Woodland Elementary School, Alexandria MN

Original Research by School Decision on Woodland Elementary School

Woodland Elementary School is a conventional K–5 public school in Alexandria, a regional micropolitan hub in west-central Minnesota’s lake country. The school serves a mid-sized enrollment and sits within the Alexandria Public School District, which spans the city and surrounding area. Alexandria functions as the county seat and a commercial and medical center, with manufacturing and healthcare anchoring its economy. The community is projected to grow, and its chain of lakes draws seasonal visitors and residents alike. Housing values in the area are roughly in line with state norms, making the market accessible relative to more expensive parts of Minnesota.

The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Hispanic students and students identifying with two or more races. Just under half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, giving the school a noticeably mixed-income profile. That economic diversity is a straightforward characteristic of the school, neither an advantage nor a disadvantage in itself, but a fact for families to weigh alongside academic considerations.

On the Minnesota state assessments administered in the 2024–25 school year, Woodland’s results varied by subject and grade. In math, proficiency rates were within a range that in some grades reached around the halfway mark, while in one grade they fell somewhat below that. Reading proficiency showed a wider spread, with one grade level performing substantially lower than others. Science, tested only in fifth grade, came in at a rate below both math and reading at that grade. When all tested subjects and grades are combined into a single proficiency index, the school’s standing placed it in the bottom quartile of the small set of Douglas County districts that reported test data. This comparison is limited to three districts, so the position is informative but narrow. The low index points to a soft spot in overall academic mastery, particularly in reading and science, and a parent may want to ask the school what targeted supports are in place for students who are not yet meeting standards.

No data was available on the share of students receiving special education services or classified as English learners, so the school’s approach to these populations cannot be assessed from the information on hand. Discipline, staffing ratios, and chronic absenteeism also were not reported. Because Woodland serves only kindergarten through fifth grade, there is no graduation rate to consider.

The district has submitted a Capital Project Levy proposal, a publicly reported move that signals ongoing planning around facility needs and enrollment. That referendum, if approved, would affect property taxes and school infrastructure. It is the only parent-relevant change noted in available district materials.

Woodland Elementary fits families who want a standard elementary program in a stable micropolitan setting with a mix of incomes. The test results suggest that the school has room to improve its academic outcomes, and the bottom-quartile county ranking may give a parent pause if high achievement is the priority. For those who value economic diversity and a community anchored by lakes and a regional economy, the school offers a straightforward neighborhood option within a district that is actively planning for its future.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 351%

School 51% · District 63% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

Grade 457%

School 57% · District 75% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▲ 6 pts above state median

Grade 543%

School 43% · District 56% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▲ 8 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 349%

School 49% · District 53% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 435%

School 35% · District 55% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median

Grade 546%

School 46% · District 54% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median

Science

Grade 527%

School 27% · District 28% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

This schoolALEXANDRIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income32%Higher-income61%28 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income25%Higher-income43%18 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income39%Higher-income50%11 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income58%Higher-income74%16 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income43%Higher-income56%13 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income47%Higher-income67%20 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income29%Higher-income52%24 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income63%Higher-income86%23 pp gap