West Central Area S. Elementary

Q: Is West Central Area S. Elementary a good school?

West Central Area S. Elementary ranks 583 rd of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

West Central Area S. Elementary is a public elementary school in Kensington, Minnesota, serving 130 students in grades PK-4 as part of the Glacial Hills Elementary district.

The school has a predominantly white student population, with 88.46% of students identifying as white. Academically, West Central Area S. Elementary has shown mixed performance, with proficiency rates in MCA-III Math and Reading below the state averages. However, the school's 3rd and 4th-grade Math proficiency rates were higher than the state. The school's student-teacher ratio is relatively low, ranging from 7.7 to 9.3 over the past three years, which is lower than many nearby schools. The school's statewide ranking has fluctuated, ranging from 94th out of 848 Minnesota elementary schools in 2015-2016 to 583rd out of 881 in 2023-2024, suggesting inconsistent performance compared to other schools.

When compared to nearby elementary schools, such as Minnewaska Area Elementary, Voyager Elementary, and Garfield Elementary, West Central Area S. Elementary generally performs below average in academic proficiency, with the exception of 3rd and 4th-grade Math. The school also faces challenges with a growing population of economically disadvantaged students, with the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch increasing from 25.83% in 2020-2021 to 43.85% in 2022-2023.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

31 N Central
Kensington, MN 56343-0170

(320) 965-7600

District: West Central Area

SchoolDigger Rank:
583^rd of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,376

Students who attend West Central Area S. Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	WCA Middle School
High:	West Central Area Secondary

Student/teacher ratio: 8.4

Number of students: 125

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.4%

Hispanic:

7.2%

African American:

2.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 43.2%

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Compare West Central Area S. Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details West Central Area S. Elementary ranks worse than 66.2% of elementary schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 40.17. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (90.4%), Hispanic (7.2%), African American (2.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 43.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at West Central Area S. Elementary is 8.4. (See more...)

Compare West Central Area S. Elementary employs 14.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at West Central Area S. Elementary is $14,376.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

West Central Area S. Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks West Central Area S. Elementary 583^rd of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See West Central Area S. Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

White students:

West Central Area:

SchoolDigger ranks West Central Area 153^rd of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for West Central Area S. Elementary

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Rank History for all students at West Central Area S. Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2003	60.66	292^nd	674	56.7%
2004	44.27	460^th	676	32.0%
2005	76.38	110^th	685	83.9%
2006	63.57	288^th	756	61.9%
2007	62.54	302^nd	777	61.1%
2008	67.90	237^th	781	69.7%
2010	82.89	45^th	803	94.4%
2011	61.72	363^rd	814	55.4%
2012	80.44	84^th	820	89.8%
2013	43.96	551^st	824	33.1%
2014	56.39	424^th	826	48.7%
2015	70.82	247^th	840	70.6%
2016	81.60	94^th	848	88.9%
2017	66.51	315^th	853	63.1%
2018	50.65	490^th	847	42.1%
2019	58.52	427^th	870	50.9%
2021	61.46	352^nd	869	59.5%
2022	62.54	348^th	858	59.4%
2023	61.86	348^th	845	58.8%
2024	40.17	583^rd	881	33.8%

See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at West Central Area S. Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	59.56	296^th	740	60.0%

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

Rank History for Female students at West Central Area S. Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	35.45	580^th	774	25.1%
2019	53.64	448^th	787	43.1%
2022	58.92	367^th	799	54.1%
2023	61.56	325^th	787	58.7%
2024	42.56	517^th	809	36.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at West Central Area S. Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	59.93	373^rd	798	53.3%

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

Rank History for White students at West Central Area S. Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	35.90	532^nd	712	25.3%
2019	53.65	346^th	722	52.1%
2021	43.47	432^nd	710	39.2%
2022	40.96	464^th	725	36.0%
2023	42.20	436^th	712	38.8%
2024	12.68	694^th	730	4.9%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for West Central Area S. Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1995	195	0	1	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	198
1996	195	0	1	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	198
1998	181	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	6	189
1999	178	3	2	1	3	n/a	n/a	0	187
2000	169	3	2	1	3	n/a	n/a	0	178
2001	167	4	2	1	3	n/a	n/a	0	177
2002	155	2	1	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	161
2003	155	2	1	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	161
2004	142	2	2	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	148
2005	147	2	1	7	2	n/a	n/a	0	159
2006	154	5	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	162
2007	148	3	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	154
2008	156	4	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	161
2009	165	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	166
2010	124	1	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	127
2011	125	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	127
2012	140	2	0	3	0	0	0	0	145
2013	129	3	0	4	0	0	1	0	137
2014	145	3	0	7	0	0	0	0	155
2015	143	1	0	14	0	0	1	0	159
2016	123	1	0	17	0	0	1	0	142
2017	113	5	0	14	0	0	1	0	133
2018	121	2	0	11	0	0	4	0	138
2019	118	3	0	11	1	0	3	0	136
2020	123	1	0	10	0	0	5	0	139
2021	110	2	0	6	1	0	1	0	120
2022	114	2	0	6	0	0	2	0	124
2023	115	3	0	9	0	0	3	0	130
2024	113	3	0	9	0	0	0	0	125

