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Monticello Nature Based Education

Q: Is Monticello Nature Based Education a good school?

Monticello Nature Based Education ranks 105 th of 869 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

105^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 869 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Better than 88% of Minnesota elementary schools

Summary

Monticello Nature Based Education is a small, PK–5 public elementary school in Monticello, Minnesota, enrolling just 65 students — roughly 5 to 12 times smaller than the other elementary schools in the Monticello Public School District, which serve 301 to 794 students — and its theme-based name signals a specialty program rather than a neighborhood attendance school.

By the numbers, it is the top-performing elementary among its nearby peers. In 2025-2026 it posted 71.1% proficiency in math, 65.8% in reading, and 50.0% in science, leading every nearby school in all three subjects — including Swan River Montessori Charter School (53.5 math, 63.4 reading, 20.0 science), Pinewood Elementary (56.2, 57.3, 30.9), Little Mountain Elementary (55.8, 57.6, 32.0), and Becker Intermediate Elementary (58.6, 53.0, 16.8). Its science score is nearly double Minnesota's 25.5% average. Statewide it ranked 105th of 869 elementary schools (88th percentile, 4 stars), higher than its own district's 82nd percentile, and it has reached the top 10 statewide in two of the last five ranked years.

Two things are worth keeping in mind. First, the school is tiny: only grades 4 and 5 are tested, so most figures rest on cohorts of roughly 15–25 students, and the "all grades" science number reflects a single grade-5 class of about 22. Judging trends over several years makes more sense than reacting to one year. Second, results have eased from exceptional highs since 2022-2023 — math fell from 95.24 to 71.1 — even as the share of students from low-income families dropped from 43.33% to 23.08%, so the change is not explained by a shift in student population. Fourth-grade reading (43.8%) sits below district and state, while fifth-grade reading is 81.8%. The student-teacher ratio is not reported, and some peer data is suppressed by the state.

Students ?

n/a

Student/teacher ratio ?

23.1%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in Minnesota receive free school meals.

≥ 95%

Kindergartners vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) (2025-26)

9842 Briarwood Avenue NE
Monticello, MN 55362-8888

(763) 272-2801

District: Monticello Public School District

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.8%

Hispanic:

4.6%

African American:

1.5%

See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

Compare Monticello Nature Based Education to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 83rd percentile in 2022 → 88th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Minnesota average (64% vs 43% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 12% of Minnesota elementary schools

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 88th (2026) from a 83rd-percentile low (2022)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school64%

District avg48%

Minnesota avg43%

105^th of 869

Minnesota public elementary schools ?

Top 12%▼ down 12 pts since 2021

From top 1% (2021) to top 12% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Minnesota Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

83^rd of 458Monticello Public School District among Minnesota districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	83.9	105 of 869	87.9%	★★★★☆
2025	80.0	148 of 872	83.0%	★★★★☆
2024	95.3	9 of 881	99.0%	★★★★★
2022	79.3	146 of 858	83.0%	★★★★☆
2021	96.9	4 of 869	99.5%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	96.2	7 of 790	99.1%	★★★★★
2025	87.7	51 of 799	93.6%	★★★★★
2024	98.5	3 of 809	99.6%	★★★★★
2022	72.0	211 of 799	73.6%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2024	97.8	2 of 826	99.8%	★★★★★
2022	69.2	248 of 808	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	96.5	5 of 784	99.4%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	77.2	121 of 710	83.0%	★★★★☆
2025	66.4	209 of 714	70.7%	★★★★☆
2024	89.1	29 of 730	96.0%	★★★★★
2022	65.3	225 of 725	69.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	95.8	5 of 710	99.3%	★★★★★

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Male (2024)100th percentile~ school

Female (2026)99th percentile+11 vs school

White (2026)83rd percentile-5 vs school

By subject vs Minnesota (2025-2026) ?

Math71%+26 vs state

Reading66%+17 vs state

Science50%+24 vs state

★

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Schools Near Monticello Nature Based Education

