Is Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary a good school?

Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary ranks 650 th of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 464 students attended Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary?

Students at Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary are 86% White, 7% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 1% African American.

What schools do graduates of Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary attend?

Students who attend Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Wadena-Deer Creek 5th And 6th Grade High : Wadena-Deer Creek Senior High

Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Summary:

Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary is a public elementary school serving 449 students in grades PK-4 in Wadena, Minnesota. The school is part of the Wadena-Deer Creek School District, which is ranked 221 out of 463 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary has a predominantly white student population, ranging from 85.3% to 89.86% over the past 3 years, which is higher than nearby schools like Henning Elementary (91.07%) and Verndale Elementary (91.63%). However, the school has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Minnesota elementary schools, ranging from 293 to 662 out of 826 to 881 schools over the past 10 years, and its SchoolDigger rating has been low, ranging from 1 to 3 stars out of 5. In comparison, nearby schools like Henning Elementary and New York Mills Elementary have higher rankings and ratings.

Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary's proficiency rates in MCA-III Math and Reading assessments are generally lower than the state and district averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rate in MCA-III Math for all grades was 45.28%, compared to the state average of 45.47% and the district average of 38.49%. In MCA-III Reading for all grades, Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary's proficiency rate was 31.87%, compared to the state average of 49.85% and the district average of 42.97%. The school also faces challenges with a high percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients, ranging from 42.4% to 61.92% over the past 3 years, suggesting significant socioeconomic challenges that may impact academic performance.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

215 Colfax Ave SW
Wadena, MN 56482-0151

(218) 632-2400

District: Wadena-Deer Creek School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
650^th of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,842

Students who attend Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Wadena-Deer Creek 5th And 6th Grade
High:	Wadena-Deer Creek Senior High

Student/teacher ratio: 12.0

Number of students: 464

Racial breakdown:

White:

85.6%

Two or more races:

6.9%

Hispanic:

6.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 60.6%

See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

Compare Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary ranks worse than 73.8% of elementary schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 30.44. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (85.6%), two or more races (6.9%), Hispanic (6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 60.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary is 12. (See more...)

Compare Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary employs 38.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary is $12,842.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary 650^th of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Wadena-Deer Creek 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:

White students:

Wadena-Deer Creek School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Wadena-Deer Creek School District 221^st of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

What do you think?

Your rating for Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary?

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Rank History for Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2003	45.50	452^nd	674	32.9%
2004	42.21	478^th	676	29.3%
2005	57.50	345^th	685	49.6%
2006	62.00	308^th	756	59.3%
2007	60.22	343^rd	777	55.9%
2008	58.38	381^st	781	51.2%
2010	38.75	629^th	803	21.7%
2011	40.89	608^th	814	25.3%
2012	50.99	512^th	820	37.6%
2013	59.98	373^rd	824	54.7%
2014	66.84	293^rd	826	64.5%
2015	58.11	417^th	840	50.4%
2016	60.35	384^th	848	54.7%
2017	53.99	462^nd	853	45.8%
2018	35.63	622^nd	847	26.6%
2019	51.81	496^th	870	43.0%
2021	28.97	662^nd	869	23.8%
2022	33.09	631^st	858	26.5%
2023	44.53	535^th	845	36.7%
2024	30.44	650^th	881	26.2%

See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2019	43.20	323^rd	515	37.3%
2021	28.32	334^th	417	19.9%
2022	45.89	279^th	500	44.2%
2023	37.91	343^rd	524	34.5%
2024	16.14	523^rd	572	8.6%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	46.29	439^th	728	39.7%
2019	63.46	259^th	740	65.0%
2021	38.41	454^th	683	33.5%
2022	43.97	387^th	663	41.6%
2023	52.07	387^th	774	50.0%
2024	37.16	539^th	793	32.0%

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

Rank History for Female students at Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	36.71	574^th	774	25.8%
2019	56.88	412^th	787	47.6%
2021	27.78	615^th	783	21.5%
2022	31.23	591^st	799	26.0%
2023	41.35	520^th	787	33.9%
2024	20.91	665^th	809	17.8%

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

Rank History for Male students at Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	33.14	591^st	779	24.1%
2019	42.20	536^th	798	32.8%
2021	28.10	610^th	784	22.2%
2022	34.25	600^th	808	25.7%
2023	46.20	480^th	799	39.9%
2024	39.98	546^th	826	33.9%

