Is North Branch Area High School a good school?

North Branch Area High School ranks 349 th of 480 Minnesota high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend North Branch Area High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 815 students attended North Branch Area High School.

What is the racial makeup of North Branch Area High School?

Students at North Branch Area High School are 84% White, 6% Asian, 5% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 1% African American.

What schools feed into North Branch Area High School?

North Branch Area High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Sunrise River Elementary School Middle : North Branch Area Middle School

North Branch Area High School

Summary:

North Branch Area High School is a public high school serving 781 students in grades 9-12 in North Branch, Minnesota, which is part of the North Branch Area Public Schools district.

The school faces several challenges, including a predominantly white student population (85.15% compared to the state average of 49.85%), consistently underperforming academic results on standardized tests like the MCA-III exams (only 14.18% of 11th-graders were proficient in Math versus the state average of 34.99%), and fluctuating graduation rates ranging from 82.7% to 88.5% in recent years. Additionally, the school has seen a significant increase in the percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, from 13.45% to 31.75%, indicating a growing population of students from low-income families. Compared to nearby schools like Chisago Lakes Senior High, North Branch Area High School generally underperforms on academic measures.

The school's declining statewide ranking, from 131st out of 489 Minnesota high schools in 2016-2017 to 349th out of 480 in 2023-2024, suggests a relative decline in performance compared to other schools in the state. The school also faces performance disparities among different student subgroups, with Hispanic students ranking 16th out of 145 Minnesota high schools in Math, while Asian and White students ranked much lower. The nearby Distance Learning Academy Secondary, a virtual school in the same district, has also struggled academically, with lower test scores and graduation rates than North Branch Area High School.

Detail:

Public 9-12

38175 Grand Ave
North Branch, MN 55056-0370

(651) 674-1500

District: North Branch Area Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
349^th of 480 Minnesota High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,321

Feeder schools for North Branch Area High School:

Elementary:	Sunrise River Elementary School
Middle:	North Branch Area Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 20.2

Number of students: 815

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.3%

Asian:

5.5%

Hispanic:

4.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 30.2%

See top rated Minnesota high schools

Compare North Branch Area High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details North Branch Area High School ranks worse than 72.7% of high schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 31.49. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at North Branch Area High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details North Branch Area High School has the largest high school student body size in the North Branch Area Public Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (84.3%), Asian (5.5%), Hispanic (4.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 30.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the North Branch Area Public Schools District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at North Branch Area High School is 20.2. 1 high schools in the North Branch Area Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare North Branch Area High School employs 40.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at North Branch Area High School is $12,321, which is the highest among 3 high schools in the North Branch Area Public Schools District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

North Branch Area High School:

SchoolDigger ranks North Branch Area High School 349^th of 480 Minnesota public high schools. (See North Branch Area High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

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Your rating for North Branch Area High School?

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Rank History for North Branch Area High School

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Rank History for all students at North Branch Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2004	59.81	264^th	433	39.0%
2005	55.53	305^th	452	32.5%
2006	46.05	306^th	450	32.0%
2007	57.47	241^st	463	47.9%
2008	60.62	229^th	460	50.2%
2009	66.52	97^th	234	58.5%
2010	79.28	64^th	540	88.1%
2011	75.74	98^th	545	82.0%
2012	73.02	140^th	539	74.0%
2013	75.19	96^th	534	82.0%
2014	62.87	206^th	483	57.3%
2015	63.07	207^th	504	58.9%
2016	67.34	171^st	489	65.0%
2017	73.73	131^st	489	73.2%
2018	55.16	263^rd	494	46.8%
2019	46.47	300^th	492	39.0%
2021	42.24	281^st	428	34.3%
2022	58.77	210^th	472	55.5%
2023	29.49	364^th	476	23.5%
2024	31.49	349^th	480	27.3%

