EAST CENTRAL ELEMENTARY

EAST CENTRAL ELEMENTARY is one of the mid-sized K-5 schools in FINLAYSON, Minnesota, overseen by EAST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, with 391 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 6.

EAST CENTRAL ELEMENTARY is one of 3 schools operated by EAST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, a district that serves 732 students overall.

Demographically, EAST CENTRAL ELEMENTARY lists that White students make up the majority at 76%. Beyond that, the school records 10% Native American, 8% multiracial, 5% Hispanic. That is noticeably less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 89%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Staff filings list 28 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 14.1:1 students per teacher. The state averages about 13.7:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. Roughly 49% of students at EAST CENTRAL ELEMENTARY qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), EAST CENTRAL ELEMENTARY sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 38.5%; this one delivers 40.5%.

Across the wider county, community-level numbers for Pine County indicate median household income runs about $71,146, about 17% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. Across Pine County's 21 public schools (combined enrollment of about 3,657 students), EAST CENTRAL ELEMENTARY is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: EAST CENTRAL SENIOR SECONDARY, around 0.0 miles off. Within five miles, there are 3 other public schools. Among the 6 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), EAST CENTRAL ELEMENTARY ranks 3rd on composite proficiency, ahead of the local average of 35.8%.

The campus sits in an outlying setting.

Five-year trend. EAST CENTRAL ELEMENTARY's enrollment has decreased 4% since 2018, when it stood at 407 (now 391). The White share of enrollment shrank from 87% to 76% over that span. Class-load math has fell: from 15.3:1 in 2018 to 14.1:1 in 2025.

On the community side, recent activity here tends to focus on pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Members of the school community can share what they know.