Pioneer Elementary, Pierz MN - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Pioneer Elementary

Pioneer Elementary is the sole elementary school in the Pierz Public School District, serving students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in the small central Minnesota town of Pierz. The town itself functions as a neighborhood center for surrounding agricultural communities like Genola, Buckman, Harding, and Lastrup, with a mile-long Main Street of small businesses and a strong German Catholic heritage. The school system is a significant presence relative to the town’s population, and the school building is integrated into the town center rather than set apart on a separate campus.

The school enrolls a student body that is overwhelmingly white, with a small number of students who identify as two or more races and very small numbers of American Indian, Black, and Hispanic students. 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; a parent may want to ask the school about these supports directly if they are a concern.

On state testing, Pioneer Elementary students performed at levels that place the school’s overall proficiency index in the top quartile when compared to other districts in Morrison County. In math, a strong majority of students in each tested grade met proficiency standards, with the share reaching into the mid-range in the later elementary grades. In reading, most students in each grade also met proficiency standards, though the results showed some variation from grade to grade. Science results, which are tested only in fifth grade, came in lower than the math and reading marks, a soft spot a parent may want to ask the school about for more context. Because state assessment data was available for only a single school year, no trend can be determined. This is an elementary school, so there is no graduation rate to report.

Housing in Pierz is moderately priced relative to national benchmarks, with typical home values close to the statewide average. The community has experienced modest population growth in recent years, and the city describes itself as attracting a growing number of young families alongside a large senior population. The local economy remains agriculture-oriented, supplemented by Main Street retail and public-sector employment through the city’s own police, fire, and utility operations. Thielen’s Meat Market is a well-known local business.

Because the school serves only pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, there are no high-school-level programs such as Advanced Placement or career pathways to evaluate. The school does not have a charter or magnet status. Title I status was not reported. Disciplinary data, attendance data, and staffing ratios were also not available in the provided information, so a parent should look to the district for these details if they are priorities.

For a family considering Pierz, Pioneer Elementary presents as a strong-performing school in a small, stable town with a clear agricultural and Catholic heritage. The local housing market is accessible relative to the state, and the school’s academic results on math and reading tests are comfortably above the county average. The lower science proficiency in fifth grade and the absence of key civil-rights and staffing data are the main reasons a parent might want to schedule a direct conversation with the school before enrolling.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 384%

School 84% · District 84%

▲ 29 pts above state median

Grade 477%

School 77% · District 77%

▲ 26 pts above state median

Grade 573%

School 73% · District 73%

▲ 37 pts above state median

Grade 664%

School 64% · District 64%

▲ 37 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 365%

School 65% · District 65%

▲ 24 pts above state median

Grade 465%

School 65% · District 65%

▲ 24 pts above state median

Grade 576%

School 76% · District 76%

▲ 22 pts above state median

Grade 663%

School 63% · District 63%

▲ 17 pts above state median

Science

Grade 534%

School 34% · District 34%

▲ 9 pts above state median

This schoolPIERZ 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-income62%Higher-income67%6 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income52%Higher-income71%19 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income68%Higher-income79%11 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income52%Higher-income68%16 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income65%Higher-income94%29 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income70%Higher-income80%9 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income68%Higher-income75%7 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income48%Higher-income71%23 pp gap