The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in English language arts. The lowest is 31% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Franklin Elementary
Franklin Elementary, a regular public school in Anoka, Minnesota, is no longer open. It was part of the Anoka-Hennepin School District, one of the state’s largest, and its operational status is listed as closed. For a parent or resident looking into this building today, the school’s story is a closed chapter, but the last available academic data and the community it sat within still offer a picture of what it was.
The most recent state testing results come from the school year that ended in 2023, covering grades three through five. Those results were mixed. In reading, about half of third graders met the state’s proficiency standard, while fourth graders were below that level and fifth graders landed somewhere in the middle. In math, third and fourth graders showed roughly half proficient, but fifth grade math was a noticeable soft spot, with only a share of students reaching proficiency. Science in fifth grade also came in low. A parent looking at these results for the school’s final years would see uneven performance, with some bright spots in the early grades and clear challenges as students moved up, especially in math at the upper elementary level.
Because the school served only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate, no college or career pathway data, and no advanced course offerings to consider. Enrollment and demographic figures, including the share of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals, are not available in the record, so it is not possible to describe the student body or the level of economic need in the building. The school was not a charter or magnet and had no Title I status reported in the data.
Franklin Elementary was located in Anoka, the county seat of Anoka County and a northern suburb of the Twin Cities. Anoka has a traditional downtown along Main Street near the Rum River, with historic residential neighborhoods and a small-town feel that the city highlights with its claim as the Halloween Capital of the World. The city blends that identity with suburban commuter patterns; most residents drive to work, and the area is served by major highways. Population growth has been modest in recent years, and the city is largely built out as an older suburb. Downtown has shops and civic buildings, and institutions like Anoka Technical College and Anoka-Ramsey Community College are nearby, but the school itself was on a separate campus, not in the downtown core.
Housing in the Anoka area is relatively expensive. Home values sit above both the state and national medians, and rents are also elevated compared to national averages. The cost of a mortgage in the current interest-rate environment makes buying more expensive than renting, and the rent-to-income ratio suggests housing costs take up a sizable share of a typical household’s income. For families looking at the area, the housing market reflects a built-out suburb with limited new construction, and the cost of entry is noticeable.
The Anoka-Hennepin School District, which Franklin Elementary belonged to, is large and covers multiple communities. No major parent-relevant changes, such as referenda, curriculum shifts, or budget adjustments, were found in recent publicly reported information, so the district context appears stable on the surface.
For a parent reading this today, Franklin Elementary is a closed building with a limited data footprint. The academic results from its final years show a school where early elementary performance was reasonable in reading and math, but where later grades struggled, particularly in math and science. Without enrollment or demographic data, and without information on programs or support services, it is hard to draw a fuller picture of the student experience. The school is no longer operating, so any decision about a child’s education would focus on the other elementary schools in Anoka or the surrounding area. The housing and community context of Anoka itself remains relevant, as it defines the broader environment a family would move into, with its established neighborhoods, moderate growth, and a housing market that is priced above the national median.
See more original research from School Decision →