The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in Math. The lowest is 15% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Menahga Elementary
Menahga Elementary sits within the Menahga Public School District and serves students from prekindergarten through sixth grade. The school is a regular public elementary school and is not a charter or magnet institution. It serves the small lake-country town of Menahga in Wadena County, a predominantly white, rural community with a strong Finnish-American cultural identity and a population that has grown only very slowly over recent decades. The town’s economy is modest, with the school district and city government among the notable local employers, and many residents likely commute to nearby towns like Wadena or Park Rapids for work. Housing values in the area are well below national and state benchmarks, and the typical monthly mortgage is correspondingly lower, reflecting the region’s affordability.
The student body is large enough to fill regular classrooms across each elementary grade, and the school draws almost entirely from the local community. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school is serving a population with significant economic need. Information on special education and English learner enrollment was not available from state data.
On state assessments, the school’s performance across tested subjects and grades places it in the top quarter of the small cohort of districts in Wadena County, according to a proficiency index that averages the rates for math, reading, and science. This is a relative strength within the local context, though a closer look at the numbers shows notable variation by grade and subject. In math, proficiency rates ranged from modest in grades four and five to stronger in grades three and six. In English language arts, there was again variation: third and fifth grades posted higher results, while fourth and sixth grades fell to lower levels. Science results for fifth graders were very low, though the state changed its science assessment in the same year, which makes direct comparison to prior years unreliable. A parent may want to ask the school how it supports science learning across the elementary years.
Because Menahga Elementary serves only grades PK through 6, there is no high school data and no graduation rate to report. This is not a missing metric in the weakness sense, but a function of the grade span the school covers. The data available shows single-year results from the 2024-25 assessment cycle, so no multi-year trend can be discussed here.
The student composition is overwhelmingly white, with a small share of students identifying as two or more races and a very small number identifying as Hispanic or other race categories. This demographic profile is consistent with the surrounding community.
No information was available on discipline rates, chronic absenteeism, staffing ratios, or course access, so these areas cannot be assessed from the provided data. A family interested in the school’s climate or student support systems would need to follow up directly with the school.
The school is integrated into the fabric of Menahga rather than set apart on a distant campus. The town’s layout is typical of rural Minnesota, with businesses and civic buildings stretched along the main highways and limited walkability. The closest public library is likely in a neighboring community, and no public transit serves the town. Seasonal tourism centered on Spirit Lake, Memorial Park, and the St. Urho statue brings some visitor activity but does not transform the town’s quiet character.
For families considering this school, the picture is one of a locally strong elementary in an affordable, slow-growing rural community. The academic results sit at the higher end of the county spectrum, particularly in some grades and subjects, though the very low science proficiency in a single tested grade is a soft spot worth exploring. The school serves a student body with notable economic need, and the absence of data on attendance, discipline, and staffing means a parent cannot fully evaluate school climate from public records alone. The school is a straightforward fit for a family already living in or moving to the Menahga area and seeking a neighborhood elementary that performs well relative to its immediate peers.
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