3	340 of 853	60.1%	★★★☆☆
2016	59.7	395 of 848	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2015	53.4	476 of 840	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2014	64.4	329 of 826	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2013	76.9	149 of 824	81.9%	★★★★☆
2012	70.5	219 of 820	73.3%	★★★★☆
2011	68.2	261 of 814	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2010	58.2	412 of 803	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2008	48.2	502 of 781	35.7%	★★☆☆☆
2007	50.9	473 of 777	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2006	53.1	429 of 756	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2005	30.8	564 of 685	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	38.8	502 of 676	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2003	39.3	499 of 674	26.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	46.2	457 of 790	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	41.9	512 of 799	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	46.8	481 of 809	40.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	35.2	557 of 787	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	39.9	540 of 799	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	29.1	607 of 783	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	39.1	554 of 787	29.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	58.8	374 of 774	51.7%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2024	23.2	205 of 249	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	45.5	110 of 209	47.4%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	46.7	424 of 764	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	34.8	536 of 764	29.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	39.5	516 of 793	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	55.1	351 of 774	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	53.9	318 of 663	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	33.5	496 of 683	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	57.9	311 of 740	58.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	77.7	93 of 728	87.2%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	23.4	650 of 807	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	23.2	654 of 812	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	31.7	608 of 826	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	44.5	497 of 799	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	43.4	535 of 808	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	28.2	608 of 784	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	45.8	510 of 798	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	51.5	446 of 779	42.7%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	47.2	305 of 579	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	53.0	217 of 500	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	56.9	217 of 515	57.9%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	8.6	690 of 710	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	16.2	659 of 714	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	23.6	623 of 730	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	24.7	607 of 712	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	26.2	610 of 725	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	12.3	684 of 710	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	31.1	585 of 722	19.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	46.5	421 of 712	40.9%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Special Education (2026)47th percentile+17 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)45th percentile+14 vs school

Female (2026)42nd percentile+12 vs school

Male (2026)19th percentile-11 vs school

Hispanic (2024)18th percentile-14 vs school

White (2026)3rd percentile-27 vs school

By subject vs Minnesota (2025-2026) ?

