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#1554 of 1,992 schools in MN

Cowern Elementary

Elementary School · North St. Paul-maplewood Oakdale · North Saint Paul, MN

A North St. Paul-maplewood Oakdale elementary school where students score 14 points above what's typical for similar communities.

2131 N MARGARET ST, North Saint Paul, MN 55109

  • Math 42% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 42% proficient (2022)
  • 11.3:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.6Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-2.67 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics7.4Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency42% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency42% (2022 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency42% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)28% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected+14.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile62th
Resources & Environment8.1Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.3:1
District spending per student$16,478
Chronic Absenteeism31%

Students at Cowern Elementary score 42% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 28%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MN average.

Math Proficiency42%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency42%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 13 points since 2019, to 42% in 2022, across a 14-year record (2009–2022).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
72%
ELA
71%
2010
Math
79%
ELA
79%
2011
Math
80%
ELA
75%
2012
Math
71%
ELA
49%
2013
Math
69%
ELA
54%
2014
Math
66%
ELA
58%
2015
Math
69%
ELA
54%
2016
Math
62%
ELA
58%
2017
Math
59%
ELA
56%
2018
Math
59%
ELA
50%
2019
Math
59%
ELA
50%
2020*
Math
37%
ELA
37%
2021*
Math
37%
ELA
37%
2022
Math
42%
ELA
42%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 62% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 55% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from MN state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

73.3%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Cowern Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Minneapolis map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 63Somewhat Walkable
  • Bike 46Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Low197/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$81,759

Median home value

$291,200

Median rent

$1,316/mo

College educated

30.7%

Homeownership

65.1%

Poverty rate

10.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 55109; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
North Metro Flex AcademyCharter · enrollment unverified3.4K–60.6 mi150Compare →
Justice Alan Page Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.7PK–50.7 mi830Compare →
Richardson ElementaryEnrollment path unverified3.5PK–51.0 mi658Compare →
Christ Lutheran SchoolPrivate · tuition5.9privatePK–81.1 mi112Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

North St. Paul-maplewood Oakdale

Schools in district
23
Rank in district
#9 of 15
District spending per student
$16,478NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
9.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Cowern Elementary is listed in North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Cowern Elementary

Cowern Elementary is a public elementary school in North Saint Paul, MN, part of North St. Paul-maplewood Oakdale, serving approximately 397 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 11.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.1 out of 10 and ranks #1,554 of 1,992 schools in MN.

State assessment records show 62% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 55% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Cowern Elementary

What grades does Cowern Elementary serve?

Cowern Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Cowern Elementary?

Cowern Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 397 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Cowern Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Cowern Elementary is 11.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Cowern Elementary rank in MN?

Cowern Elementary ranks #1,554 of 1,992 schools in MN.

What is Cowern Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Cowern Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.1 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Cowern Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Cowern Elementary has 62% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 55% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Cowern Elementary a charter school?

No, Cowern Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Cowern Elementary a Title I school?

No, Cowern Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Cowern Elementary?

73.3% of students at Cowern Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
397
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
35
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Ramsey County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
31.0%
Area population (ZIP 55109)
34,266
Area average commute
23.3 min
Area median age
36.8
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 55109; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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