Best Public Schools in Granite Falls, MN

The city of Granite Falls, Minnesota is home to two schools: Yellow Medicine East Secondary serving grades 6-12 and Bert Raney Elementary School serving grades PK-5. While both schools are part of the Yellow Medicine East school district, they exhibit notable differences in academic performance and student demographics.

Bert Raney Elementary consistently outperforms Yellow Medicine East Secondary in MCA-III math and reading proficiency, with 41.53% and 44.07% of students scoring proficient or better in 2024-2025, compared to 18.63% and 40.79% at the secondary school. Additionally, Bert Raney Elementary has a higher percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch at 54.41%, compared to 43.5% at the secondary school.

Despite these differences, both schools face challenges in their overall academic performance. Yellow Medicine East Secondary is ranked 335th out of 450 Minnesota high schools, with a 1-star rating, while Bert Raney Elementary is ranked 562nd out of 872 Minnesota elementary schools, with a 2-star rating. The data suggests that the Granite Falls school district may need to focus on improving educational outcomes, particularly at the secondary level, and addressing the socioeconomic factors that may be contributing to the performance gap between the two schools.