See the entire list of Minnesota High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at North Branch Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	43.95	115^th	195	41.0%
2019	50.63	105^th	220	52.3%
2021	13.42	162^nd	173	6.4%
2022	26.27	178^th	214	16.8%
2023	41.72	132^nd	216	38.9%
2024	10.37	210^th	221	5.0%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at North Branch Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	53.22	187^th	374	50.0%
2019	28.31	281^st	370	24.1%
2021	41.43	171^st	270	36.7%
2022	49.00	159^th	312	49.0%
2023	27.96	303^rd	393	22.9%
2024	18.23	346^th	389	11.1%

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

Rank History for Female students at North Branch Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	50.51	233^rd	395	41.0%
2019	38.73	277^th	401	30.9%
2021	42.50	225^th	339	33.6%
2022	55.58	191^st	388	50.8%
2023	31.32	302^nd	396	23.7%
2024	37.97	272^nd	403	32.5%

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

Rank History for Male students at North Branch Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	43.80	266^th	398	33.2%
2019	38.30	285^th	411	30.7%
2021	28.72	286^th	351	18.5%
2022	50.68	210^th	403	47.9%
2023	19.35	344^th	398	13.6%
2024	17.49	356^th	405	12.1%

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

Rank History for Asian students at North Branch Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2022	5.35	67^th	68	1.5%
2023	10.84	70^th	71	1.4%
2024	15.63	69^th	78	11.5%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at North Branch Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	58.32	48^th	135	64.4%
2024	82.82	16^th	145	89.0%

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

Rank History for White students at North Branch Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	39.63	299^th	414	27.8%
2019	28.16	330^th	412	19.9%
2021	30.49	287^th	364	21.2%
2022	48.68	232^nd	401	42.1%
2023	15.24	368^th	398	7.5%
2024	15.79	357^th	402	11.2%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High 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 North Branch Area High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	733	5	3	0	3	n/a	n/a	744
1989	693	3	3	0	1	n/a	n/a	700
1990	670	3	3	0	1	n/a	n/a	677
1991	664	1	2	0	1	n/a	n/a	668
1992	696	1	3	0	1	n/a	n/a	701
1993	715	0	2	1	2	n/a	n/a	720
1994	731	0	3	1	2	n/a	n/a	737
1995	661	2	5	4	1	n/a	n/a	673
1996	661	2	5	4	1	n/a	n/a	673
1997	844	2	6	6	1	n/a	n/a	859
1998	867	5	17	8	2	n/a	n/a	899
1999	919	4	13	6	4	n/a	n/a	946
2000	935	5	16	9	2	n/a	n/a	967
2001	1046	6	16	8	2	n/a	n/a	1078
2002	1039	6	16	9	10	n/a	n/a	1080
2003	1039	6	16	9	10	n/a	n/a	1080
2004	1084	3	23	11	8	n/a	n/a	1129
2005	1079	5	25	21	10	n/a	n/a	1140
2006	1134	6	36	20	7	n/a	n/a	1203
2007	1118	11	28	22	9	n/a	n/a	1188
2008	1137	13	33	16	12	n/a	n/a	1211
2009	1075	20	21	10	9	n/a	n/a	1135
2010	1051	8	23	11	12	n/a	n/a	1105
2011	990	12	23	14	8	0	0	1047
2012	951	3	17	16	6	0	3	996
2013	938	3	11	17	5	0	3	977
2014	926	8	8	19	8	1	2	972
2015	927	7	10	18	8	0	5	975
2016	781	8	7	15	4	1	9	825
2017	792	13	14	18	3	0	8	848
2018	830	13	12	20	7	0	11	893
2019	774	14	18	22	7	0	14	849
2020	760	10	21	29	9	0	17	846
2021	605	9	13	23	3	0	18	671
2022	725	8	24	32	3	0	26	818
2023	665	11	42	36	1	0	26	781
2024	687	9	45	40	1	0	33	815

