Island Lake Elementary, Shoreview MN

Original Research by School Decision on Island Lake Elementary

Island Lake Elementary sits in Shoreview, a second-ring suburb north of Saint Paul that the city itself describes as set within a natural landscape of lakes and open spaces. The school is part of the Mounds View Public School District and serves grades one through five. The enrollment is large for an elementary building, and the student body is predominantly White with notable Asian, two-or-more-races, Black, and Hispanic shares. The share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch is relatively low, a reflection of the community’s overall affluence. The housing market in Shoreview is expensive, with home values that have been rising and monthly rents that are high; the area is well above national benchmarks.

On state assessments, Island Lake Elementary delivers results that are strong by almost any measure. Math proficiency rates are high across the tested grades, with the lowest grade still showing a solid majority of students meeting standards. Reading proficiency shows a wider range. The third- and fourth-grade reading results are more moderate, but the fifth-grade reading rate is very strong. Fifth-grade science proficiency is more moderate, though the assessment itself underwent changes that make direct comparison with prior years uncertain. Looking across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index places it among the top quarter of elementary schools in Ramsey County, a cohort of more than forty schools. This is a clear strength.

The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. Its grade span means there is no graduation rate to report. Data on discipline, staffing, chronic absenteeism, and special education or English learner populations were not available in the source material, so a parent may want to discuss those topics directly with the school. Budget information from the district level is relevant context.

The Mounds View district has been managing enrollment pressure. As recently as the 2024-2025 school year, the board approved limited nonresident K-5 open enrollment options, partially reversing a policy that had closed all schools to outside students due to growing resident enrollment. At the same time, the district made budget reductions in staffing, professional development, and operations, citing inflation and inadequate state funding. In November 2024, voters passed two operating levy questions: a renewal with no tax increase and a new levy adding revenue for social-emotional support, academic support, and maintaining class sizes, with a modest property tax increase on a median-value home.

Shoreview itself is a car-oriented community with extensive parks, trails, and lakes. There is no traditional downtown; commercial activity runs along highway corridors. The city’s population grew rapidly through the mid-to-late twentieth century and has since slowed. Civic anchors include the community center and a large park system. Major employers include Land O’Lakes, and the city promotes a business community in banking, manufacturing, and technology.

For a family considering Island Lake Elementary, the picture is one of a high-performing suburban school in an expensive housing market. The academic results are a central strength, and the district has recent voter support for school funding. The enrollment context is one of growth rather than decline, which carries its own set of pressures. A parent may want to ask the school about class sizes, support structures for the students who are not yet at proficiency, and the specific programs or approaches that underpin the math and reading results.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 374%

School 74% · District 66% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 40 pts above county median

Grade 471%

School 71% · District 64% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 44 pts above county median

Grade 562%

School 62% · District 54% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 42 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 354%

School 54% · District 52% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Grade 454%

School 54% · District 52% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

Grade 575%

School 75% · District 61% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 35 pts above county median

Science

Grade 545%

School 45% · District 34% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

This schoolMOUNDS VIEW 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 3Lower-income27%Higher-income61%34 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income25%Higher-income60%35 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income46%Higher-income81%35 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income35%Higher-income84%49 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income32%Higher-income79%47 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income29%Higher-income68%39 pp gap