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

Rank History for White students at Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	12.03	692^nd	712	2.8%
2019	28.70	598^th	722	17.2%
2021	8.14	694^th	710	2.3%
2022	15.67	680^th	725	6.2%
2023	23.45	615^th	712	13.6%
2024	10.20	702^nd	730	3.8%

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 Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1994	722	0	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	725
1995	717	2	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	722
1996	717	2	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	722
1997	748	3	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	754
1998	721	2	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	19	744
1999	759	6	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	767
2000	668	13	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	685
2001	631	10	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	645
2002	634	3	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	640
2003	634	3	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	640
2004	602	9	1	5	8	n/a	n/a	0	625
2005	598	11	2	12	2	n/a	n/a	0	625
2006	548	9	1	24	6	n/a	n/a	0	588
2007	481	8	1	15	10	n/a	n/a	0	515
2008	487	18	2	17	10	n/a	n/a	0	534
2009	461	12	5	23	18	n/a	n/a	0	519
2010	473	11	6	20	13	n/a	n/a	0	523
2011	499	8	6	19	9	0	2	0	543
2012	470	13	6	28	9	0	5	0	531
2013	356	12	5	7	3	0	11	0	394
2014	363	8	5	17	1	0	10	0	404
2015	396	9	1	13	1	0	10	0	430
2016	395	6	1	15	1	0	11	0	429
2017	389	5	0	17	0	0	18	0	429
2018	391	5	0	18	0	0	15	0	429
2019	376	2	0	15	0	0	16	0	409
2020	397	2	1	15	0	0	24	0	439
2021	390	1	2	21	2	0	18	0	434
2022	383	8	2	29	1	0	26	0	449
2023	386	5	1	27	1	0	29	0	449
2024	397	5	0	28	1	1	32	0	464

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 Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1994	725	48.7	14.9	22.3
1995	722	49.0	14.7	26.6
1996	722	49.0	14.7	26.6
1997	754	53.4	14.1	25.3
1998	744	n/a	0.0	35.3
1999	767	55.2	13.9	33.9
2000	685	55.9	12.3	49.3
2001	645	49.6	13.0	46.7
2002	640	49.9	12.8	54.4
2003	640	49.9	12.8	54.4
2004	625	46.5	13.4	53.3
2005	625	44.7	14.0	54.6
2006	588	47.1	12.5	59
2007	515	42.0	12.3	60.2
2008	534	38.0	14.1	62.7
2009	519	38.6	13.4	65.3
2010	523	38.0	13.7	63.5
2011	543	38.5	14.0	58.7
2012	531	41.0	12.9	58.9
2013	394	36.2	10.8	60.7
2014	404	36.5	11.0	61.1
2015	430	38.0	11.3	58.4
2016	429	35.0	12.2	57.1
2017	429	37.1	11.5	56.6
2018	429	37.7	11.3	60.1
2019	409	39.4	10.3	56.2
2020	439	39.9	10.9	47.2
2021	434	39.4	10.9	42.4
2022	449	37.4	11.9	43
2023	449	36.4	12.3	61.9
2024	464	38.4	12.0	60.6

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 Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1994	725	48.7	14.9	22.3
1995	722	49.0	14.7	26.6
1996	722	49.0	14.7	26.6
1997	754	53.4	14.1	25.3
1998	744	n/a	0.0	35.3
1999	767	55.2	13.9	33.9
2000	685	55.9	12.3	49.3
2001	645	49.6	13.0	46.7
2002	640	49.9	12.8	54.4
2003	640	49.9	12.8	54.4
2004	625	46.5	13.4	53.3
2005	625	44.7	14.0	54.6
2006	588	47.1	12.5	59
2007	515	42.0	12.3	60.2
2008	534	38.0	14.1	62.7
2009	519	38.6	13.4	65.3
2010	523	38.0	13.7	63.5
2011	543	38.5	14.0	58.7
2012	531	41.0	12.9	58.9
2013	394	36.2	10.8	60.7
2014	404	36.5	11.0	61.1
2015	430	38.0	11.3	58.4
2016	429	35.0	12.2	57.1
2017	429	37.1	11.5	56.6
2018	429	37.7	11.3	60.1
2019	409	39.4	10.3	56.2
2020	439	39.9	10.9	47.2
2021	434	39.4	10.9	42.4
2022	449	37.4	11.9	43
2023	449	36.4	12.3	61.9
2024	464	38.4	12.0	60.6

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 Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$12,842

