Best Public Schools in Carlton, MN

Carlton, Minnesota has three schools serving about 339 students: South Terrace Elementary (PK–6, 163 students), Carlton Secondary (grades 6–12, 145 students, covering both middle and high school), and NLA-Carlton (grades 4–12, 31 students, an alternative school). South Terrace and Carlton Secondary are in the Carlton Public School District, ranked 280 of 458 Minnesota districts (39th percentile, 2 stars). NLA-Carlton belongs to the Northern Lights Academy Cooperative and is not ranked.

Carlton Secondary is the clear standout, rising from 41st percentile and 2 stars two years ago to 86th percentile and 4 stars (68 of 473 schools) in 2025–2026. Its graduation rate is 92.0% versus the state's 84.9%, and it beats the state in science (35.9% vs. 25.5%), End of Course science (54.2% vs. 35%), 10th grade reading (50% vs. 42.5%), and 11th grade math (38.1% vs. 35.3%). Its weak spot is grades 7–8, where results fall well below state: 7th grade math 20% vs. 40.3%, 8th grade math 18.8% vs. 42.3%, 8th grade reading 18.8% vs. 50%, and 8th grade science 6.7% vs. 16.7%.

South Terrace has one striking strength — 3rd grade math at 84.6% and reading at 69.2%, both far above state — but results drop sharply afterward, with 5th grade math at 6.7%. Overall it ranks 647 of 869 (26th percentile, 1 star) with all-grade scores below state. NLA-Carlton, with just 31 students, a 12.9% free/reduced lunch rate, and a 5.7 student-teacher ratio, reports 7.1% math and 13.3% reading in 2025–2026, but its science value is suppressed (unknown, not zero), so it is not directly comparable.