Foley Intermediate Elementary, Foley MN

Original Research by School Decision on Foley Intermediate Elementary

Foley Intermediate Elementary serves grades four through eight, a span that bridges elementary and early secondary years. It is the only school of its kind in the Foley Public School District, sitting between a primary elementary and the high school. The building sits in Foley, a small central Minnesota town that serves as Benton County’s seat and functions as a bedroom community within the St. Cloud metropolitan area. Foley’s population grew steadily for decades but appears to have plateaued in recent years, with tight housing supply reflected in low vacancy rates. Home values here are a bit below the statewide typical, making the town a relatively affordable entry point for families who work in or near St. Cloud.

Academically, this school shows a mixed picture that parents will want to examine grade by grade. On the Minnesota state assessments, math proficiency is strongest in fourth grade, where a large majority of students meet standards. By fifth and sixth grades that share drops to roughly half, and by eighth grade fewer than half of students are proficient. The pattern in English language arts is similar: a strong showing in fifth grade, but a notable drop in seventh grade before a partial rebound in eighth. Science results are the weakest: only about a quarter of fifth graders and a smaller share of eighth graders scored proficient. The science assessment changed recently, so direct comparisons to earlier years are not possible, but the current numbers are low enough that a parent may want to ask the school about science instruction and curriculum. The overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades places this school above the midpoint among Benton County’s three school districts, so relative to its immediate neighbors it holds a solid position.

The student body is overwhelmingly white, with a modest share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported, which is a gap worth noting if those supports matter to your family. The school’s grade structure means students spend five years in one building, which can provide continuity but also means a single peer cohort through a critical developmental period. No recent district changes such as referendums or major curriculum shifts were identified in publicly available sources, so the current academic trajectory appears stable.

The town itself offers a compact downtown centered on the county courthouse, with parks, a walking trail, a golf course, and a municipal pool. Major employers include county government and the school district itself. Limited public transit and a highway-oriented layout mean most errands require a car. For families who value a small-town setting with a single intermediate school serving a long stretch of grades, Foley Intermediate Elementary fits that profile. The academic data suggests that the early grades are stronger than the later ones, especially in math and science, and that the school performs respectably compared to other districts in the county. A parent considering this school would be wise to ask how the school supports students transitioning into the higher grades, particularly in eighth-grade math and science, and what interventions are available for students who fall behind during the middle years.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 471%

School 71% · District 71%

▲ 20 pts above state median

Grade 560%

School 60% · District 60%

▲ 24 pts above state median

Grade 653%

School 53% · District 53%

▲ 25 pts above state median

Grade 757%

School 57% · District 57%

▲ 32 pts above state median

Grade 843%

School 43% · District 43%

▲ 17 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 456%

School 56% · District 56%

▲ 14 pts above state median

Grade 565%

School 65% · District 65%

▲ 11 pts above state median

Grade 655%

School 55% · District 55%

▲ 9 pts above state median

Grade 745%

School 45% · District 45%

▲ 9 pts above state median

Grade 855%

School 55% · District 55%

▲ 19 pts above state median

Science

Grade 526%

School 26% · District 26%

▲ 1 pts above state median

Grade 815%

School 15% · District 15%

▲ 3 pts above state median

This schoolFOLEY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 4Lower-income52%Higher-income57%4 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income62%Higher-income66%4 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income50%Higher-income58%8 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income31%Higher-income51%19 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income37%Higher-income61%24 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income57%Higher-income76%19 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income52%Higher-income63%10 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income46%Higher-income56%10 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income47%Higher-income61%14 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income24%Higher-income49%25 pp gap