Rushford-Peterson Public Schools

Rushford-Peterson Public Schools serves roughly 648 students across three schools: Rushford-Peterson Elementary (PK–5, 266 students), Rushford-Peterson Middle (6–8, 145 students), and Rushford-Peterson Senior High (9–12, 237 students). The district overall is ranked 204 of 458 in Minnesota, about the 55th percentile, with 3 stars. In 2025–26 it trailed the state in all-grade math (43.2% vs. 44.9%), reading (45.8% vs. 48.6%), and science (21.1% vs. 25.5%) — a change from 2024–25, when it was above the state in math and reading but still below in science.

Each school has a distinct profile. Rushford-Peterson Elementary posts the district's top math (50%) and science (30.4%) scores, the largest enrollment, and the lowest student-teacher ratio (11.2), but its reading (44.8%) falls below the state, with 3rd grade reading at 33.3% against a state figure of 46.8%. Rushford-Peterson Middle has the strongest reading (49.7%) and the highest rank (60th percentile, 3 stars) but by far the weakest science — 5.9% versus 25.5% statewide — and the largest classes (18.6 students per teacher). Rushford-Peterson Senior High stands out for completion: a 94.3% graduation rate against 84.9% statewide and a 0.0% dropout rate against 4.2%, plus the lowest free/reduced lunch rate (23.21%), yet it carries the lowest rank (47th percentile, 2 stars) and the weakest math (32.8%) and reading (37%).

Trends are worth watching. From 2024–25 to 2025–26, all three schools lost ground in math and reading; science fell at the middle and high schools while improving at the elementary. Rank has slipped at every school over three years. Because all-grade figures combine different grade spans, grade-level results are the fairest comparison.