Summary:
New Ulm Public School District in Minnesota serves about 2,127 students across four schools—New Ulm High School (9–12), New Ulm Middle School (5–8), Jefferson Elementary (1–4), and Washington Learning Center (PK–K). The district is ranked 73rd of 458 Minnesota districts, in the 84th percentile with 4 stars, and has no alternative schools. Enrollment ranges from 180 at the PK–K school to 687 at the high school, with 643 at the grades 1–4 elementary and 617 at the middle school.
At the high school, graduation is 96.4% vs. Minnesota’s 84.9%, dropout is 1.1% vs. 4.2%, and science proficiency is 58.6% vs. the district’s 37.7% and state’s 25.5%. Its ranking slipped from 91st percentile and 5 stars in 2024–25 to 83rd percentile and 4 stars in 2025–26, still in the top ~17% of Minnesota high schools. All-grade math and reading are below state figures, but 11th-grade math is 40.9% vs. 35.3% and 10th-grade reading is 45.1% vs. 42.5%. New Ulm Middle School ranks 75 of 546—86th percentile, 4 stars—up from 78th percentile. Eighth-grade math is 64.0% vs. state 42.3%, reading 59.1% vs. 50.0%, and science 30.7% vs. 16.7%. Math rises by grade from 43.0% in 5th to 64.0% in 8th; science overall is 28.8% vs. state 25.5% but below the district’s 37.7%.
Jefferson Elementary stands out for math: all-grade math is 61.4% vs. district 53.6% and state 44.9%, with 3rd-grade math at 62.7% vs. 57.9% and 4th-grade math at 60.1% vs. 55.2%. Reading is weaker—all-grade reading is 44.4% vs. state 48.6%, and 4th-grade reading is 41.1% vs. 48.8%. Its rank improved from 43rd percentile and 2 stars in 2023–24 to 57th percentile and 3 stars in 2025–26. Washington Learning Center serves PK–K only, so it has no current MCA rank; it has the highest free/reduced lunch rate at 43.89% and lowest student-teacher ratio at 11.7, and its old 2013–16 rankings should be treated cautiously. Districtwide, math is 53.6% vs. state 44.9%, reading is 48.5% vs. 48.6%, and science is 37.7% vs. 25.5%; poverty and class size vary, with the high school at 24.75% free/reduced lunch and 18.1 students per teacher, the middle school at 33.55% and 15.5, and Jefferson at 37.64% and 13.1.
Thank you for your feedback!