Is United South Central Elementary a good school?

United South Central Elementary ranks 253 rd of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend United South Central Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 449 students attended United South Central Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of United South Central Elementary?

Students at United South Central Elementary are 79% White, 17% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of United South Central Elementary attend?

Students who attend United South Central Elementary usually go on to attend: High : United South Central High School

United South Central Elementary

Summary:

United South Central Elementary is a public elementary school in Wells, Minnesota, serving 445 students in grades PK-6 and part of the Maple River School District, which is ranked 131 out of 463 districts in the state.

United South Central Elementary stands out for its consistently high academic performance, with students outperforming state and district averages in both math and reading proficiency across all grade levels. The school's Hispanic and low-income students, in particular, significantly outperform their peers at the state level, ranking among the top elementary schools in Minnesota. Over the past 10 years, United South Central Elementary has maintained a strong ranking, consistently placing in the top 35% of Minnesota elementary schools and earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While United South Central Elementary has a higher percentage of white students compared to nearby schools like Hawthorne Elementary, Lakeview Elementary, and Blue Earth Area Elementary, it also serves a significant population of low-income students, with over 55% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. This suggests that the school is effectively supporting and educating students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. However, there may be opportunities for improvement in the performance of male students and special education students, who have lower rankings compared to their peers.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

600 11th St. SW
Wells, MN 56097-0312

(507) 553-5810

District: United South Central Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
253^rd of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,465

Students who attend United South Central Elementary usually attend:

High:

United South Central High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.6

Number of students: 449

Racial breakdown:

White:

79.1%

Hispanic:

17.1%

Two or more races:

3.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 50.8%

See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

Compare United South Central Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details United South Central Elementary ranks better than 71.3% of elementary schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 70.32. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (79.1%), Hispanic (17.1%), two or more races (3.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 50.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at United South Central Elementary is 13.6. (See more...)

Compare United South Central Elementary employs 32.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at United South Central Elementary is $12,465.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

United South Central Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks United South Central Elementary 253^rd of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See United South Central Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

United South Central Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks United South Central Schools 131^st of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for United South Central Elementary?

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Rank History for United South Central Elementary

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Rank History for all students at United South Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2006	72.53	168^th	756	77.8%
2007	70.32	202^nd	777	74.0%
2008	57.02	400^th	781	48.8%
2010	55.57	452^nd	803	43.7%
2011	47.45	536^th	814	34.2%
2012	65.22	312^th	820	62.0%
2013	67.58	280^th	824	66.0%
2014	74.86	171^st	826	79.3%
2015	74.62	191^st	840	77.3%
2016	72.17	227^th	848	73.2%
2017	76.33	176^th	853	79.4%
2018	64.04	335^th	847	60.4%
2019	68.17	292^nd	870	66.4%
2021	69.43	263^rd	869	69.7%
2022	68.86	270^th	858	68.5%
2023	59.59	371^st	845	56.1%
2024	70.32	253^rd	881	71.3%

