The top reported proficiency rate is 38% in Math. The lowest is 29% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Hayes Elementary
Hayes Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade in the Fridley school district, a first-ring suburb of Minneapolis in Anoka County. Fridley is a community shaped by postwar suburban growth and a significant industrial and corporate presence, with major employers such as Medtronic, Target, Unity Medical Center, and Cummins operating within its borders. The city lacks a traditional downtown core; its civic and commercial landscapes are spread along highway corridors, and the overall pattern is car-dependent. The BNSF rail corridor runs through town, and the Northstar Commuter Rail line provides a connection to downtown Minneapolis.
The district itself recently completed a successful referendum. Voters approved both a renewal and increase of the operating levy, directing additional revenue toward class size reduction, student support services, and academic programs, along with a bond for facility improvements. Those improvement projects, including safety upgrades, HVAC replacements, and classroom renovations, are underway at Hayes and Stevenson elementary schools, among other buildings, with a projected completion by fall 2026. The approved measures also mean a lasting property tax increase for district residents.
Hayes Elementary enrolls students in a range typical of an elementary building for its grade band. The student body is diverse. The racial and ethnic composition shows that Black students make up the largest share of enrollment, followed by White students, with a substantial population of Hispanic students and smaller shares of Asian students, students identifying as two or more races, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a measure that indicates a high level of economic need among families served by the school. Data on the share of students with individualized education programs or who are English learners was not available, a gap that limits a full picture of student support needs.
State assessment results are available for the 2024-25 school year for both math and English language arts at grades three and four. In math, proficiency rates for both grade levels were below the midpoint of performance across Anoka County districts. In English language arts, proficiency rates were also below that same midpoint. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages results across tested subjects and grades, lands above the midpoint when compared to other districts in the county, a distinction that reflects how the metric aggregates and compares across the entire set of districts. A parent may want to inquire directly with the school about specific instructional approaches and support structures in reading and math, given these results.
Because Hayes Elementary serves only through fourth grade, there is no graduation rate to report, which is standard for a school that does not serve high school grades. The single year of test data available also means there is no multi-year trend to evaluate for improvement or decline.
For families considering this school, the context is a suburban community with a strong industrial and corporate tax base, a district that has recently invested in its facilities and programming, and an elementary school serving a highly diverse student population with significant economic need. The academic performance on state assessments is an area where the school is below the county midpoint for tested subjects, and a closer conversation with the school about its strategies for raising proficiency would be in order. Hayes is part of a district that offers an International Baccalaureate K-12 program, which may be a consideration for families looking ahead to the full pathway from elementary through high school.
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