Best Middle Schools in Austin, MN

The city of Austin, Minnesota is home to two middle schools: Ellis Middle and I.J. Holton Intermediate School. Both schools serve students in grades 6-8 and are part of the Austin Public School District, which is ranked 399 out of 446 districts in Minnesota and has a 1-star rating.

Based on the available data, neither Ellis Middle nor I.J. Holton Intermediate School appear to be standout performers. Both schools have significantly lower proficiency rates in math and reading compared to the state averages. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, Ellis Middle had 22.32% of students proficient or better in math, while I.J. Holton Intermediate School had 19.13%, both well below the state average of 45.21%. The reading proficiency rates for both schools were also lower than the state averages.

Additionally, both schools have high free and reduced lunch rates, indicating a significant population of economically disadvantaged students. Ellis Middle has a free and reduced lunch rate of 66.76%, while I.J. Holton Intermediate School has a rate of 64.14%. The student-teacher ratios at the two schools are also slightly higher than the state average, with Ellis Middle at 14.6 and I.J. Holton Intermediate School at 13.1. These factors may contribute to the lower academic performance observed in the schools.