See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at United South Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	42.16	278^th	463	40.0%
2019	43.49	319^th	515	38.1%
2021	59.82	139^th	417	66.7%
2022	54.57	203^rd	500	59.4%
2024	50.00	268^th	572	53.1%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at United South Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	79.69	79^th	728	89.1%
2019	74.67	132^nd	740	82.2%
2021	73.36	130^th	683	81.0%
2022	85.38	44^th	663	93.4%
2023	75.07	138^th	774	82.2%
2024	86.08	54^th	793	93.2%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at United South Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	72.08	200^th	774	74.2%
2019	71.90	207^th	787	73.7%
2021	66.15	273^rd	783	65.1%
2022	70.83	228^th	799	71.5%
2023	66.13	278^th	787	64.7%
2024	76.57	157^th	809	80.6%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at United South Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	53.05	435^th	779	44.2%
2019	59.51	378^th	798	52.6%
2021	65.21	279^th	784	64.4%
2022	62.03	319^th	808	60.5%
2023	49.61	444^th	799	44.4%
2024	57.35	381^st	826	53.9%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at United South Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	60.94	71^st	220	67.7%
2019	71.28	42^nd	219	80.8%
2023	72.35	38^th	214	82.2%
2024	85.77	19^th	249	92.4%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at United South Central Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	50.27	375^th	712	47.3%
2019	56.28	322^nd	722	55.4%
2021	54.93	304^th	710	57.2%
2022	54.04	342^nd	725	52.8%
2023	38.67	474^th	712	33.4%
2024	51.33	353^rd	730	51.6%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Minnesota Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for United South Central Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1994	240	1	2	22	4	n/a	n/a	0	269
1995	227	1	5	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	249
1996	227	1	5	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	249
1997	226	1	5	19	1	n/a	n/a	0	252
1998	223	0	5	17	1	n/a	n/a	20	266
1999	239	0	3	14	2	n/a	n/a	0	258
2000	333	2	4	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	354
2001	289	3	8	31	1	n/a	n/a	0	332
2002	257	3	3	36	0	n/a	n/a	0	299
2003	257	3	3	36	0	n/a	n/a	0	299
2004	262	5	1	36	0	n/a	n/a	0	304
2005	282	4	1	35	0	n/a	n/a	0	322
2006	251	3	4	33	0	n/a	n/a	0	291
2007	220	1	4	38	0	n/a	n/a	0	263
2008	250	2	3	42	1	n/a	n/a	0	298
2009	305	2	6	56	1	n/a	n/a	0	370
2010	289	2	5	62	0	n/a	n/a	0	358
2011	252	1	0	68	0	0	8	0	329
2012	229	0	0	60	0	0	12	0	301
2013	260	0	0	58	0	0	14	0	332
2014	265	0	0	52	0	0	14	0	331
2015	291	0	0	61	0	0	13	0	365
2016	285	0	0	58	0	0	13	0	356
2017	308	5	1	63	0	0	14	0	391
2018	321	3	3	63	0	0	17	0	407
2019	344	5	2	57	0	0	19	0	427
2020	345	5	1	60	0	0	25	0	436
2021	340	2	3	61	0	0	22	0	428
2022	336	2	1	67	0	0	19	0	425
2023	355	2	1	67	1	0	19	0	445
2024	355	0	0	77	0	0	17	0	449

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at United South Central Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1994	269	17.7	15.2	31.6
1995	249	18.1	13.8	24.5
1996	249	18.1	13.8	24.5
1997	252	18.5	13.6	26.6
1998	266	n/a	0.0	29.7
1999	258	20.0	12.9	24.4
2000	354	28.5	12.4	40.7
2001	332	27.1	12.3	50.3
2002	299	27.3	11.0	50.8
2003	299	27.3	11.0	50.8
2004	304	23.7	12.8	49.3
2005	322	24.1	13.4	45.7
2006	291	22.5	12.9	51.9
2007	263	22.4	11.7	55.5
2008	298	22.9	13.0	54
2009	370	28.4	13.0	45.9
2010	358	27.2	13.1	52
2011	329	26.7	12.2	51.1
2012	301	26.8	11.1	48.2
2013	332	29.3	11.3	53.9
2014	331	29.7	11.1	48.9
2015	365	29.0	12.5	53.2
2016	356	30.0	11.8	52.5
2017	391	27.9	13.9	52.9
2018	407	29.7	13.7	52.6
2019	427	31.2	13.6	50.1
2020	436	29.1	14.9	50.5
2021	428	30.0	14.2	38.6
2022	425	30.8	13.7	40.2
2023	445	31.1	14.2	55.3
2024	449	32.8	13.6	50.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio United South Central Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1994	269	17.7	15.2	31.6
1995	249	18.1	13.8	24.5
1996	249	18.1	13.8	24.5
1997	252	18.5	13.6	26.6
1998	266	n/a	0.0	29.7
1999	258	20.0	12.9	24.4
2000	354	28.5	12.4	40.7
2001	332	27.1	12.3	50.3
2002	299	27.3	11.0	50.8
2003	299	27.3	11.0	50.8
2004	304	23.7	12.8	49.3
2005	322	24.1	13.4	45.7
2006	291	22.5	12.9	51.9
2007	263	22.4	11.7	55.5
2008	298	22.9	13.0	54
2009	370	28.4	13.0	45.9
2010	358	27.2	13.1	52
2011	329	26.7	12.2	51.1
2012	301	26.8	11.1	48.2
2013	332	29.3	11.3	53.9
2014	331	29.7	11.1	48.9
2015	365	29.0	12.5	53.2
2016	356	30.0	11.8	52.5
2017	391	27.9	13.9	52.9
2018	407	29.7	13.7	52.6
2019	427	31.2	13.6	50.1
2020	436	29.1	14.9	50.5
2021	428	30.0	14.2	38.6
2022	425	30.8	13.7	40.2
2023	445	31.1	14.2	55.3
2024	449	32.8	13.6	50.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for United South Central Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$12,465

