Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 56482

The zip code 56482 area is home to two elementary schools: Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary and Early Childhood Special Education. While Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary is the larger of the two with 464 students, it has a relatively low 2-star rating from SchoolDigger and its math and reading proficiency rates on state tests are below the state averages. In contrast, the smaller Early Childhood Special Education school serves pre-kindergarten students and has a higher free and reduced lunch rate but a lower student-teacher ratio.

Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary's math and reading proficiency rates on the MCA-III tests are consistently below the state averages across all grades, with only 30.86% of students scoring proficient or better in reading in 2024-2025 compared to the 49.59% state average. The school also has a relatively high free and reduced lunch rate of 60.56%. In comparison, Early Childhood Special Education has an even higher free and reduced lunch rate of 65% but a lower student-teacher ratio of 9.5 compared to 12 at Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary.

Overall, the data suggests that Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary is facing academic and socioeconomic challenges, while the smaller Early Childhood Special Education school appears to have a greater focus on early childhood and special education. Further investigation into the Wadena-Deer Creek School District and Freshwater Education District's resource allocation and strategies to support struggling schools could provide valuable insights.