Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 33 schools in district

GARDEN CITY ELEMENTARY

3501 65TH AVE N, BROOKLYN CENTER, MN 55429OSSEO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
335
Students
Total enrolled
$18,446
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 29% vs nat'l
12.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 21% vs nat'l
47/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 335 students in grades PK–05 in BROOKLYN CENTER, Minnesota.
29% above average funding
District spends $18,446 per pupil, 29% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 47th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

GARDEN CITY ELEMENTARY is a mid-sized elementary in BROOKLYN CENTER, Minnesota, serving grades PK–05 with 335 students. The district invests $18,446 per student — 29% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.1:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 80% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at GARDEN CITY ELEMENTARY

335
Total Students
12.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
80%
Free Lunch
28
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution178 male · 157 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility80%
National avg 52% · 269 students
Student Composition
30%
26%
30%
Asian30%
White6%
Hispanic / Latino26%
Black30%
Multiracial7%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 272520001213

Academic Outcomes at GARDEN CITY ELEMENTARY

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
47
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 47th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 68th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 55429

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$18,446Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$18,446
State avg
$26,183
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,116
Student Support$3,505
Administration$2,214
Operations$2,767
Other$1,845
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $18,446 spent per student, an estimated $8,172 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
59%
31%
State government
59.3%
Local (property tax)
30.9%
Federal programs
9.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $18,446/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 12.1:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 80% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
FERNBROOK ELEMENTARYBASSWOOD ELEMENTARYRUSH CREEK ELEMENTARYEDINBROOK ELEMENTARY
+13 more
↓
Middle
Maple Grove Middle SchoolOsseo Middle SchoolBrooklyn Middle STEAM SchoolNorth View Middle School
+1 more
↓
High School
MAPLE GROVE SENIOR HIGHOSSEO SENIOR HIGHPARK CENTER IB WORLD SCHOOL279Online Learning Program 9-12
+3 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyHennepin County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictOSSEO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Phone: (763)561-9768
NCES ID: 272520001213
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in BROOKLYN CENTER seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in OSSEO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
High
MAPLE GROVE SENIOR HIGH
2,324 students · 09–12
● 51 opp21% FRL
High
OSSEO SENIOR HIGH
2,280 students · 09–12
● 51 opp55% FRL
High
PARK CENTER IB WORLD SCHOOL
1,908 students · 09–12
70% FRL
Mid
Maple Grove Middle School
1,598 students · 06–08
● 51 opp30% FRL
Mid
Osseo Middle School
1,155 students · 06–08
● 51 opp41% FRL
Mid
Brooklyn Middle STEAM School
978 students · 06–08
70% FRL
Elem
FERNBROOK ELEMENTARY
889 students · PK–05
● 51 opp20% FRL
Elem
BASSWOOD ELEMENTARY
865 students · PK–05
18% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
3501 65TH AVE N, BROOKLYN CENTER, MN 55429
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.