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 West Central Area S. Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	198	14.0	14.1	22.7
1996	198	14.0	14.1	22.7
1998	189	n/a	0.0	18
1999	187	16.2	11.5	18.2
2000	178	13.9	12.8	24.7
2001	177	13.1	13.5	36.7
2002	161	12.8	12.6	41
2003	161	12.8	12.6	41
2004	148	11.5	12.9	39.2
2005	159	10.0	15.9	45.3
2006	162	11.7	13.8	46.9
2007	154	11.5	13.4	44.8
2008	161	11.8	13.6	47.2
2009	166	11.8	14.1	42.8
2010	127	8.5	14.9	45.7
2011	127	9.3	13.5	55.9
2012	145	10.2	14.1	53.8
2013	137	11.2	12.1	50.4
2014	155	11.6	13.2	48.4
2015	159	13.0	12.2	43.4
2016	142	13.0	10.9	38.7
2017	133	13.6	9.7	39.1
2018	138	15.9	8.6	40.6
2019	136	13.9	9.7	47.1
2020	139	14.9	9.3	41.7
2021	120	15.4	7.7	25.8
2022	124	14.9	8.3	26.6
2023	130	13.8	9.3	43.8
2024	125	14.8	8.4	43.2

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 West Central Area S. Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	198	14.0	14.1	22.7
1996	198	14.0	14.1	22.7
1998	189	n/a	0.0	18
1999	187	16.2	11.5	18.2
2000	178	13.9	12.8	24.7
2001	177	13.1	13.5	36.7
2002	161	12.8	12.6	41
2003	161	12.8	12.6	41
2004	148	11.5	12.9	39.2
2005	159	10.0	15.9	45.3
2006	162	11.7	13.8	46.9
2007	154	11.5	13.4	44.8
2008	161	11.8	13.6	47.2
2009	166	11.8	14.1	42.8
2010	127	8.5	14.9	45.7
2011	127	9.3	13.5	55.9
2012	145	10.2	14.1	53.8
2013	137	11.2	12.1	50.4
2014	155	11.6	13.2	48.4
2015	159	13.0	12.2	43.4
2016	142	13.0	10.9	38.7
2017	133	13.6	9.7	39.1
2018	138	15.9	8.6	40.6
2019	136	13.9	9.7	47.1
2020	139	14.9	9.3	41.7
2021	120	15.4	7.7	25.8
2022	124	14.9	8.3	26.6
2023	130	13.8	9.3	43.8
2024	125	14.8	8.4	43.2

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 West Central Area S. Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$14,376

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on West Central Area S. 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 427^th of 870 Elementary schools	Ranks 348^th of 845 Elementary schools	7.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (West Central Area S. Elementary)	62.1	59.1	3%
3rd Grade Math (West Central Area)	67.9	70.6	2.7%
3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)	65.6	59.1	6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (West Central Area S. Elementary)	62.1	45.5	16.6%
3rd Grade Reading (West Central Area)	62.5	54.4	8.1%
3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)	54.6	47.4	7.2%
4th Grade Math (West Central Area S. Elementary)	64	65	1%
4th Grade Math (West Central Area)	75.8	70.3	5.5%
4th Grade Math (Minnesota)	63.9	57.1	6.8%
4th Grade Reading (West Central Area S. Elementary)	56	55	1%
4th Grade Reading (West Central Area)	69.4	58.5	10.9%
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	136	130	4.4%
African American	3	3
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	11	9	18.2%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	118	115	2.5%
Two or More Races	3	3
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	47.1%	43.8%	3.2%

