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Rochester Public School District


At a glance
227thof 458 Minnesota districts▼ 30
Better than 50% of Minnesota districts
615 7th St SW
Rochester, MN 55902-2052
·(507) 328-3000·All Minnesota district rankings →
Statewide performance 2017–2026
2026: better than 50.4% of districts
47
Schools
17,171
Students
1
5-star school
Top rankedFolwell Elementary School30th of 869 Minnesota elementary schools
▲
Biggest riser
Lincoln K-8 School up 86 spots statewide this year
✦
Newly ranked this year
Middle School Alternative Learning Center and 1 more
SchoolDigger ratings
4★
3★
2★
1★
0★
21 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)
Summary:

The Rochester Public School District in southeastern Minnesota serves about 16,704 students across 36 schools: 18 elementary, 5 middle, 11 high, and 2 alternative programs. As a whole, the district ranks 227th of 458 in Minnesota, at the 50th percentile with 3 stars, and its 2025–2026 all-grades proficiency is 41.2% in math (state 44.9%), 47.1% in reading (state 48.6%), and 25.4% in science (state 25.5%) — slightly behind the state in math and reading, and essentially level in science. Those averages, however, hide large differences between individual schools.

The strongest schools are concentrated in a handful of buildings. Folwell Elementary School stands out at the 97th percentile with 5 stars and the highest elementary results in all three subjects: 76.0% math, 75.4% reading, and 46.4% science, along with the lowest reported free/reduced lunch rate at 15.91%. Jefferson Elementary School, Washington Elementary School, Lincoln K-8 School, Bamber Valley Elementary School, Gibbs Elementary School, and Overland Elementary School also beat district and state levels in math, reading, and science. At the high school level, Century High School has the strongest test scores (49.6% math, 54.8% reading, 42.9% science) and the lowest dropout rate among comprehensive high schools, while Mayo High School posts the highest graduation rate at 91.8%. John Adams Middle School and Willow Creek Middle School are the strongest middle schools, though middle-grades math trails the state.

At the other end, Gage Elementary School ranks at the 3rd percentile with 0 stars and a 73.30% free/reduced lunch rate, and Riverside Central Elementary School, Sunset Terrace Elementary School, Pinewood Elementary School, and Franklin Elementary School fall below district levels in all three subjects. Alternative and online programs serve specialized populations and should not be compared directly with comprehensive schools. District graduation is 86.2% versus the state's 84.9%, and the dropout rate is 3.0% versus 4.2%; notably, John Marshall High School has lower test proficiency yet a 89.8% graduation rate and 1.7% dropout rate. Free/reduced lunch generally tracks with achievement, but Overland's strong results at a 45.90% rate show it is not destiny. Suppressed values marked — are unknown, not zero.

Ranking:
Map legend
E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private




Districts nearby

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Minnesota Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.

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