The top reported proficiency rate is 63% in English language arts. The lowest is 19% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Cromwell-wright Elementary
Cromwell-Wright Elementary is a regular public school serving prekindergarten through sixth grade in the small rural community of Cromwell, Minnesota. The school is part of the Cromwell-Wright Public Schools district and sits along Highway 210, near the junction with Highway 73, about a mid-length drive west of Cloquet. This is a very small town in Carlton County, surrounded by lakes and outdoor trails, with a residential character and limited commercial activity. The largest local employment sectors are construction, health care and social assistance, and arts, entertainment, and recreation, though the average commute suggests most employed residents work outside the community in places like Cloquet or Duluth. The town has seen very slow population growth in recent years, and its housing values are below the state median, reflecting the area's modest economic base.
The school enrolls a small number of students. The student body is predominantly white, with a very small share of Hispanic students and a similarly small share of students identifying as two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of the community's income profile. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about how it serves those populations.
State testing results are available for the 2024-25 school year across grades three through six in math and English language arts, and for grade five in science. The proficiency picture is uneven by grade. In math, the upper elementary grades show a mix: third grade had a solid proficiency rate, fourth grade was strong, fifth grade was a soft spot, and sixth grade came in around the midpoint. In English language arts, the pattern is similar. Fourth grade was a high point, while third, fifth, and sixth grades varied, with no grade falling below half proficient. In science, only fifth graders are tested, and the proficiency rate there was low; a parent may want to look into this further with the school. Because state assessment changes were flagged for science, the results may not be directly comparable to prior years. Overall, when combining all tested subjects and grades, the school's proficiency index places it in the top quartile among districts in Carlton County. That is a genuinely strong standing for a small rural elementary school.
The school serves PK through sixth grade, so there is no graduation rate to report. That metric is simply not applicable here, as the elementary school does not have a graduating cohort. There are no high school course access offerings or program listings available in the data, and no information was found on chronic absenteeism or discipline. A parent looking for the full picture on student support and school climate will need to reach out to the school for those details.
The district itself has few publicly reported recent changes. No referendum, property tax shift, or district-wide curriculum change surfaced in available sources. For a small rural district, stability is the likely story. The school building and the high school share the campus, which is within or near the compact town center where City Hall, Memorial Park, and other civic anchors are located. The town's website describes its school as consistently ranking well, though that claim is not independently verified in the data here.
This is a school that fits a family looking for a small, rural elementary setting with a strong peer proficiency record relative to the surrounding county. The community is car-dependent, quiet, and slow-growing. Housing is more affordable than the state average. The academic picture has real strengths in the early tested grades and drops off in fifth-grade math and science, which a parent may want to understand better before enrolling.
See more original research from School Decision →