Rice Elementary

Rice Elementary is an elementary-level community of moderately sized scale in RICE, Minnesota, run under Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools, works with 357 students in grades pre-K through 5.

Rice Elementary is one of 6 schools operated by Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools, a district that hosts 4,331 students overall.

In terms of who attends, Rice Elementary reports that 92% of students identify as White, making the school strongly White-majority. The remainder is composed of 4% multiracial, 3% Hispanic.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Rice Elementary has 28 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 12.8:1. The state averages around 13.7:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Around 33% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Rice Elementary tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 47.1% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 41.7%.

In the surrounding community, census data for Benton County shows median household earnings sit near $74,410, about 26% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Benton County runs 16 public schools (combined enrollment of about 6,680 students), of which Rice Elementary is one.

The closest other public school is ROYALTON MIDDLE SCHOOL, roughly 5.9 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a ten-mile radius, suggesting a relatively low-density school footprint. Among the 7 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Rice Elementary ranks 5th on composite proficiency, behind the local average of 49.2%.

The campus sits in a rural setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Rice Elementary's enrollment has expanded 3% since 2018, when it stood at 345 (now 357). Class-load math has tightened: from 16.4:1 in 2018 to 12.8:1 in 2025.

On this page, recent activity here tends to focus on sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.