INDEPENDENCE ELEMENTARY

www.biglakeschools.org

660 Students

Elementary School 3rd - 5th

School Overview

Independence Elementary, located at 701 Minnesota Avenue in Big Lake, Minnesota, serves as a key educational institution within the Big Lake School District (ISD 727). The school is dedicated to fostering a supportive and engaging learning environment for students in the primary grade levels, focusing on building foundational academic skills while promoting social and emotional development. As part of the Big Lake community, the school emphasizes a partnership between educators, families, and the local area to ensure that each student has the resources necessary to succeed in a changing academic landscape.

The school’s curriculum is designed to meet the diverse needs of its student body, often integrating modern instructional practices with traditional learning objectives to prepare children for their future educational journey. By maintaining a focus on core subjects—such as literacy, mathematics, and science—alongside extracurricular opportunities, Independence Elementary strives to create a well-rounded school culture. Parents and community members can stay informed about specific programs, school calendars, and district-wide initiatives by visiting their official website at http://www.biglake.k12.mn.us.

660

Total Students

42.1

Full-Time Teachers

15.7

Student/Teacher Ratio

40.6%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for INDEPENDENCE ELEMENTARY
Demographic	Student Count
White	512
Hispanic	51
Black	37
Asian	11
Two or More	44
American Indian	5

White
512 (77.6 %)
Hispanic
51 (7.7 %)
Two or More
44 (6.7 %)
Black
37 (5.6 %)
Asian
11 (1.7 %)
American Indian
5 (0.8 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	BIG LAKE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
Phone:	(763)262-2537
Website:	http://www.biglakeschools.org
Grade Range:	3rd - 5th
Total Students:	660
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	42.1
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	15.7
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes participating without using any Provision or the CEO
Qualified Free Lunch:	221
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	47

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 3 225

Grade 4 218

Grade 5 217