The top reported proficiency rate is 76% in Math. The lowest is 45% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Buffalo Lake-hector-stewart Element
Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart Elementary serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade in the small rural town of Hector, Minnesota. The school is a regular public school and part of the Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart district. With an enrollment that is small for its grade band, the school draws from a community that is primarily residential and agricultural, set in Renville County. The town of Hector itself has seen a slight population decline in recent years, though median household income has risen. The school sits in a town where civic life centers on a community center, library, and public pool, and where the surrounding area is rural and auto-oriented.
The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic population and a small share of students who identify as two or more races. A significant majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a community with considerable economic need. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source materials, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.
On state assessments, the school posted strong results in math across the tested grades, with proficiency rates that were solid in third and fourth grade and somewhat lower in fifth grade. In English language arts, proficiency rates were moderate in third grade and stronger in fourth and fifth grade. Science results, which are tested only in fifth grade, were lower than the math and ELA scores, and a parent may want to look into this further with the school. The school's overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades placed it in the top quartile relative to districts in Renville County, a comparison set that includes three districts. This is a strong showing for a small elementary school in a rural county.
Because the school serves only prekindergarten through fifth grade, there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism was also not available. The school's enrollment is small, and the student body is predominantly white with a notable Hispanic population. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the community.
The district itself, Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart, did not have any recent parent-relevant changes publicly reported in the search results. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. No information on Title I status, discipline rates, course access, or staffing ratios was available in the source data, so a parent may want to follow up with the school office for those details.
For a family considering this school, the picture is of a small rural elementary with strong math proficiency and solid ELA results, serving a community with notable economic need. The school's overall academic performance, when compared to other districts in Renville County, stands out as strong. The town of Hector is a quiet, slowly shrinking rural community with basic civic amenities and no major growth pressure. A family moving here would find a small school where academic results are a clear strength relative to the local area, set in a town where life is quiet and car-dependent.
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