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Wadena-Deer Creek 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 496^th of 870 Elementary schools	Ranks 535^th of 845 Elementary schools	6.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary)	70.1	47.1	23.1%
3rd Grade Math (Wadena-Deer Creek School District)	70.1	47.1	23.1%
3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)	65.6	59.1	6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary)	59	40	19%
3rd Grade Reading (Wadena-Deer Creek School District)	59	40	19%
3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)	54.6	47.4	7.2%
4th Grade Math (Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary)	57.5	50.7	6.9%
4th Grade Math (Wadena-Deer Creek School District)	57.5	50.7	6.9%
4th Grade Math (Minnesota)	63.9	57.1	6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary)	44.6	49.4	4.8%
4th Grade Reading (Wadena-Deer Creek School District)	44.6	49.4	4.8%
4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	55.4	48.4	7.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	409	449	9.8%
African American	2	5	150%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	15	27	80%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	376	386	2.7%
Two or More Races	16	29	81.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	56.2%	61.9%	5.7%

Schools Near Wadena-Deer Creek 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
Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	215 Colfax Ave SW	Wadena	56482	Wadena County	Wadena-Deer Creek School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 632-2400	464	38	12.0	60.6%	397 (85.6%)	5 (1.1%)	28 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	32 (6.9%)	30.4	650^th of 881 public elementary schools	26.2%		44.5	535^th of 845 public elementary schools	36.7%	115	55.8	35.4			45.3	31.6	32.1			31.9			$12,842
Early Childhood Special Education	Public	PK	2222 Industrial Drive	Wadena	56482	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	No	No	No	(218) 631-3505	60	6	9.5	65.0%	45 (75.0%)	3 (5.0%)	7 (11.7%)	1 (1.7%)	1 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (5.0%)								(n/a)
Verndale Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	411 SW Brown St	Verndale	56481	Wadena County	Verndale Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 445-5184	262	22	11.7	55.0%	241 (92.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (6.1%)	42.2	566^th of 881 public elementary schools	35.8%		31.8	619^th of 845 public elementary schools	26.7%	53	76.7	55.6	16.1	13.3	40.9	53.3	27.8	46.7	46.7	42.9	41.9	41.9	$10,713
New York Mills Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	209 N Hayes Ave	New York Mills	56567	Otter Tail County	New York Mills Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 385-4201	467	30	15.4	51.4%	440 (94.2%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.4%)	78	162^nd of 881 public elementary schools	81.6%		68.6	268^th of 845 public elementary schools	68.3%	106	72.2	79.0	61.5	45.3	65.5	59.7	57.9	62.0	57.8	59.2	63.5	63.5	$9,458
Bertha Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	310 Central Ave S	Bertha	56437	Todd County	Bertha-Hewitt Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 924-2500	292	22	13.4	53.4%	269 (92.1%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.1%)	59	385^th of 881 public elementary schools	56.3%		62.4	342^nd of 845 public elementary schools	59.5%	43	61.5	43.2	41.9	61.8	51.6	34.6	32.4	71.9	62.9	50.8	56.3	56.3	$12,003
Sebeka Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	200 1st St NW	Sebeka	56477	Wadena County	Sebeka Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 837-5101	237	22	10.9	60.8%	220 (92.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.2%)	65.6	306^th of 881 public elementary schools	65.3%		60.4	363^rd of 845 public elementary schools	57.0%	57	88.2	65.7	40.9	42.9	60.2	61.8	22.9	54.6	61.0	50.0	59.1	59.1	$12,778
Henning Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	500 School Ave	Henning	56551	Otter Tail County	Henning Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 583-2927	218	14	15.3	58.3%	203 (93.1%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.8%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.8%)	76.8	173^rd of 881 public elementary schools	80.4%		66.7	287^th of 845 public elementary schools	66.0%	114	71.0	75.8	64.3	41.9	63.3	64.5	57.6	78.6	51.6	60.6	64.3	64.3	$11,751
Staples-Motley Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	1025 4th St NE	Staples	56479	Wadena County	Staples-Motley School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 894-5400	279	26	10.6	56.6%	245 (87.8%)	1 (0.4%)	14 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.2%)	42.8	559^th of 881 public elementary schools	36.5%		34.1	607^th of 845 public elementary schools	28.2%	48	63.3	45.1			55.0	33.9	39.2			36.4			$12,285

Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Wadena-Deer Creek School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Rank History for all students at Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Rank History for Special Education students at Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Rank History for White students at Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Enrollment information for Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary