Verndale Secondary

Verndale Secondary is a public high school serving grades 7-12 in the small town of Verndale, Minnesota, with a total enrollment of 247 students. While part of the Verndale Public School District, which is ranked 321 out of 446 districts in the state, Verndale Secondary has consistently performed below average compared to other Minnesota high schools.

Verndale Secondary's academic performance, as measured by MCA-III assessments, is generally 10-20 percentage points lower than the state average in math and reading proficiency. The school's rankings over the past decade have ranged from 253 to 375 out of 472-492 high schools statewide. Graduation and dropout rates have also been a concern, with the four-year graduation rate fluctuating between 83.3% and 95.1% and the dropout rate ranging from 2.4% to 12.5% in recent years.

Interestingly, Verndale Secondary appears to be more successful in supporting its low-income student population, ranking in the top half of Minnesota high schools for this subgroup. However, the school's performance lags behind nearby schools like New York Mills Secondary, Sebeka Secondary, and Staples-Motley Senior High, which all have higher rankings and better test scores. The Freshwater Education District Alternative Learning Center, which serves a high-needs population, also outperforms Verndale Secondary on some academic measures.