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Mesabi East Secondary

Public Grades 7-12
181st
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 473 Minnesota High Schools
Better than 62% of Minnesota high schools
Summary

Mesabi East Secondary is a public school in Aurora, MN serving grades 7–12 with about 392 students, part of the Mesabi East School District. In 2025–2026 it ranked 181 of 473 Minnesota schools — the 62nd percentile with 3 stars — noticeably above its district's overall 40th percentile with 2 stars. The school's ranking trend shows long-term improvement with a recent rebound: it sat in the low-to-mid 30s percentile a decade ago, climbed into the low 60s in the early 2020s, dipped to the 42nd percentile in 2024–2025, then recovered to 62nd, though not quite back to its 2022–2023 peak of 65th percentile.

Among nearby schools, the only true comprehensive peer is Rock Ridge High School in Virginia, a much larger 7–12 school (1,048 students) that ranks higher at the 71st percentile with 4 stars and beats Mesabi East in graduation (92.1% vs 88.0%), dropout (1.9% vs 4.4%), math (36.7% vs 26.5%) and science (24.3% vs 18.3%); reading is nearly identical. Other nearby options differ sharply: East Range Academy Of Technical-Science (127 students, 10th percentile) and NLC 6076 Alternative Learning Center Program (48 students, 1st percentile) are alternative programs with far higher poverty rates and much lower outcomes, while Rock Ridge High School ALP and NLC 6076 Transition Program are small transition settings with limited or suppressed data.

Strengths: graduation has exceeded the state rate for five straight reported years (88.0% vs 84.9% in 2024–2025), and reading proficiency of 40.9% sits close to the state average, with 10th grade edging ahead (43.4% vs 42.5%). Red flags: 8th grade math (16.9% vs the state's 42.3%) and 8th grade science (3.1% vs 16.7%) — severe gaps that drive the school's all-grade science decline; overall math (26.5%) and science (18.3%) also trail the state. The dropout rate of 4.4% is slightly above the state's 4.2%. Free/reduced lunch has risen to 46.68% and the student-teacher ratio to 17.5, headwinds worth noting. Notably, the school's effectiveness ranking for low-income students (66th percentile, 3 stars) exceeds its overall rank.

392
Students ?
17.5
Student/teacher ratio ?
$13,877
Per pupil spending ?
46.7%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 601 N 1st St W
       Aurora, MN  55705-1301

(218) 229-3321

District: Mesabi East School District


Feeder schools for Mesabi East Secondary:

Elementary:    Mesabi East Elementary
Racial breakdown:

White:
88.8%
Two or more races:
5.1%
American Indian:
3.3%
more
 See top rated Minnesota high schools

