Summary:
ZIP code 56482, in and around Wadena, Minnesota, has just one middle school: Wadena-Deer Creek 5th and 6th Grade, serving grades 5 and 6 with 159 students as part of the Wadena-Deer Creek School District. Because it is the only middle school in the ZIP code, there is no school-to-school comparison to make; the most useful benchmarks are the school's own district and the state. Located at 600 Colfax Ave SW, the school has a free or reduced-price lunch rate of 40.88% and a student/teacher ratio of 21.3.
On 2025–2026 tests, Reading was the strongest relative result: 45.1% of students were proficient, well ahead of the district's 36.6% but below the state's 48.6%. Science was close to the state average at 24.7%, compared with 23.5% in the district and 25.5% statewide. Math was the weakest area at 33.9% — 3.3 points below the district and 11.0 points below the state. Both grades trailed the state in Math and Reading: 5th-grade Math 34.2% versus 41.9%, 6th-grade Math 33.7% versus 39.5%, 5th-grade Reading 46.2% versus 54.5%, and 6th-grade Reading 44.2% versus 53.4%. Grade-5 Science was 24.7% against 25.9% statewide.
The biggest story is the year-over-year decline. Reading fell from 54.09% to 45.1%, a drop of 8.99 points, compared with 3.58 points for the district and 0.99 points for the state. Math slipped 5.72 points and Science 4.22 points, again larger than the district and state drops. A year earlier the school was above the state in both Reading and Science; that edge has narrowed or disappeared. The district itself ranks 291 of 458 in Minnesota, at the 36th percentile with 2 stars. Overall, Reading is a relative bright spot against the district, Science sits near the state average, and Math is the clearest concern.
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