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on United South Central Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 292^nd of 870 Elementary schools	Ranks 371^st of 845 Elementary schools	10.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (United South Central Elementary)	90	76.7	13.3%
3rd Grade Math (United South Central Schools)	90	76.7	13.3%
3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)	65.6	59.1	6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (United South Central Elementary)	58	50	8%
3rd Grade Reading (United South Central Schools)	58	50	8%
3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)	54.6	47.4	7.2%
4th Grade Math (United South Central Elementary)	76.7	70.4	6.3%
4th Grade Math (United South Central Schools)	76.7	70.4	6.3%
4th Grade Math (Minnesota)	63.9	57.1	6.8%
4th Grade Reading (United South Central Elementary)	61.7	40.7	20.9%
4th Grade Reading (United South Central Schools)	61.7	40.7	20.9%
4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	55.4	48.4	7.1%
5th Grade Math (United South Central Elementary)	54.4	50.9	3.5%
5th Grade Math (United South Central Schools)	54.4	50.9	3.5%
5th Grade Math (Minnesota)	52	44.4	7.6%
5th Grade Reading (United South Central Elementary)	71.7	62.7	9%
5th Grade Reading (United South Central Schools)	71.7	62.7	9%
5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	65.8	58.7	7%
5th Grade Science (United South Central Elementary)	60.9	39.7	21.2%
5th Grade Science (United South Central Schools)	60.9	39.7	21.2%
5th Grade Science (Minnesota)	54.9	48.4	6.5%
6th Grade Math (United South Central Elementary)	42.6	31.6	11%
6th Grade Math (United South Central Schools)	42.6	31.6	11%
6th Grade Math (Minnesota)	50.5	39.7	10.8%
6th Grade Reading (United South Central Elementary)	68.9	52.6	16.2%
6th Grade Reading (United South Central Schools)	68.9	52.6	16.2%
6th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	62.8	53.4	9.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	427	445	4.2%
African American	5	2	60%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	2	1	50%
Hispanic	57	67	17.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	344	355	3.2%
Two or More Races	19	19
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	50.1%	55.3%	5.2%

