Best Elementary Schools in Austin, MN

The city of Austin, Minnesota is home to 5 elementary schools that are part of the Austin Public School District, which is ranked 399 out of 446 school districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. These schools serve students from kindergarten through 5th grade and provide a range of academic and extracurricular opportunities.

Among the elementary schools, Southgate Elementary stands out as the highest-performing, ranking 648 out of 872 Minnesota elementary schools in 2024-2025 and having higher proficiency rates in both math and reading compared to the district and state averages. In contrast, Sumner Elementary has the lowest proficiency rates, significantly below the district and state averages. The schools generally have high percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 62.83% at Southgate Elementary to 76.25% at Sumner Elementary, indicating a significant level of economic disadvantage among the student populations.

The student-teacher ratios in the schools are generally lower than the state average, ranging from 12.5 at Southgate Elementary to 17 at Woodson Kindergarten Center, which could suggest smaller class sizes and more individualized attention for students. However, the overall low performance of the schools compared to the state averages, with the exception of Southgate Elementary, suggests that the Austin Public School District may need to implement targeted interventions and strategies to improve academic outcomes for its students.