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 North Branch Area High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	744	46.2	16.1	11.3
1989	700	37.9	18.4	10.1
1990	677	35.4	19.1	8.9
1991	668	31.8	21.0	10.3
1992	701	35.5	19.7	12.1
1993	720	39.0	18.5	12.4
1994	737	37.7	19.5	12.5
1995	673	40.2	16.7	13.5
1996	673	40.2	16.7	13.5
1997	859	42.1	20.4	9.5
1998	899	n/a	0.0	9.1
1999	946	54.1	17.5	8.2
2000	967	48.1	20.1	15.8
2001	1078	52.7	20.5	13.1
2002	1080	58.3	18.5	15
2003	1080	58.3	18.5	15
2004	1129	55.8	20.2	17.2
2005	1140	52.8	21.6	16.1
2006	1203	57.5	20.9	17.2
2007	1188	59.0	20.1	21.9
2008	1211	60.8	19.9	19
2009	1135	52.5	21.6	21.9
2010	1105	46.7	23.6	26.4
2011	1047	46.7	22.3	24.5
2012	996	44.0	22.6	27.2
2013	977	43.9	22.2	26.1
2014	972	43.2	22.4	25.7
2015	975	49.0	19.8	22.9
2016	825	53.0	15.5	21.3
2017	848	47.9	17.6	21.3
2018	893	45.5	19.5	21.5
2019	849	41.3	20.5	24
2020	846	34.9	24.2	24.7
2021	671	35.8	18.7	14.3
2022	818	35.0	23.3	13.4
2023	781	36.2	21.5	31.8
2024	815	40.2	20.2	30.2

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 North Branch Area High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	744	46.2	16.1	11.3
1989	700	37.9	18.4	10.1
1990	677	35.4	19.1	8.9
1991	668	31.8	21.0	10.3
1992	701	35.5	19.7	12.1
1993	720	39.0	18.5	12.4
1994	737	37.7	19.5	12.5
1995	673	40.2	16.7	13.5
1996	673	40.2	16.7	13.5
1997	859	42.1	20.4	9.5
1998	899	n/a	0.0	9.1
1999	946	54.1	17.5	8.2
2000	967	48.1	20.1	15.8
2001	1078	52.7	20.5	13.1
2002	1080	58.3	18.5	15
2003	1080	58.3	18.5	15
2004	1129	55.8	20.2	17.2
2005	1140	52.8	21.6	16.1
2006	1203	57.5	20.9	17.2
2007	1188	59.0	20.1	21.9
2008	1211	60.8	19.9	19
2009	1135	52.5	21.6	21.9
2010	1105	46.7	23.6	26.4
2011	1047	46.7	22.3	24.5
2012	996	44.0	22.6	27.2
2013	977	43.9	22.2	26.1
2014	972	43.2	22.4	25.7
2015	975	49.0	19.8	22.9
2016	825	53.0	15.5	21.3
2017	848	47.9	17.6	21.3
2018	893	45.5	19.5	21.5
2019	849	41.3	20.5	24
2020	846	34.9	24.2	24.7
2021	671	35.8	18.7	14.3
2022	818	35.0	23.3	13.4
2023	781	36.2	21.5	31.8
2024	815	40.2	20.2	30.2

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 North Branch Area High School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$12,321

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on North Branch Area High School

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 300^th of 492 High schools	Ranks 364^th of 476 High schools	15.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade Reading (North Branch Area High School)	51.1	33.7	17.4%
10th Grade Reading (North Branch Area Public Schools)	51.3	32.2	19.1%
10th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	60.4	51.7	8.7%
11th Grade Math (North Branch Area High School)	30.3	20.8	9.6%
11th Grade Math (North Branch Area Public Schools)	30.4	18	12.3%
11th Grade Math (Minnesota)	45	36	9%
End of Course Science (North Branch Area High School)	45.9	26	19.8%
End of Course Science (North Branch Area Public Schools)	46.6	25.3	21.3%
End of Course Science (Minnesota)	54.4	41.8	12.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	849	781	8%
African American	14	11	21.4%
American Indian	7	1	85.7%
Asian	18	42	133.3%
Hispanic	22	36	63.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	774	665	14.1%
Two or More Races	14	26	85.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	24%	31.8%	7.7%