Schools Near West Central Area S. 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
West Central Area S. Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	31 N Central	Kensington	56343	Douglas County	West Central Area	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 965-7600	125	15	8.4	43.2%	113 (90.4%)	3 (2.4%)	9 (7.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40.2	583^rd of 881 public elementary schools	33.8%		61.9	348^th of 845 public elementary schools	58.8%	235	56.3	44.4			52.0	40.6	27.8			36.0			$14,376
Brandon Elementary	Public	PK, KG-1	206 W 3rd St	Brandon	56315	Douglas County	Brandon-Evansville Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 834-4084	111	10	11.0	41.4%	104 (93.7%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (4.5%)								(n/a)													$10,500
Glacial Hills Elementary	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	610 W 6th St	Starbuck	56381	Pope County	Glacial Hills Elementary	Yes	No	No	Yes	(320) 244-3334	99	11	9.0	59.6%	94 (94.9%)	1 (1.0%)	3 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.0%)	45.6	540^th of 881 public elementary schools	38.7%		51.2	470^th of 845 public elementary schools	44.4%	70	26.7	60.0	18.8		32.7	33.3	50.0	56.3		46.9	75.0	75.0	$14,783
Garfield Elementary	Public	K-5	303 Sanstead St E	Garfield	56332	Douglas County	Alexandria Public School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 762-3350	124	11	11.8	21.8%	121 (97.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.6%)	82.6	116^th of 881 public elementary schools	86.8%		80.6	131^st of 845 public elementary schools	84.5%	15	83.3	84.2	61.1		76.4	50.0	68.4	70.6		63.0	55.6	55.6	$12,682
Evansville Elementary	Public	2-5	123 2nd Ave	Evansville	56326	Douglas County	Brandon-Evansville Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 834-4084	158	9	17.1	38.6%	147 (93.0%)	2 (1.3%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (5.1%)	77	171^st of 881 public elementary schools	80.6%		77.8	167^th of 845 public elementary schools	80.2%	4	73.5	80.0	57.6		71.0	55.9	65.0	57.6		59.8	50.0	50.0	$11,068
Lincoln Elementary	Public	K-5	1120 Lark St	Alexandria	56308	Douglas County	Alexandria Public School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 762-3320	478	32	14.9	39.3%	416 (87.0%)	4 (0.8%)	24 (5.0%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.1%)	69.6	260^th of 881 public elementary schools	70.5%		77.9	166^th of 845 public elementary schools	80.4%	94	71.2	70.7	54.3		65.1	56.9	59.2	55.6		57.2	42.2	42.2	$11,098
Lakes Country Academy - ALEX	Public	K-6	524 Willow Drive	Alexandria	56308	Douglas County	Region 4-Lakes Country Service Coop	No	No	No	No	(218) 739-3273	7	2	3.0		5 (71.4%)	1 (14.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (14.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Morris Area Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	151 S Columbia Ave	Morris	56267	Stevens County	Morris Area Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 589-1250	575	41	14.0	36.3%	377 (65.6%)	5 (0.9%)	162 (28.2%)	4 (0.7%)	13 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.4%)	74.9	201^st of 881 public elementary schools	77.2%		70.2	249^th of 845 public elementary schools	70.5%	48	73.4	50.7	52.7	54.3	57.9	65.8	52.0	67.6	72.8	64.6	51.4	51.4	$10,897
Midwest Special Education County-op	Public	PK	203 S Columbia Ave	Morris	56267	Stevens County	Midwest Special Education County-op	No	No	No	No	(320) 589-4248	14	1	11.6	57.1%	12 (85.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (14.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Woodland Elementary School	Public	K-5	1410 McKay Ave S Ste #101	Alexandria	56308	Douglas County	Alexandria Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 762-3300	416	32	12.9	46.2%	349 (83.9%)	2 (0.5%)	31 (7.5%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	29 (7.0%)	48.8	505^th of 881 public elementary schools	42.7%		62.6	337^th of 845 public elementary schools	60.1%	168	54.0	71.8	37.4		53.5	38.5	54.9	48.8		47.7	28.9	28.9	$11,322

Frequently Asked Questions about West Central Area S. Elementary

What is the racial makeup of West Central Area S. Elementary?

Students at West Central Area S. Elementary are 90% White, 7% Hispanic, 2% African American.

What schools do graduates of West Central Area S. Elementary attend?

Students who attend West Central Area S. Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : WCA Middle School
High : West Central Area Secondary

What district is West Central Area S. Elementary in?

West Central Area

How many students attend West Central Area S. Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 125 students attended West Central Area S. Elementary.

Is West Central Area S. Elementary a good school?

West Central Area S. Elementary ranks 583^rd of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate West Central Area S. Elementary!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Minnesota Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.