Schools Near United South Central Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCA-III Math (2024)					MCA-III Reading (2024)					MCA-III Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCA-III Math 3rd Grade	MCA-III Math 4th Grade	MCA-III Math 5th Grade	MCA-III Math 6th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	MCA-III Reading 3rd Grade	MCA-III Reading 4th Grade	MCA-III Reading 5th Grade	MCA-III Reading 6th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	MCA-III Science 5th Grade	MCA-III Science All Grades	Total
United South Central Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	600 11th St. SW	Wells	56097	Faribault County	United South Central Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(507) 553-5810	449	33	13.6	50.8%	355 (79.1%)	0 (0.0%)	77 (17.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.8%)	70.3	253^rd of 881 public elementary schools	71.3%		59.6	371^st of 845 public elementary schools	56.1%	118	73.1	79.1	57.4	32.8	58.6	53.9	76.7	51.9	60.7	60.0	50.0	50.0	$12,465
Alden-Conger Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	215 N Broadway	Alden	56009	Freeborn County	Alden-Conger Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(507) 874-3240	235	19	12.1	37.9%	210 (89.4%)	2 (0.9%)	11 (4.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.7%)	48	516^th of 881 public elementary schools	41.4%		50.1	484^th of 845 public elementary schools	42.7%	32	55.2	58.3	30.6	21.6	40.6	42.9	36.1	60.0	54.1	48.5	48.6	48.6	$10,670
First Step Alden	Public	PK	215 N. Broadway Ave	Alden	56009	Freeborn County	Southern Mn Education Consortium	No	No	No	No	(507) 857-1160	5	0			5 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Maple River Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	801 Central Ave S	Mapleton	56065	Blue Earth County	Maple River School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(507) 524-3918	419	29	14.6	44.2%	365 (87.1%)	4 (1.0%)	26 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (5.5%)	72.4	231^st of 881 public elementary schools	73.8%					(n/a)	73.5	66.2	56.9		65.4	44.1	51.5	63.9		53.4	65.3	65.3
Ecse	Public	PK	801 Central Ave S	Mapleton	56065	Blue Earth County	Maple River School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(507) 524-3918	27	0		70.4%	23 (85.2%)	1 (3.7%)	2 (7.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.7%)								(n/a)
Sibley Elementary	Public	K-5	1501 W Front St	Albert Lea	56007	Freeborn County	Albert Lea Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(507) 379-5080	273	20	13.7	66.7%	143 (52.4%)	8 (2.9%)	56 (20.5%)	51 (18.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (5.5%)	29.9	655^th of 881 public elementary schools	25.7%		43	550^th of 845 public elementary schools	34.9%	105	22.2	37.2	26.4		28.8	19.4	27.9	59.3		38.4	40.7	40.7	$11,409
Lakeview Elementary	Public	K-5	902 Abbott St	Albert Lea	56007	Freeborn County	Albert Lea Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(507) 379-5020	412	27	15.3	56.3%	257 (62.4%)	9 (2.2%)	100 (24.3%)	25 (6.1%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.9%)	54.9	436^th of 881 public elementary schools	50.5%		48.2	504^th of 845 public elementary schools	40.4%	68	68.7	57.4	34.9		53.7	50.8	49.3	51.6		50.5	37.9	37.9	$14,996
Brookside Early Childhood Sp Educational	Public	PK	211 West Richway Dr	Albert Lea	56007	Freeborn County	Albert Lea Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 379-4822	74	8	8.9	41.9%	51 (68.9%)	3 (4.1%)	12 (16.2%)	6 (8.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.7%)								(n/a)													$34,874
Blue Earth Area Early Childhood Spe	Public	PK	315 E 6th St	Blue Earth	56013	Faribault County	Blue Earth Area School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 526-3188	10	0		70.0%	4 (40.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (60.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)													$5,035
Blue Earth Area Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	315 E 6th St	Blue Earth	56013	Faribault County	Blue Earth Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(507) 526-3090	512	33	15.3	48.0%	380 (74.2%)	6 (1.2%)	110 (21.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.7%)	37.2	599^th of 881 public elementary schools	32.0%		27.6	638^th of 845 public elementary schools	24.5%	39	62.8	50.0	24.7		45.2	42.3	31.6	47.6		40.8	27.9	27.9	$11,825

United South Central Elementary

United South Central Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

United South Central Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for United South Central Elementary

Rank History for all students at United South Central Elementary

Rank History for Special Education students at United South Central Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at United South Central Elementary

Rank History for Female students at United South Central Elementary

Rank History for Male students at United South Central Elementary

Rank History for Hispanic students at United South Central Elementary

Rank History for White students at United South Central Elementary

Enrollment information for United South Central Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at United South Central Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio United South Central Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for United South Central Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on United South Central Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near United South Central Elementary

Frequently Asked Questions about United South Central Elementary

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