The top reported proficiency rate is 83% in Math. The lowest is 37% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Concord Elementary
Concord Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade and sits within the Edina Public School District, a first-ring suburban system southwest of Minneapolis that serves a largely built-out, high-cost community. The school’s enrollment is large for an elementary, with roughly a full class at each grade level. The student population is predominantly white, with smaller shares of students who identify as two or more races, Hispanic, black, and Asian. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a number that places Concord among the more economically homogenous elementary schools in the district and region.
Academic performance is a clear strength. On Minnesota’s state assessments, the school’s students posted high proficiency rates in reading and math across grades three through five. In third-grade reading, the large majority of students met or exceeded the standard, and fourth- and fifth-grade reading results were similarly strong. Math proficiency was especially high in third grade and remained solid in fourth and fifth grades. The school’s overall proficiency index, which combines results across all tested subjects and grades, places it in the top quartile among elementary schools in Hennepin County. That is a meaningful comparison, given that Hennepin County includes both the city of Minneapolis and many of its affluent suburbs. Science results in fifth grade were lower than the reading and math scores, a pattern that is not unusual for elementary schools in the state but is one a parent may want to discuss with the school to understand how science instruction is structured.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Chronic absenteeism data was also not available in the source materials. Likewise, the civil rights data—discipline, staffing, course access—was not included, so a complete picture of school climate and resource allocation is harder to draw. A parent interested in those areas would need to follow up directly with the school or district.
Concord’s location in Edina places it in a community with high housing costs. The typical home in the area is valued substantially above the national median, and rents have risen in recent years. The community’s median household income is well above the national figure, and a majority of adults hold a college degree. These economic conditions are consistent with the academic profile of the school: a student body whose family resources and educational background tend to support strong test performance.
The district itself has made several noteworthy changes in the last couple of years. Starting in the 2024-25 school year, the elementary day was extended by roughly half an hour, adding dedicated time for science, social studies, and intervention. Start times moved earlier, to 7:50 a.m., which is a practical consideration for families arranging morning routines. The district also approved budget reductions tied to the expiration of federal pandemic aid and ongoing enrollment decline, and it raised its property tax levy. These fiscal pressures are worth noting because they can affect class sizes, program breadth, and staffing over time. The district also launched a full-time virtual high school option, though that does not directly affect Concord’s elementary program.
Concord’s peer environment reflects the surrounding community’s demographics and income profile. Families considering the school should weigh its strong academic record against the high cost of housing in the area and the district’s recent budget constraints. The school appears to serve its students well on the measures that are publicly reported, particularly in reading and math, but the gaps in available data—especially around student support populations and school climate—leave some questions unanswered.
See more original research from School Decision →