Schools in Lester Prairie, MN

Lester Prairie, Minnesota is a small city with two public schools enrolling roughly 435 students combined: Lester Prairie Elementary (PK–6, 213 students) and Lester Prairie Secondary (7–12, 222 students). Both belong to the Lester Prairie Public School District and share the same campus address at 131 Hickory St N. No middle school or alternative school is listed. The district ranks 322 of 458 Minnesota districts, the 30th percentile, with 2 stars.

The two schools differ in important ways. Lester Prairie Secondary reports a 100% graduation rate and a 0% dropout rate in 2024–2025, far above the state's 84.9% and 4.2%, and hit its highest ranking in 2024–2025 at 127 of 450 schools (72nd percentile, 4 stars) before falling to 299 of 473 (37th percentile, 2 stars) in 2025–2026. Lester Prairie Elementary ranks 643 of 869 (26th percentile, 1 star) in 2025–2026, but has the stronger all-grades reading proficiency, 39.2% versus 27.6%, a more favorable student-teacher ratio of 11.9 versus 17.4, and a higher free/reduced lunch rate of 36.15% versus 27.48%.

Test scores place both schools below state averages in most subjects in 2025–2026, with science the clearest weakness: 15.6% at the secondary school and 11.5% at the elementary school, against 25.5% statewide. Math fell at both schools year over year, from 43.12% to 34.6% at the secondary school and from 45.77% to 31.7% at the elementary. Bright spots include 7th grade math at 41.5% versus 40.3% statewide, 11th grade math at 37.8% versus 35.3%, and 3rd grade reading at 45.8% versus 46.8%. Elementary reading and science improved year over year, from 35.21% to 39.2% and from 5.71% to 11.5%, though science remains well below state levels.