Matoska International, White Bear Lake MN

Original Research by School Decision on Matoska International

Matoska International is a regular public elementary school in White Bear Lake, serving kindergarten through fifth grade. It operates as part of the White Bear Lake Area School District, one of nine elementary sites within a system that also includes two middle schools and two high school buildings. The school is not a charter or magnet, and its Title I status was not specified in the data.

White Bear Lake is an established lakeside suburb roughly twenty miles north of downtown Minneapolis and Saint Paul, with a walkable downtown core, a weekly summer market, and year-round recreation centered on the lake. The city is largely built out, with a population that has been stable to slightly declining. Home values in the area sit somewhat above the Minnesota median, while rents are typical for the region. The lake itself is a central feature of community life, and a longstanding concern over water levels has been a focus of local policy discussion. No major new housing developments were identified, reinforcing the sense of a mature, settled suburb.

Academically, Matoska International performs well relative to other elementary schools in Ramsey County. Recent state testing results place the school’s overall proficiency across math, reading, and science in the top quarter of the county’s districts. Reading proficiency rises notably by fifth grade, while math proficiency is strongest in fourth grade and softer in third and fifth. Science proficiency for fifth graders is lower than the school’s averages in math and reading, and a parent may want to ask the school about science curriculum and support given that the state assessment changed that year.

Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate, and chronic absenteeism data was not available. Multi-year trends are not yet reportable because only a single year of data was included.

The student body is moderate in size for a K-5 school. A majority of students are white, with smaller but significant shares of Asian, Black, Hispanic, and multiracial students. Roughly a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a moderate level of economic diversity. Data on students with Individualized Education Programs and English learner enrollment was not provided; families who need that information should contact the school directly.

Matoska International is a neighborhood elementary school with above-average academic performance in a stable suburban community that retains a distinct small-town identity. It fits families seeking a traditional public school grounded in strong core academics within a district that serves the broader White Bear Lake area. The academic profile is solid, with a clear strength in reading by the upper elementary years and room for inquiry in science.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 356%

School 56% · District 59% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 468%

School 68% · District 62% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 41 pts above county median

Grade 554%

School 54% · District 48% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 347%

School 47% · District 49% · ▼ 2 pts below district

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

Grade 457%

School 57% · District 51% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Grade 576%

School 76% · District 67% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 22 pts above state median · ▲ 36 pts above county median

Science

Grade 530%

School 30% · District 26% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

This schoolWHITE BEAR LAKE 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-income42%Higher-income49%8 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income38%Higher-income66%28 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income68%Higher-income78%9 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income38%Higher-income62%25 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income32%Higher-income83%51 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income45%Higher-income56%11 pp gap