The top reported proficiency rate is 17% in English language arts. The lowest is 5% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Valley View Elementary
Valley View Elementary is a regular public school in Bloomington, Minnesota, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the Bloomington Public School District. With an enrollment that is substantial for an elementary school, it is one of several elementary options within a district that also offers specialized programming including a fully online K-12 academy and a career and college academy for high school students. The student body at Valley View is diverse. The largest group of students identifies as Hispanic, while Black students and White students each represent a smaller but still significant share of the population, and Asian students and students identifying with two or more races make up the remainder. A substantial share of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a community with a high concentration of lower-income households. The school has a high level of economic need relative to the district and surrounding area.
State assessment results, which are reported for grades three through five in math and English language arts, and for grade five in science, show a pattern that parents will want to investigate further. The proficiency rates across all tested grades and subjects are low. In third and fourth grade math, and third and fourth grade English language arts, the share of students meeting state standards is in the low single-digit to low double-digit range. Performance is somewhat higher in fifth grade English language arts, where roughly a quarter of students were proficient, but fifth grade science proficiency is considerably lower. Overall, the school's proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile relative to all districts across Hennepin County. This is a significant data point for any family evaluating the school. The assessment trend data shows only one year of results, so it is not possible to determine whether performance is improving, declining, or stable over time. A family considering Valley View should ask the school directly about its academic approach and any interventions or supports in place to raise student achievement.
Bloomington is a large, car-oriented suburb of Minneapolis with a mix of residential neighborhoods and major commercial development. The city is home to the Mall of America and has more jobs per capita than either Minneapolis or Saint Paul. Housing values in the area are moderate compared to national benchmarks, and rents have been rising. The city has extensive parkland and a light rail connection to downtown Minneapolis, but the built environment is suburban and not walkable. The district has introduced programs that some families may find attractive. New Code Academy is a permanent, fully online K-12 option taught by district teachers, open to any Minnesota family. The Bloomington Career and College Academy allows high school students to earn college credit while in high school. The district also runs a Computer Science Immersion program in partnership with the University of Minnesota at the elementary and middle school levels. These options exist at the district level, but at Valley View itself, no specific program offerings were reported in the available data. The school profile does not include information on discipline rates, chronic absenteeism, staffing ratios, or course access, so a parent should request those details from the school to get a fuller picture of the school environment.
Valley View Elementary is a school serving a high-poverty, diverse population within a large suburban district that offers extensive alternative programming at other grade levels. Its core academic performance on state tests is weak, particularly in math and science. A family prioritizing strong test scores or a more academically rigorous elementary environment would likely look elsewhere within Bloomington or in the broader Hennepin County area. A family that values the specific demographic makeup of the school, is comfortable with the current academic profile, and wants to engage with the school community around improvement may find it a suitable fit. Given the thinness of available data on school climate and support services, a visit and a conversation with the principal and current parents are strongly recommended.
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