The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in Science. The lowest is 16% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Talahi Community Elementary
Talahi Community Elementary is a pre-kindergarten-through-third-grade public school in the St. Cloud Public School District. Because the school serves only the youngest grades, state testing results are available for only one tested grade, third grade, and there is no graduation rate to report. The school is located at 1321 University Drive SE in St. Cloud, a mid-sized regional center that sits at the junction of the Mississippi and Sauk Rivers and serves as the county seat of Stearns County. St. Cloud is a significant destination for immigrants, particularly from Somalia, and this is reflected in the school’s student body.
The enrollment is large for an elementary school serving these grade levels. The student population is predominantly Black, followed by white students, with smaller groups identified as two or more races, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is substantial, indicating a high level of economic need. This family economic context is an important factor for families to consider when they look at the school’s academic results.
On the 2024-25 state assessments, the proficiency rate in both math and reading for third graders was below the state average. When compared to other schools in Sherburne County, Talahi Community Elementary’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits in the bottom quartile of that group. There is only a single year of proficiency data available for the school, so there is no multi-year trend to assess whether these results represent a stable pattern or a figure that might change. A parent may want to discuss these results directly with the school to understand what instructional supports and interventions are in place.
The housing market in the St. Cloud area is notably more affordable than the state and national benchmarks. Rents have seen a modest recent increase, but the typical rent payment relative to income is manageable for a family earning a median income. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate and the national unemployment rate are within typical ranges for the current period.
Because the school ends at third grade, families are likely to transition their children to a different elementary or intermediate building in the district for fourth grade and beyond. The district brief for St. Cloud Area School District 742 did not turn up any recent major changes, program shifts, or boundary adjustments that were publicly documented, so a parent should contact the district or school to confirm feeder patterns and continuity.
St. Cloud itself offers a walkable downtown commercial historic district along the Mississippi River, with civic anchors including the Great River Regional Library, the Paramount Theatre, and Munsinger and Clemens Gardens. Major employers include CentraCare Health System, St. Cloud State University, the VA health care system, the school district itself, and manufacturers such as New Flyer of America. The city grew notably between the 2010 and 2020 censuses and has continued to attract new residents, making it an area of ongoing demographic change. That growth trajectory, combined with the school’s high rate of economic need and its position at the lower end of the county’s academic proficiency range, gives a picture of a school serving a rapidly diversifying community with considerable challenges and a need for strong academic support structures.
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