The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in English language arts. The lowest is 16% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Cook County Middle
Cook County Middle serves grades six through eight in Grand Marais, a small harbor town on Lake Superior’s North Shore that is the county seat of Cook County and the only municipality in the county. The town is a mix of residential and tourism-commercial life, with a strong arts presence anchored by the Grand Marais Art Colony and the North House Folk School. It also functions as a gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The school itself is a regular public middle school, part of the Cook County Public Schools district.
The student body is small, as one would expect in a remote North Shore community. The school serves grades six through eight, and the enrollment reflects the area’s demographics: a majority of students are white, with a notable share of American Indian or Alaska Native students and a smaller share of students who identify as two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source materials.
State assessment results for the most recent school year show a mixed picture. In English language arts, proficiency rates across grades six, seven, and eight clustered in the low-to-mid forties, meaning roughly two out of five students met the state standard. In math, proficiency rates were lower, in the mid-teens across all three grades. In eighth-grade science, the proficiency rate was also in the mid-teens. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages results across tested subjects and grades, placed it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Cook County. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand the academic support and intervention strategies in place.
Because the school serves only middle grades, there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism was also not available. The school is a regular public school and is not a charter or magnet school. Information on Title I status was not provided.
The school sits within the Cook County Public Schools district. A search for recent district-level changes or initiatives turned up little of lasting impact, so no district-wide developments are noted here.
Grand Marais itself is a small, stable community. Its population has held steady in recent years. The town is a tourism and arts hub on Lake Superior, with the Grand Marais Art Colony and the North House Folk School as long-standing cultural anchors. The downtown is compact and walkable, centered on the harbor. Housing values in the area are above the national median, and the local economy is driven by tourism, county government, and the arts. A significant downtown fire in 2020 destroyed several buildings, but the town’s role as a gateway to the Boundary Waters and the Gunflint Trail remains central to its identity.
For a family considering Cook County Middle, the school offers a small, rural setting in a community with a strong sense of place and outdoor recreation. The academic picture is one where a parent will want to engage directly with the school about math and science support, as proficiency rates in those subjects are well below the state average. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages results across tested subjects and grades, placed it in the bottom quartile among the four districts in Cook County. The school’s small size means students receive a lot of individual attention, but the academic numbers suggest that many students are not meeting state benchmarks, particularly in math and science. A parent considering this school should ask about the specific interventions and supports available for students who are below grade level.
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