Summary:
Zip code 56531 in Elbow Lake, MN, has one school, West Central Area North Elementary, serving grades PK–4 in the West Central Area district. It is the only elementary, middle, high, or alternative school in this zip code’s list, so families here have a single public school option for early grades.
This school stands out strongly. Its 2025–2026 rank is 55th of 869 Minnesota schools, at the 94th percentile with 5 stars. That is a major rise from 208th of 881 in 2023–2024 and 185th of 872 in 2024–2025. In 2025–2026, all-grade math proficiency is 76.8 versus 47.6 in the district and 44.9 statewide; reading is 67.9 versus 55.8 in the district and 48.6 statewide. Grade-level results are also above state averages: 3rd-grade math 78.6, 4th-grade math 75.0, 3rd-grade reading 67.9, and 4th-grade reading 67.9. Compared with the district, 3rd-grade math and reading are above district figures, while 4th-grade math and reading are slightly below district but still far above state. Reading rose from 52.54 in 2024–2025 to 67.9 in 2025–2026, and math rose from 74.58 to 76.8. Note that the reading exam label changed from MCA-III to MCA-IV, so year-over-year reading comparisons should be read with caution.
Context matters. The school reports 40.97% free/reduced lunch and a 9.6 student-teacher ratio in 2024–2025, which is generally favorable and implies roughly 15 teachers for 144 students. The West Central Area district ranks 68th of 458 districts, at the 85th percentile with 4 stars. The school’s latest rank is higher at the 94th percentile with 5 stars, though these are different ranking pools. Overall, this is a high-performing elementary school with particularly strong math, a recent ranking surge, and above-state proficiency in every reported 2025–2026 subject and grade.
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