Schools in Zip Code 55321

ZIP code 55321 in Cokato, Minnesota, has five schools—one elementary, one middle, and three high schools, two of which are alternative or special-program settings—serving grades PK–12 and anchored by the high-performing Dassel-Cokato Public Schools, ranked 17th of 458 Minnesota districts (96th percentile, 5 stars). Four schools belong to that district: Cokato Elementary, Dassel-Cokato Middle, Dassel-Cokato Senior High, and Dassel-Cokato Alternative Center. The fifth, Village Ranch Alternative Program, belongs to Meeker and Wright Special Education.

Cokato Elementary is the proficiency standout: math is 75.9% proficient versus 44.9% statewide, and reading is 65.8% versus 48.6% statewide, with recent ranks at the 92nd–94th percentile and 5 stars. Dassel-Cokato Senior High leads in science at 48.3% versus 25.5% state, and its graduation rate is 89.7% with a 1.6% dropout rate, both better than state averages; its math rose from 42.86% to 62.2%. Dassel-Cokato Middle remains top-decile with 5 stars, math at 56.5%, reading at 57.4%, and science at 27.7%, though reading, science, and math all softened slightly from the prior year. Cokato Elementary and the Middle both show some grade-level variation, such as stronger 4th grade reading and 8th grade math alongside weaker 5th grade reading.

The two alternative/special programs have very different contexts. Dassel-Cokato Alternative Center has all 2025–2026 core test scores suppressed, a 34.9 student-teacher ratio (highest here), a 84.6% graduation rate, and a 3.8% dropout rate, so its proficiency should be treated as unknown rather than poor. Village Ranch Alternative Program is much smaller (33 students), has 90.91% free/reduced lunch, a 5.4 student-teacher ratio, and low reported proficiency where available (math 23.1%, reading 25.0%; 2024–2025 math 7.69%, reading 0%; science suppressed). Free/reduced lunch ranges from 21.46% at the Senior High to about 31–33% at the elementary and middle schools, 38.46% at the Alternative Center, and 90.91% at Village Ranch. Overall, families should compare general and alternative/special schools with their missions, enrollment sizes, and data availability in mind.