Best Public Schools in Rochester, MN

The Rochester, Minnesota school district consists of 43 schools, including 24 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, 11 high schools, and 2 alternative schools. The district serves a diverse student population and offers a range of educational options, from traditional public schools to specialized programs and charter schools.

The top-performing schools in the district are Mayo Senior High and Century Senior High, which rank among the top 100 high schools in Minnesota and earn 4-5 out of 5 stars from SchoolDigger. At the elementary level, Jefferson Elementary, Washington District-Wide Elementary, and Folwell Elementary are the top performers, also ranking in the top 100 in the state and earning high ratings.

While the district as a whole is rated 3 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger, indicating average performance, there is a wide range of outcomes across the schools. Factors such as socioeconomic status, as measured by free and reduced-price lunch rates, appear to play a significant role in student achievement. Schools with higher poverty rates tend to have lower test scores and performance. The district is working to address these disparities, with specialized programs like the Montessori at Franklin Elementary and the Lincoln K-8 District-Wide School, but more progress is needed to ensure equitable outcomes across all schools in the Rochester Public School District.