Crosslake Community Seat Based, Crosslake MN

Original Research by School Decision on Crosslake Community Seat Based

Crosslake Community Seat Based is a charter school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in the lakeside community of Crosslake, Minnesota. It is the sole school operated by the Crosslake Community Charter School district, and it draws from a town whose year-round population is modest but swells considerably during summer months due to its resort and second-home character. The school itself is small, with an enrollment that reflects a K-8 grade band, and the student body is predominantly white. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

The school's academic picture comes from state testing in the 2024-25 school year, and the results show a marked split by subject and grade level. In English language arts, proficiency rates in the lower elementary grades fall roughly in the middle range, with about half of third graders and close to half of fifth graders meeting the bar. The sixth grade posted a notably higher rate, while seventh and eighth grade reported no students proficient. In mathematics, proficiency rates are lower across the board, with third grade showing the strongest result and sixth through eighth grade showing very low rates; seventh and eighth grade reported no proficient students. Science testing in fifth grade also shows a modest proficiency rate, while the eighth grade science result was suppressed. When placed alongside other districts in Crow Wing County, the school's overall proficiency index sits in the bottom quartile. A parent considering this school will want to discuss these patterns directly with the school, particularly the drop-off in middle school grades and the low math scores. Because this is a single year of data, there is no prior year to compare for trend direction.

The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism was not available. The school operates as a regular public charter, so it has its own governance structure separate from the local public school district. Information about specialized programs, class sizes, and course offerings was not provided in the available data.

Crosslake itself is a low-density, car-dependent community built around the Whitefish Chain of Lakes, with much of its land area covered by water. The local economy is driven by tourism, hospitality, and seasonal recreation, anchored by resorts, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recreation area, and the forthcoming National Loon Center. Housing values in the area sit well above the state median, reflecting the desirability of lakeside property, though the market includes a large share of seasonal units. This combination of a high-cost housing market and a school with a significant low-income population suggests a community with economic divides between year-round residents and seasonal or second-home owners. For families who live in Crosslake year-round, the school is the local elementary and middle school option within the charter structure. Families looking for a high school pathway will need to plan for where students go after eighth grade, as this school does not extend beyond that. A parent should also note the limited data on student support services and discipline, which were not available in this profile, and ask the school directly about those areas.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 341%

School 41% · District 37% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 429%

School 29% · District 33% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Grade 533%

School 33% · District 28% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median

Grade 617%

School 17% · District 13% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 11 pts below state median

Grade 70%

School 0% · District 40% · ▼ 40 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median

Grade 80%

School 0% · District 14% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 26 pts below state median

English language arts

Grade 350%

School 50% · District 50%

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 438%

School 38% · District 36% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 547%

School 47% · District 44% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 7 pts below state median

Grade 683%

School 83% · District 67% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 37 pts above state median

Grade 70%

School 0% · District 60% · ▼ 60 pts below district

▼ 36 pts below state median

Grade 80%

School 0% · District 43% · ▼ 43 pts below district

▼ 36 pts below state median

Science

Grade 533%

School 33% · District 28% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 9 pts above state median

This schoolCROSSLAKE COMMUNITY CHARTER SCHOOL, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.