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Vaccination Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				MCA-IV Reading (2026)					MCA-IV Science (2026)		MCA-III Math (2026)					Vaccination (2025-26)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCA-IV Reading 3rd Grade	MCA-IV Reading 4th Grade	MCA-IV Reading 5th Grade	MCA-IV Reading 6th Grade	MCA-IV Reading All Grades	MCA-IV Science 5th Grade	MCA-IV Science All Grades	MCA-III Math 3rd Grade	MCA-III Math 4th Grade	MCA-III Math 5th Grade	MCA-III Math 6th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	Vaccination: Kindergartners vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Total
Monticello Nature Based Education	Public	PK, KG-5	9842 Briarwood Avenue NE	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Monticello Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 272-2801	65	0		23.1%	59 (90.8%)	1 (1.5%)	3 (4.6%)	1 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.5%)	83.9	105^th of 869 public elementary schools	87.9%		80	148^th of 872 public elementary schools	83.0%	43		43.8	81.8		65.8	50.0	50.0		62.5	77.3		71.1	≥ 95%
Pinewood Elementary	Public	1-5	1010 W Broadway St	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Monticello Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 272-2401	794	53	14.8	35.0%	621 (78.2%)	23 (2.9%)	83 (10.5%)	9 (1.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	56 (7.1%)	68.7	267^th of 869 public elementary schools	69.3%		68.2	290^th of 872 public elementary schools	66.7%	23	55.0	53.6	63.3		57.3	30.9	30.9	63.8	57.6	47.3		56.2			$12,623
Pinewood Elementary - SNW	Public	K-6	1010 W Broadway St	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Sherburne and Northern Wright Speci	No	No	No	No	(763) 272-2050	7	2	4.0	—	6 (85.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (14.3%)								(n/a)
Swan River Montessori Charter School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	500 Maple St	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Swan River Montessori Charter School	Yes	No	No	No	(763) 271-7926	161	12	12.9	3.7%	151 (93.8%)	1 (0.6%)	4 (2.5%)	2 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.9%)	66.2	289^th of 869 public elementary schools	66.7%		60.1	368^th of 872 public elementary schools	57.8%	79	71.4	60.0	52.6	72.7	63.4	20.0	20.0	76.2	66.7	20.0		53.5	31.4%	0%	$12,079
Foundations I	Public	K-6	302 Washington St	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Sherburne and Northern Wright Speci	No	No	No	No	(763) 272-2600	5	0	2.6	—	3 (60.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (40.0%)								(n/a)
Little Mountain Elementary	Public	1-5	9350 Fallon Ave NE	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Monticello Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 272-2600	576	42	13.6	32.6%	414 (71.9%)	29 (5.0%)	61 (10.6%)	23 (4.0%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (7.6%)	67.9	272^nd of 869 public elementary schools	68.7%		66.2	310^th of 872 public elementary schools	64.4%	38	41.9	59.2	71.3		57.6	32.0	32.0	59.7	53.3	54.3		55.8			$12,686
Eastview Education Center	Public	PK-K	9375 Fenning Ave NE	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Monticello Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(763) 272-2801	301	43	7.0	38.5%	229 (76.1%)	14 (4.7%)	33 (11.0%)	7 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (6.0%)								(n/a)													86.3%	9.7%	$16,426
Big Lake Online K-5	Public, Virtual	K-5	501 Minnesota Ave	Big Lake	55309	Sherburne County	Big Lake Public School District	No	No	Yes	No	(763) 262-6174	24	1	35.8	33.3%	15 (62.5%)	2 (8.3%)	1 (4.2%)	5 (20.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.2%)								(n/a)					50.0							20.0
Independence Elementary	Public	3-5	701 Minnesota Ave	Big Lake	55309	Sherburne County	Big Lake Public School District	No	No	No	No	(763) 262-2537	758	49	15.3	35.4%	593 (78.2%)	34 (4.5%)	62 (8.2%)	18 (2.4%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (6.5%)	50.3	456^th of 869 public elementary schools	47.5%		56.3	412^th of 872 public elementary schools	52.8%	44	43.3	42.9	49.8		45.3	22.7	22.7	46.9	54.5	51.0		51.1			$11,086
Becker Intermediate Elementary	Public	3-5	12100 Hancock St SE	Becker	55308	Sherburne County	Becker Public School District	No	No	No	No	(763) 261-4504	644	39	16.6	20.5%	576 (89.4%)	10 (1.6%)	21 (3.3%)	5 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (4.7%)	60.9	336^th of 869 public elementary schools	61.3%		68.1	293^rd of 872 public elementary schools	66.4%	43	54.2	52.3	52.5		53.0	16.8	16.8	65.1	68.4	42.7		58.6			$11,393

Frequently Asked Questions about Monticello Nature Based Education

What district is Monticello Nature Based Education in?

Monticello Public School District

How many students attend Monticello Nature Based Education?

In the 2024-25 school year, 65 students attended Monticello Nature Based Education.

Is Monticello Nature Based Education a good school?

Monticello Nature Based Education ranks 105^th of 869 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Monticello Nature Based Education?

Students at Monticello Nature Based Education are 91% White, 5% Hispanic, 2% African American, 2% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

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Latest Minnesota data All new data »

2019–20 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)Oct 19, 2026

2024–25 through 2025–26 MCA-III & MCA-IV test scoresSep 30, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

2024–25 MCA-III test scoresAug 29, 2025

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.