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 11th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	MCA-III Reading 10th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	MCA-III Science End of Course	MCA-III Science All Grades	Total
North Branch Area High School	Public	9-12	38175 Grand Ave	North Branch	55056	Chisago County	North Branch Area Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(651) 674-1500	815	40	20.2	30.2%	687 (84.3%)	9 (1.1%)	40 (4.9%)	45 (5.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (4.0%)	31.5	349^th of 480 public high schools	27.3%		29.5	364^th of 476 public high schools	23.5%	15	14.2	14.2	36.6	36.6	32.0	32.0	$12,321
Distance Learning Academy Secondary	Public, Virtual	6-12	38423 Lincoln Trail	North Branch	55056	Chisago County	North Branch Area Public Schools	No	No	Yes	No	(651) 674-1406	65	3	23.8	43.1%	57 (87.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.1%)	3 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (4.6%)								(n/a)		5.6		31.6		18.2	$11,081
Chisago County Schools' Life Work C	Public	9-12	38423 Lincoln Trail	North Branch	55056	Chisago County	St. Croix River Education District	No	No	No	No	(320) 358-1214	25	3	8.3	36.0%	24 (96.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Norse Area Learning Center	Public	7-12	38423 Lincoln Trail	North Branch	55056	Chisago County	North Branch Area Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(651) 674-1406	52	4	14.8	48.1%	39 (75.0%)	1 (1.9%)	4 (7.7%)	3 (5.8%)	2 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (5.8%)								(n/a)							$10,420
Wildcat Academy High School	Public	9-12	29678 Karmel Ave	Chisago City	55013	Chisago County	Chisago Lakes School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(651) 213-2000	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Trio Wolf Creek Distance Learning	Public, Virtual, Charter	9-12	10363 Liberty Ln	Chisago City	55013	Chisago County	Trio Wolf Creek Distance Learning	Yes	No	Yes	No	(651) 213-2017	185	11	16.6	36.2%	149 (80.5%)	4 (2.2%)	11 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (9.7%)	18.4	399^th of 480 public high schools	16.9%		32.1	357^th of 476 public high schools	25.0%	42	3.9	3.9	35.7	35.7			$9,913
Trio Wolf Creek Charter School	Public	9-12	10363 Liberty Lane	Chisago City	55013	Chisago County	Chisago Lakes School District	No	No	No	No	(651) 213-2017	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Chisago Lakes Senior High	Public	9-12	29400 Olinda Tr	Lindstrom	55045	Chisago County	Chisago Lakes School District	No	No	No	No	(651) 213-2500	1,048	69	15.2	26.3%	940 (89.7%)	9 (0.9%)	29 (2.8%)	19 (1.8%)	8 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (4.1%)	72.3	128^th of 480 public high schools	73.3%		81.5	69^th of 476 public high schools	85.5%	59	39.0	39.0	53.7	53.7	48.9	48.9	$12,347
Chisago Lakes High School Alt Learning Prog	Public	9-12	29400 Olinda Tr	Lindstrom	55045	Chisago County	Chisago Lakes School District	No	No	No	No	(651) 213-2500	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)							$5,735
Rum River East Education Program	Public	10-12	1730 3rd Ave NE	Cambridge	55008	Isanti County	Rum River Special Education Coop	No	No	No	No	(763) 552-6800	0	7	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

North Branch Area High School

North Branch Area High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

What do you think?

Rank History for North Branch Area High School

Rank History for all students at North Branch Area High School

Rank History for Special Education students at North Branch Area High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at North Branch Area High School

Rank History for Female students at North Branch Area High School

Rank History for Male students at North Branch Area High School

Rank History for Asian students at North Branch Area High School

Rank History for Hispanic students at North Branch Area High School

Rank History for White students at North Branch Area High School

Enrollment information for North Branch Area High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at North Branch Area High School

Student/Teacher Ratio North Branch Area High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for North Branch Area High School

Impact of COVID-19 on North Branch Area High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near North Branch Area High School

Frequently Asked Questions about North Branch Area High School

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