Forest Lake Public School District, MN

Original Research by School Decision on Forest Lake Public School District

Forest Lake Public School District serves a broad swath of communities in eastern Minnesota, covering the city of Forest Lake and extending into surrounding towns including Hugo, Scandia, Wyoming, Lino Lakes, and parts of several others. It is a full PK-12 public district with more than a dozen school buildings, including a high school, a middle school, and several elementary schools, plus alternative and online programs. The student body is large and predominantly white, with notable shares of Asian, Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students. Information on free or reduced-price meal eligibility was not available, nor were counts of students with IEPs or English learners, so those measures of economic and support needs are not part of this picture.

Academically, the district presents a mixed profile on Minnesota's state assessments. In math, proficiency rates across grades three through eight cluster around half of students meeting the benchmark, with some grades slightly above and others slightly below that mark. Reading and language arts results are similar, with roughly half of students proficient in most grades, though fifth and sixth grade reading show somewhat stronger performance. Science results are notably lower, particularly at the eighth-grade level, where only a modest share of students reached proficiency. It is worth noting that Minnesota changed both the science assessment and its cut scores in recent years, so those results cannot be directly compared with prior years and may reflect a new, more rigorous standard rather than a decline in performance. A parent may want to ask the district how science instruction and curriculum have been adjusted in response.

When placed among Washington County's districts, Forest Lake's overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint of the county's eleven districts. The district's chronic absenteeism rate lands in the bottom quartile, meaning a substantial share of students miss a significant number of school days, a metric that families may want to look into further with the district to understand underlying causes and support efforts. On the finance side, per-pupil current spending falls in the upper half of the county's range, indicating that the district invests moderately above the typical level for the region, though these figures do not account for the recent budget pressures detailed below.

The housing market in the district's attendance zone is relatively high. Typical home values are well above the Minnesota state median, and rents are elevated as well, suggesting that the area carries a significant cost of living. This may influence the kinds of housing options available to families and the overall economic composition of the school community.

The district has undergone major operational changes in the past two years that directly affect every family. In early 2024, the school board voted to close Forest Lake Elementary at the end of the 2023-24 school year, reducing the number of elementary buildings from nine to eight. Attendance boundaries were redrawn for all elementary schools starting in 2024-25, meaning many students were reassigned to different schools regardless of where they lived before. This decision was part of a multi-million-dollar budget reduction plan for the 2024-25 school year that also involved staffing cuts and program adjustments across the district. The budget pressures trace back to two failed operating levy referendums, one in 2022 and another in November 2023, which collectively would have provided substantial additional annual revenue. The district has announced plans to place another operating levy referendum before voters in 2025. For current and prospective families, this means the district is operating in a period of financial constraint, with class sizes and program availability shaped by these cuts, and the possibility of a future levy vote that could either stabilize or further strain the budget.

Because the district serves grades PK-12, state testing data covers grades three through eight, and a graduation rate was not available in the data provided. Forest Lake offers a full range of grade levels and school types, including a community school and an online program, providing some alternative pathways. The combination of above-average housing costs, high chronic absenteeism, recent school closures, and ongoing fiscal challenges creates a complex environment. Families considering this district may want to ask about current class sizes, how redrawn boundaries have affected school communities, and what specific academic or behavioral supports exist for students who are chronically absent.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

5,763

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 6%

Black 3%

White 78%

Asian 8%

Two+ 5%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

38%

54%

Gr 4

31%

50%

Gr 5

42%

66%

Gr 6

43%

68%

Gr 7

39%

50%

Gr 8

35%

46%

Math

Gr 3

50%

69%

Gr 4

45%

60%

Gr 5

26%

56%

Gr 6

35%

54%

Gr 7

42%

60%

Gr 8

34%

53%

Science

Gr 5

15%

31%

Gr 8

13%

Schools in this District

15 schools are officially reported under this district.

Forest Lake Area Middle School

COLUMBUS ELEMENTARY

FOREST LAKE ELEMENTARY

Forest Lake Area High School

Forest View Elementary

Lino Lakes Elementary

Linwood Elementary

Scandia Elementary

Wyoming Elementary

Forest Lake Area Community School

EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION

STEP

Ranger Online

Ranger Academy

Community School Credit Recovery

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

63%

Grade 3

56%

Grade 4

47%

Grade 5

48%

Grade 6

55%

Grade 7

48%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

49%

Grade 3

45%

Grade 4

59%

Grade 5

60%

Grade 6

48%

Grade 7

43%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

26%

Grade 5

12%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$456,918

Year-over-year change+3.3%

Range across 12 ZIP codes$384K to $620K

vs. state typical1.30x

vs. national typical1.24x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (12 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
55025	Forest Lake	$438K	+3.1%	38.7%
55092	Wyoming	$396K	+2.8%	15.2%
55038	Hugo	$457K	+1.3%	11.6%
55079	Stacy	$418K	+3.8%	9.5%
55047	Marine on Saint Croix	$620K	+6.4%	9.3%
55073	Scandia	$540K	+3.5%	9.2%
55014	Circle Pines	$384K	+2.4%	3.4%
55304	Andover	$463K	+2.3%	2.1%
55005	East Bethel	$411K	+4.3%	0.6%
55013	Chisago City	$439K	+2.5%	0.2%
55011	Oak Grove	$445K	+3.9%	0.2%
55082	Stillwater	$527K	+3.7%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,794/mo

Year-over-year change+3.8%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$1,620 to $2,671/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
55025	Forest Lake	$1,620	+3.8%	38.7%
55038	Hugo	$2,232	—	11.6%
55014	Circle Pines	$1,732	—	3.4%
55304	Andover	$2,671	—	2.1%
55082	Stillwater	$2,039	+4.7%	0.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,306/mo

Home price / national median income5.5x

Annual rent / national median income25.7%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$512/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$350,891 (+2.9% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.