Monticello Public School District

The Monticello Public School District is home to 9 schools, including 5 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 3 high schools, serving students from kindergarten through 12th grade. The district is ranked 86 out of 448 school districts in Minnesota and is rated 4 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger.

Within the district, a few schools stand out. Monticello Nature Based Education, an elementary school, has consistently ranked among the top schools in the state, placing 4th out of 869 Minnesota elementary schools in 2020-2021 and 146th out of 858 in 2021-2022. It has also demonstrated exceptional academic performance, with 95.24% of 4th graders proficient or better in Math and 90.48% proficient or better in Reading on the MCA-III tests. Another standout is Monticello Senior High, which has a strong track record, ranking 71st out of 472 Minnesota high schools in 2021-2022 and 132nd out of 476 in 2022-2023, with an impressive 94.2% four-year graduation rate and a low 1.9% dropout rate.

The schools in the district have a predominantly white student population, with the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch varying significantly, from 28.58% at Monticello Senior High to 70.59% at Monticello Alternative Program. The schools generally perform above the state average on MCA-III Math, Reading, and Science tests, with Monticello Nature Based Education standing out with exceptional scores, while Monticello Alternative Program lags behind. The student-teacher ratios vary considerably, with the high school having the highest ratio at 20.9, which may impact the learning environment and individual attention students receive.