 Compare Mesabi East Secondary to nearby high schools!
At a glance
▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 33rd percentile in 2016 → 62nd in 2026
Strengths
✓88% graduate in 4 years — above the Minnesota average (85%)
✓Ranking is trending up — up 29 percentile points since 2016
✓Above the Minnesota median (62nd percentile)
Worth a look
!Test scores below the Minnesota average (30% vs 43% meeting standards)
!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing
!Math scores 18 pts below the Minnesota average
Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?
This school30%
District avg34%
Minnesota avg43%
Middle school
381st of 546
Minnesota public middle schools ?
Bottom 30%▲ up 10 pts since 2016
From bottom 20% (2016) to bottom 30% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Minnesota Middle Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
High school
181st of 473
Minnesota public high schools ?
Top 38%▲ up 29 pts since 2016
From bottom 33% (2016) to top 38% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Minnesota High Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
275th of 458Mesabi East 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)
Middle school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202633.3381 of 54630.2%★★☆☆☆
202538.0332 of 51936.0%★★☆☆☆
202440.8330 of 54539.4%★★☆☆☆
202338.2336 of 52936.5%★★☆☆☆
202229.1380 of 52026.9%★☆☆☆☆
202138.0328 of 52137.0%★★☆☆☆
201934.9373 of 53330.0%★★☆☆☆
201840.6347 of 51833.0%★★☆☆☆
201725.5413 of 52321.0%★☆☆☆☆
201626.9407 of 50819.9%★☆☆☆☆
201529.7394 of 51623.6%★☆☆☆☆
201418.7420 of 49014.3%★☆☆☆☆
201329.4376 of 48823.0%★☆☆☆☆
201235.4354 of 46924.5%★☆☆☆☆
201138.2344 of 47828.0%★☆☆☆☆
201032.3365 of 45419.6%★☆☆☆☆
200844.5274 of 40933.0%★★☆☆☆
200744.1267 of 40333.7%★★☆☆☆
200652.1235 of 40642.1%★★☆☆☆
200554.4228 of 39642.4%★★☆☆☆
200463.2168 of 38756.6%★★★☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202636.0313 of 46733.0%★★☆☆☆
202537.2293 of 45034.9%★★☆☆☆
202439.7303 of 47436.1%★★☆☆☆
202320.9383 of 45515.8%★☆☆☆☆
202223.4375 of 46719.7%★☆☆☆☆
202135.2304 of 44331.4%★★☆☆☆
201920.1375 of 43914.6%★☆☆☆☆
201838.2300 of 43631.2%★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202647.2245 of 45846.5%★★☆☆☆
202558.7151 of 43265.0%★★★☆☆
202446.5241 of 47349.0%★★☆☆☆
202336.2304 of 45933.8%★★☆☆☆
202241.6242 of 40440.1%★★☆☆☆
202146.5210 of 39947.4%★★☆☆☆
201946.5231 of 41544.3%★★☆☆☆
201830.5309 of 40122.9%★☆☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202627.2370 of 48323.4%★☆☆☆☆
202534.1313 of 45230.8%★★☆☆☆
202436.4316 of 47934.0%★★☆☆☆
202351.0225 of 46451.5%★★★☆☆
202231.8339 of 47628.8%★☆☆☆☆
202136.5284 of 43735.0%★★☆☆☆
201952.1229 of 45449.6%★★★☆☆
201844.5274 of 43837.4%★★☆☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202475.443 of 30786.0%★★★★☆
202364.874 of 29875.2%★★★★☆
201939.0177 of 28237.2%★★☆☆☆
201824.8214 of 25315.4%★☆☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202619.3382 of 43512.2%★☆☆☆☆
202527.4330 of 41520.5%★☆☆☆☆
202426.8357 of 44018.9%★☆☆☆☆
202324.4371 of 43614.9%★☆☆☆☆
202217.1398 of 4389.1%☆☆☆☆☆
202128.2322 of 42223.7%★☆☆☆☆
201919.1386 of 4289.8%★☆☆☆☆
201828.8338 of 42821.0%★☆☆☆☆
High school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202663.7181 of 47361.7%★★★☆☆
202549.1259 of 45042.4%★★☆☆☆
202464.6175 of 48063.5%★★★☆☆
202364.4165 of 47665.3%★★★☆☆
202259.8199 of 47257.8%★★★☆☆
202163.7167 of 42861.0%★★★☆☆
201950.5287 of 49241.7%★★☆☆☆
201854.7265 of 49446.4%★★☆☆☆
201744.7324 of 48933.7%★★☆☆☆
201641.9330 of 48932.5%★★☆☆☆
201541.2332 of 50434.1%★★☆☆☆
201448.0306 of 48336.6%★★☆☆☆
201346.5334 of 53437.5%★★☆☆☆
201251.1329 of 53939.0%★★☆☆☆
201158.9279 of 54548.8%★★☆☆☆
201058.9269 of 54050.2%★★★☆☆
200852.7283 of 46038.5%★★☆☆☆
200771.5143 of 46369.1%★★★☆☆
200674.9115 of 45074.4%★★★★☆
200572.3147 of 45267.5%★★★☆☆
200472.9140 of 43367.7%★★★☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202656.0178 of 39855.3%★★★☆☆
202519.4302 of 35815.6%★☆☆☆☆
202465.6130 of 40367.7%★★★☆☆
202366.7116 of 39670.7%★★★★☆
202266.7128 of 38867.0%★★★☆☆
202141.5229 of 33932.4%★★☆☆☆
201947.9245 of 40138.9%★★☆☆☆
201852.6223 of 39543.5%★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202661.6130 of 37765.5%★★★☆☆
202551.4161 of 33351.7%★★★☆☆
202493.012 of 38996.9%★★★★★
202385.630 of 39392.4%★★★★★
202299.31 of 31299.7%★★★★★
202176.735 of 27087.0%★★★★☆
201953.7175 of 37052.7%★★★☆☆
201859.2157 of 37458.0%★★★☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202659.0150 of 39562.0%★★★☆☆
202564.8121 of 37767.9%★★★☆☆
202454.1195 of 40551.9%★★★☆☆
202354.6190 of 39852.3%★★★☆☆
202256.2174 of 40356.8%★★★☆☆
202186.026 of 35192.6%★★★★★
201936.4293 of 41128.7%★☆☆☆☆
201842.2274 of 39831.2%★★☆☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202279.924 of 21488.8%★★★★☆
201859.966 of 19566.2%★★★☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202647.0229 of 39441.9%★★☆☆☆
202535.1279 of 37625.8%★☆☆☆☆
202446.4230 of 40242.8%★★☆☆☆
202352.7191 of 39852.0%★★★☆☆
202247.9237 of 40140.9%★★☆☆☆
202159.3155 of 36457.4%★★★☆☆
201932.3322 of 41221.8%★☆☆☆☆
201839.5300 of 41427.5%★☆☆☆☆
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)
Middle school
Special Education (2024)86th percentile+47 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)47th percentile+16 vs school
Female (2026)33rd percentile+3 vs school
Male (2026)23rd percentile-7 vs school
White (2026)12th percentile-18 vs school
High school
Special Education (2022)89th percentile+31 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)66th percentile+4 vs school
Male (2026)62nd percentile~ school
Female (2026)55th percentile-6 vs school
White (2026)42nd percentile-20 vs school
By subject vs Minnesota (2025-2026) ?
Reading41%-8 vs state
Math26%-18 vs state
Science18%-7 vs state

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Schools Near Mesabi East Secondary

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






Frequently Asked Questions about Mesabi East Secondary

Mesabi East Secondary is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Mesabi East Elementary

In the 2024-25 school year, 392 students attended Mesabi East Secondary.

Mesabi East Secondary ranks 181st of 473 Minnesota high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Mesabi East Secondary are 89% White, 5% Two or more races, 3% American Indian, 2% Hispanic.

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Latest Minnesota data All new data »
2024–25 through 2025–26 MCA-III & MCA-IV test scoresNewSep 30, 2026
2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026
2024–25 MCA-III test scoresAug 29, 2025
2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesMay 8, 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.

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