The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in English language arts. The lowest is 21% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Canby Elementary
Canby Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in the small rural town of Canby, located in Yellow Medicine County in western Minnesota. It is a regular public school within the Canby Public School District, and its enrollment is small, reflecting the size of the community it draws from. The student body is predominantly white, with a small share of Hispanic students and a handful of students who identify as two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
The school’s academic results come from Minnesota’s state assessments for the 2024-25 school year, and the data paints a mixed picture that varies notably by grade level and subject. In reading and language arts, students in grades three through six posted proficiency rates that were, across those grades, generally well above half, with the highest rate in fifth grade. In math, the pattern is less consistent. Fourth-grade students showed a particularly strong result, well above half proficient, while third grade was closer to that mark. However, fifth-grade and sixth-grade math proficiency dropped to lower levels, and the gaps between those grades suggest that the school’s math instruction may face challenges as students move into the upper elementary years. In science, which is tested only in fifth grade in Minnesota, the proficiency rate was notably low. It is worth noting that the science assessment underwent a name change and a cut-score change that year, so direct comparisons with prior years are not possible. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand how science instruction is structured and what supports are available.
Because Canby Elementary does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report. Chronic absenteeism data was also not available in the provided information. State testing data was present for all tested subjects and grades, and the school’s overall proficiency across subjects and grades placed it in the top quartile relative to the other districts in Yellow Medicine County, a small cohort of four districts. That top-quartile position is a strength within its local context.
The community of Canby is a quiet prairie agricultural service center with a historic downtown commercial core. The population has been in long-term decline, and the town’s character is that of a small, stable rural place with agriculture as the economic foundation. Housing values in the area are moderate, well below the state benchmark, and the cost of living is below the national average. The district itself recently approved a bond referendum to fund school security upgrades, classroom renovations, HVAC improvements, expanded Career and Technical Education facilities, and better outdoor athletic spaces. That investment signals a forward-looking approach to facilities and programming.
The school environment data—such as discipline rates, course access, and staffing ratios—was not available in the provided materials, so those dimensions cannot be described here. The school’s Title I status was also not reported.
For a family considering Canby Elementary, the academic picture is one of solid reading performance alongside uneven math results and a low science outcome at the tested grade. The small size and rural setting mean that class sizes are likely modest and the school is integrated into the fabric of a close-knit town. The district’s recent facilities investment may enhance the learning environment. The peer group is almost entirely white and predominantly from families with modest incomes. The housing market is affordable, and the community offers a slow-paced, agricultural-centered lifestyle. Parents who are concerned about the math dip in upper grades or the science result would do well to ask the school about curriculum and intervention strategies.
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