The top reported proficiency rate is 30% in English language arts. The lowest is 5% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Aurora Waasakone Community of Learn
Aurora Waasakone Community of Learn is a small K-8 charter district in Beltrami County, Minnesota, serving one school under the same name. Its grade band means there is no high school and therefore no graduation rate to report; state testing data is available for grades three through eight, which is typical for this range. The district is one of the county’s smaller ones by enrollment, and its student body is composed of roughly equal shares of American Indian or Alaska Native students and white students, with a small number of students who identify with two or more races and very small numbers of Asian, Hispanic, and Black students. Free or reduced-price meal data, along with data on students with IEPs and English learners, was not reported, so a family would need to ask the school directly about the share of students receiving support services.
On state assessments, performance is low overall when compared to other districts in Beltrami County. In math, proficiency rates range roughly from a small share of students in grade four to about three in ten in grade three, with the figure falling to below one in ten in grade seven and with no figure reported for grade eight because of suppression. Reading results are somewhat stronger in the middle grades. About half of the sixth graders met the state standard, and a little more than a third of seventh graders did, but the shares were much lower in grades three through five. In science, the fifth grade cohort showed a very low rate, and the eighth grade figure was suppressed. The district’s overall proficiency index, which averages results across tested subjects and grades, sits below the midpoint among the county’s districts, with the lowest score in the county also present. A parent should look into how the school supports students who are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks.
Chronic absenteeism is a meaningful concern. The district’s rate of chronic absence is above the county median and places it below the midpoint among its peers in Beltrami County. For context, the county spans a wide range on this metric, from a minority of students to a very high share, so Aurora Waasakone falls on the higher side but not at the top. A parent who values regular attendance would want to understand what the school does to address chronic absence and how the school day and year are structured.
On spending, the district’s per-pupil current expenditure is in the middle range among the county’s districts and is in the upper half of that group. This is a data point about resource deployment, but without a breakdown of where the money goes, it is not possible to say how much reaches the classroom versus operations or support services.
The district brief noted that this is a small K-8 charter school that has been open for several years. A search for recent parent-relevant changes surfaced no referendums, property-tax shifts, curriculum overhauls, or other lasting-impact items. A Farm to Table grant was reported for a coming school year and some Safe Routes to School infrastructure updates are happening, but neither was considered a structural change to how a family experiences the school.
This is a small, rural-oriented charter school serving elementary and middle grades only. The academic picture shows low proficiency on state tests in most subjects and grades, and chronic absenteeism is a point to investigate further. The student body is diverse in a particular way, with a near-balance of American Indian and white students. A family considering this school should ask about academic intervention, attendance practices, and how the school communicates about meeting state standards. The lack of reported data on free meals and special education means a direct conversation with the school would be necessary to understand the full economic and support profile of the student population.
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