Best Public Schools in Zip Code 56304

The 56304 zip code area in Minnesota is home to two elementary schools - Talahi Community Elementary and Lincoln Elementary, both serving students in the St. Cloud Public School District. Based on the available data, these schools have consistently struggled with low academic performance, ranking in the bottom 20-25% of Minnesota elementary schools.

Both Talahi Community Elementary and Lincoln Elementary have very low proficiency rates in Math and Reading on the state assessments, significantly trailing the state and district averages. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, Talahi Community Elementary is projected to have only 18.44% of students proficient or better in Math, compared to 45.21% statewide, while Lincoln Elementary is projected to have only 7.67% proficient or better in Math. The schools also trail the district and state in 3rd/4th/5th grade proficiency rates for Math and Reading.

Additionally, both schools serve predominantly low-income communities, with over 88% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. This high-poverty student population can present additional challenges in terms of student achievement and resource needs. However, the relatively small class sizes at these schools, with student-teacher ratios slightly lower than the state average, could present an opportunity for more individualized attention and targeted interventions to help improve student outcomes. Significant work would be needed to raise the performance levels at these underperforming elementary schools.