The top reported proficiency rate is 18% in English language arts. The lowest is 0% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Cross County Elementary School
Cross County Elementary School serves Stromsburg and the surrounding rural area of Polk County as a PK through 5 school in the Cross County Community Schools district. It is a regular public school with a small enrollment, serving a population that is predominantly white. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
The town of Stromsburg is a small, primarily residential rural community with a strong Swedish immigrant heritage. Its civic life centers on a historic downtown square with brick streets, a park, and a central building that reads "Välkommen." Key anchors include a Carnegie library and the Viking Center community center. The town is growing very slowly, with no major new housing or commercial developments indicated in publicly available reporting. The district itself was formed through a school consolidation between Stromsburg and Benedict, meaning the elementary school serves a combined community rather than a single town's students.
State testing data for Cross County Elementary shows a mixed picture. In the most recent year tested, the school's overall proficiency across subjects and grades placed it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Polk County. Looking at individual subjects and grades, the data reveals a specific pattern. In English language arts, fifth graders posted a proficiency rate that suggests a majority of students at that grade level met the state standard. However, in third and fourth grade ELA, as well as in math across all tested grades (three, four, and five), the reported proficiency rate was at or near zero. Science results for fifth graders were similarly at zero. These figures are striking. A parent would want to look into this further with the school to understand the specific circumstances behind these results, as they may reflect factors like a very small cohort size, assessment conditions, or recent instructional changes. The school's own multi-year trend data, covering the most recent five years, suggests that overall proficiency in both ELA and math has moved over that span, but the most recent year’s grade-level results are the more granular detail available.
The school serves only grades PK through 5, so there is no graduation rate, secondary course access data, or college and career pathway information to report. Information on special education and English learner populations was not available in the data provided, nor were attendance or discipline figures.
For a family considering Cross County Elementary, the picture is one of a small, rural school in a close-knit town with a distinct cultural identity. The elementary itself is the entry point for a consolidated district, and the academic results present a clear area for inquiry. The housing market in the area is modestly priced relative to national benchmarks, reflecting the town’s rural character and slow growth. A parent moving to the area would want to have a direct conversation with the school about the recent assessment outcomes to get a full understanding of the academic environment for their child.
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