Math42%-3 vs state

Reading41%-8 vs state

Science8%-18 vs state

★

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Schools Near Birch Lake 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 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/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 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 All Grades	Total
Birch Lake Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1616 Birch Lake Ave	White Bear Lake	55110	Ramsey County	White Bear Lake School District	No	No	No	Yes	(651) 653-2776	239	22	10.7	46.0%	128 (53.6%)	27 (11.3%)	40 (16.7%)	21 (8.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	22 (9.2%)	35.1	607^th of 869 public elementary schools	30.1%		32.6	620^th of 872 public elementary schools	28.9%	13	34.1	42.9	46.3	41.0	7.5	7.5	55.0	55.6	17.5	42.2	$15,796
Lincoln Elementary	Public	K-5	1961 6th St	White Bear Lake	55110	Ramsey County	White Bear Lake School District	No	No	No	No	(651) 653-2820	469	25	19.1	18.6%	386 (82.3%)	12 (2.6%)	21 (4.5%)	26 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.1%)	91	39^th of 869 public elementary schools	95.5%		88.1	61^st of 872 public elementary schools	93.0%	22	65.6	76.0	75.6	72.4	57.1	57.1	73.3	79.8	64.1	73.2	$12,320
Otter Lake Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1401 County Road H2	White Bear Lake	55110	Ramsey County	White Bear Lake School District	No	No	No	No	(651) 653-2831	492	37	13.2	20.5%	371 (75.4%)	14 (2.8%)	31 (6.3%)	37 (7.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (7.9%)	74.7	210^th of 869 public elementary schools	75.8%		81.4	131^st of 872 public elementary schools	85.0%	79	53.9	68.2	69.1	64.0	26.3	26.3	61.8	75.6	46.9	61.7	$13,984
Lakeaires Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3963 Van Dyke	White Bear Lake	55110	Ramsey County	White Bear Lake School District	No	No	No	Yes	(651) 653-2809	396	27	14.6	46.0%	234 (59.1%)	15 (3.8%)	67 (16.9%)	43 (10.9%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	35 (8.8%)	34.1	612^th of 869 public elementary schools	29.6%		41.6	556^th of 872 public elementary schools	36.2%	56	14.6	41.4	56.3	37.7	29.2	29.2	29.2	36.2	28.6	31.6	$13,632
Normandy Park Education Center	Public	PK-K	2482 E County Rd F	White Bear Lake	55110	Ramsey County	White Bear Lake School District	No	No	No	No	(651) 653-3100	154	23	6.7	34.4%	95 (61.7%)	11 (7.1%)	18 (11.7%)	14 (9.1%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (9.7%)								(n/a)											$44,161
Willow Lane Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3375 Willow Ave	White Bear Lake	55110	Ramsey County	White Bear Lake School District	No	No	No	Yes	(651) 773-6170	279	28	10.1	72.0%	82 (29.4%)	79 (28.3%)	45 (16.1%)	33 (11.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (14.0%)	25.7	678^th of 869 public elementary schools	22.0%		33.9	607^th of 872 public elementary schools	30.4%	71	39.5	28.0	44.7	37.0	12.8	12.8	48.6	34.0	14.9	31.3	$14,768
Vadnais Heights Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3645 Centerville Rd	White Bear Lake	55127	Ramsey County	White Bear Lake School District	No	No	No	Yes	(651) 653-2858	405	26	15.5	42.7%	207 (51.1%)	43 (10.6%)	34 (8.4%)	76 (18.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	44 (10.9%)	69	262^nd of 869 public elementary schools	69.9%		66.5	303^rd of 872 public elementary schools	65.3%	41	50.8	59.0	60.0	56.6	26.7	26.7	59.0	70.5	50.8	60.2	$13,451
Matoska International	Public	K-5	2530 Spruce Place	White Bear Lake	55110	Ramsey County	White Bear Lake School District	No	No	No	No	(651) 653-2847	543	34	15.9	28.5%	378 (69.6%)	43 (7.9%)	45 (8.3%)	39 (7.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (7.0%)	73.1	226^th of 869 public elementary schools	74.0%		71.4	252^nd of 872 public elementary schools	71.1%	26	53.6	62.5	66.0	60.7	32.0	32.0	59.8	61.5	54.2	58.5	$11,802
Level Up Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	2600 County Road E East	White Bear Lake	55110	Ramsey County	Level Up Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(651) 408-5559	145	11	13.6	40.7%	108 (74.5%)	9 (6.2%)	4 (2.8%)	11 (7.6%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (8.3%)	20.1	723^rd of 869 public elementary schools	16.8%		17.9	728^th of 872 public elementary schools	16.5%	5	50.0	25.9	34.8	37.5	8.7	8.7	29.0	18.5	8.7	19.8	$17,669
Level Up K-5 Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual, Charter	K-5	2600 E County Rd E	White Bear Lake	55110	Ramsey County	Level Up Academy	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(651) 408-5559	27	2	13.5	59.3%	16 (59.3%)	2 (7.4%)	4 (14.8%)	2 (7.4%)	1 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (7.4%)								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Birch Lake Elementary

How many students attend Birch Lake Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 239 students attended Birch Lake Elementary.

Is Birch Lake Elementary a good school?

Birch Lake Elementary ranks 607^th of 869 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Birch Lake Elementary in?

White Bear Lake School District

What schools do graduates of Birch Lake Elementary attend?

Students who attend Birch Lake Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Central Middle

What is the racial makeup of Birch Lake Elementary?

Students at Birch Lake Elementary are 54% White, 17% Hispanic, 11% African American, 9% Two or more races, 9% Asian.

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Schools in White Bear Lake, MN

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Latest Minnesota data All new data »

2024–25 through 2025–26 MCA-III & MCA-IV test scoresSep 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.