Summary:
ZIP code 56479 in Staples, Minnesota is served by exactly one elementary school — Staples-Motley Elementary — a PK–4 building enrolling 308 students, which means families in this area have no in-ZIP public elementary alternative. It is part of the Staples-Motley School District, which ranks 237th of 458 Minnesota districts (48th percentile, 2 stars). About 55.84% of the school's students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student-teacher ratio is a favorable 13.1 — roughly 23 to 24 teachers for the building.
Math is the standout strength. All-grades math proficiency is 52.5%, above both the district (39.9%) and the state (44.9%), and it rose 6.2 points from 46.3% the year before while the state slipped slightly. Third-grade math, at 60.0%, is also above the state's 57.9%. Reading is the opposite story: 34.4% proficient, roughly 14 points below Minnesota's 48.6%, and essentially flat year over year. That leaves the school with an unusual profile — math about 18 points stronger than reading internally, while statewide reading actually runs higher than math.
Statewide, the school ranks 573rd of 869 elementary schools, in the 34th percentile with 2 stars. That is an improvement from 30th percentile last year, but still below its 2023-2024 mark of 37th percentile. Fourth grade is where the advantage fades: math drops to 43.9% (11.3 points below the state's fourth-grade figure) and reading to 33.3% (15.5 points below), even though third grade is competitive. Grade-level district figures are identical to the school's, so state results are the meaningful comparison. Overall: a math-strong, reading-weak school with reasonable staffing and a modestly improving but still lower-middle statewide standing.
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