Vaughan-Steffensrud Elementary

Vaughan-Steffensrud Elementary is an elementary-level community of intimate scale in CHISHOLM, Minnesota, overseen by CHISHOLM PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, hosting 207 students in grades pre-K through 3. Enrollment runs roughly 40% smaller than the state mean of about 344.

Within CHISHOLM PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, which oversees 3 schools and 640 students, Vaughan-Steffensrud Elementary is one campus in the system.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Vaughan-Steffensrud Elementary records that nearly all students (84%) are White. Other groups include 9% multiracial, 5% Hispanic.

On the income-and-resources front, Staff filings list 16 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 12.7:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 13.7:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Around 65% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. By comparison, St. Louis County runs at roughly 40%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully above the surrounding baseline.

With demographic context factored in, Vaughan-Steffensrud Elementary sits in the top 10% of Minnesota schools after the BeatsExpectations adjustment. Predicted proficiency for the school's FRL share is roughly 30.3%; actual is 44.4%, +14.2 points clear of the demographic baseline.

In the surrounding community, the surrounding county (St. Louis County) reports that median household earnings sit near $70,069, roughly 34% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Vaughan-Steffensrud Elementary is one of 100 public schools in St. Louis County (combined enrollment of about 23,921 students).

The closest other public school is CHISHOLM ELEMENTARY, roughly 1.0 miles away. Within five miles, there are 2 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Vaughan-Steffensrud Elementary at 3rd of 6; the average score across the group is 39.2%.

The campus sits in a rural setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count declined 6%: 221 students in 2018 compared to 207 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 91% to 84% across the same window.

In the discussion threads here, 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.