The top reported proficiency rate is 12% in English language arts. The lowest is 2% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Jenny Lind Elementary
Jenny Lind Elementary is a regular public school in Minneapolis that serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is one of the elementary schools that feed into the Minneapolis Public School District, a large urban district that is facing significant financial pressure and has recently undergone a district-wide restructuring of school pathways, attendance boundaries, and magnet programs. The district closed three schools in 2023 and entered the 2024-25 school year with a projected budget deficit that has led to staff reductions and program cuts. A family choosing Jenny Lind is doing so within a district that is actively reshaping its school landscape and managing enrollment decline.
The school itself is located in a largely residential area on the north side of Minneapolis, a major urban center that is also home to the University of Minnesota, several Fortune 500 corporate headquarters, and an extensive park system. The city is dense and walkable in its core, with public transportation via bus and light rail connecting neighborhoods to downtown and the university campus. Housing in the area around the school is notably more affordable than the state average, with typical home values and rents below Minnesota norms, which is a practical consideration for families looking at the neighborhood.
The student body is diverse. The largest demographic group is Black students, followed by Asian students, students of two or more races, and Hispanic students. White students make up a small share of the enrollment. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, signaling a high level of economic need at the school. Data on English learners and students with disabilities were not available in the records reviewed, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the support structures for these populations.
State assessment results are available for the 2024-25 school year, and they present a clear picture of low overall proficiency. In math, the share of students meeting state standards was in the single digits for each tested grade. In reading, the proficiency rates were also low, with the highest rate in any tested grade reaching roughly one out of every six students, and other grades well below that. In science, which is tested in fifth grade, the proficiency rate was very low. When compared across Hennepin County districts, Jenny Lind’s overall proficiency index sits in the bottom quartile among reporting schools. This is a school where the core academic achievement levels are a soft spot, and a parent considering Jenny Lind will want to look into what academic interventions and supports are in place and how the school is working to address these results. The record shows only a single year of assessment data, so there is no trend line available to see whether performance is improving or declining.
The school is a regular neighborhood elementary, not a charter or magnet school. No information about specific programs, course access, or staffing ratios was available in the data provided, so a family should inquire with the school about enrichment offerings, class sizes, and any specialized instruction. The absence of discipline data, attendance figures, and civil rights data means that a parent looking for patterns in school climate or equity will need to pursue that information directly from the district or state.
Jenny Lind offers the experience of a small, diverse, urban elementary school in a district undergoing notable structural change. The academic results are low, and the school will be a fit for a family that is prepared to be actively engaged in supporting their child’s learning and in understanding what the school and district are doing to raise achievement. The city of Minneapolis itself provides a rich array of cultural, recreational, and educational resources beyond the school building, but the school sits in a housing market that is more accessible than much of the state. A parent interested in Jenny Lind should plan to visit, ask about literacy and math interventions, and confirm which middle school pathway the school feeds into under the district’s current design.
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