Madelia Public School District

The Madelia Public School District in Minnesota serves students at two schools: Madelia Elementary for PK–6, with 352 students, and Madelia Secondary for 7–12, with 294 students. Together they enroll 646 students. The district ranks 247 of 458, in the 46th percentile with 2 stars. Free/reduced lunch is 55.4% at the elementary and 42.86% at the secondary; student/teacher ratios are 12.6 and 14.2. This overall picture masks a sharp split: the secondary school ranks in the top third of Minnesota high schools, while the elementary school ranks in the bottom quarter.

Madelia Secondary is the academic standout. It ranks 149 of 473, in the 68th percentile with 3 stars, up from 226 of 450. It outperformed the district in math (36.8% vs 32.2%), reading (38.9% vs 38.7%), and science (23.4% vs 21.3%). Its 11th-grade math (40.0% vs state 35.3%) and End of Course Science (41.9% vs state 35.0%) are above state averages. However, completion is a red flag: graduation rate is 77.7% vs state 84.9%, and dropout rate is 17.7% vs state 4.2%—more than four times the state rate. By contrast, Madelia Elementary ranks 662 of 869, in the 24th percentile with 1 star, down from 600 of 881. It scored below district and state in all three subjects, with science especially low at 17.0% and math falling nearly 7 points year over year.

Reading remains consistently below state at both schools, roughly 10 points lower. Science shows a split at the secondary level: End of Course Science is 41.9% vs state 35.0%, but 8th-grade science is only 7.8% vs state 16.7%, so the all-grade science score of 23.4% hides a strong upper-level result and a very weak middle-grade result. The elementary school has the higher free/reduced lunch rate (55.4%) and lower test scores; the secondary school has a lower rate (42.86%) and stronger rankings, yet still faces significant completion challenges. For parents, priorities are clear: the elementary school needs work in math, science, and reversing its ranking decline, while the secondary school should protect recent math gains, improve graduation and dropout outcomes, and address very low 8th-grade science.