The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in English language arts. The lowest is 15% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Naytahwaush Community School
Naytahwaush Community School is a small, rural K-6 district in Mahnomen County, Minnesota. It serves a student population that is almost entirely American Indian/Alaska Native. The school itself is the only school in the district, meaning every student in these elementary and middle school grades attends the same building. Because the district ends at sixth grade, there is no high school and therefore no graduation rate to report.
State testing data from the most recent school year shows a mixed picture of academic performance. In third-grade math, just over half of students met or exceeded proficiency standards, a mark that sits above the midpoint among Mahnomen County's districts for overall proficiency. However, results for other grades and subjects are much softer. Fourth-grade math had no students reaching the proficient level. Fifth-grade math proficiency was low, as was sixth-grade math. In English language arts, third-grade performance was lower, fourth-grade was lower still, fifth-grade showed a stronger result, and sixth-grade fell back again. Science testing in fifth grade was also very low. A parent may want to talk with the school about how these patterns are being addressed grade by grade. The data also indicates that the state changed the science assessment and its cut scores for this testing year, so that particular result cannot be directly compared to prior years.
The district reports a chronic absenteeism rate that is above the midpoint among the county's two districts. This is a soft spot that families may wish to discuss further with the school. Per-pupil spending is in the upper range of Mahnomen County's districts.
The district brief indicates a significant, publicly reported shift in the school's approach beginning in the 2022-23 school year. According to that information, the school partnered with the Northern Center of Excellence, set ambitious five-year academic goals, and added more staff development time and cultural activity time. The stated aim of the cultural time is to help students develop identity and self-confidence. This represents a sustained, multi-year improvement effort that directly affects how children are taught and the school's direction.
The community and economic context for Naytahwaush was not available in the data provided, so it is not possible to describe the housing market, local employment, or town character from this source.
This is a small, tight-knit district serving a predominantly Native American student body through the sixth grade. Its academic numbers are uneven, with some bright spots and several areas where proficiency is quite low. The school has recently embarked on a deliberate, multi-year academic and cultural improvement plan. For a family considering this district, the key questions are whether the school's current trajectory and approach to instruction and community identity match what they are looking for in an elementary and middle school experience.
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