Ulen-hitterdal Secondary, Ulen MN

Original Research by School Decision on Ulen-hitterdal Secondary

Ulen-Hitterdal Secondary serves grades seven through twelve in the small agricultural town of Ulen, Minnesota, on the prairie of western Clay County. The school is the secondary arm of the Ulen-Hitterdal Public School District, which also serves the neighboring town of Hitterdal. The town itself is compact, with a strong Norwegian-American identity, an older demographic, and an economy anchored by West Central Ag Service's grain elevator, one of the largest in the state. The Agassiz Recreational Trail, a multi-use path on an abandoned railroad grade, has its southern terminus in Ulen, offering a recreational asset for families. The population has been stable over the long term, with no major growth or new housing development evident.

The school is small, serving grades seven through twelve. Its enrollment reflects the rural community it draws from, with a student body that is predominantly white. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a meaningful portion of families face economic pressure. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and serves as the secondary campus for the district.

On state assessments, the school's results show a mixed picture. In math, proficiency rates for seventh and eighth graders were below the midpoint of what is typical across the state. In English language arts, eighth graders performed at a level that was closer to the state average, while seventh graders were lower. Science results for eighth graders were very low, though the state changed the science assessment and its cut scores in recent years, which makes direct comparison to prior years difficult. The school's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades, when compared to other districts in Clay County, placed in the bottom quartile. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand the specific academic supports in place.

The school serves grades seven through twelve, so it does not have a graduation rate reported in the available data. Information on chronic absenteeism, discipline, course access, and staffing was not available. The district brief turned up little of lasting impact in terms of recent changes or strategic priorities.

For families considering Ulen-Hitterdal Secondary, the picture is one of a small, rural school in a stable agricultural community. The academic proficiency numbers are below the county median, and the science results in particular are a soft spot. The school's size means students will likely receive a lot of individual attention, but the range of course offerings and extracurriculars is not documented in the available data. The town of Ulen is compact, with a strong Norwegian heritage, an older demographic, and a quiet, event-driven social life centered on the annual Ulen Days festival. Housing values in the area are below the national median, and the local economy is anchored by agriculture and a few key employers. For a family that values a small, rural school environment and is comfortable with the academic profile, this could be a fit, but the academic data warrants a closer conversation with the school about student support and outcomes.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

>=80%Cohort of 29 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

649 schools plotted. 88 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 731%

School 31% · District 31%

▲ 6 pts above state median

Grade 837%

School 37% · District 37%

▲ 11 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 737%

School 37% · District 37%

▲ 1 pts above state median

Grade 848%

School 48% · District 48%

▲ 13 pts above state median

Science

Grade 87%

School 7% · District 7%

▼ 5 pts below state median

This schoolULEN-HITTERDAL PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST, 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 7Lower-income50%Higher-income29%21 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income33%Higher-income58%25 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 8Lower-income27%Higher-income42%15 pp gap