Summary:
Zip code 55718 covers Carlton, Minnesota, and is served by two public schools in the Carlton Public School District: South Terrace Elementary (grades PK–6, 163 students) and Carlton Secondary (grades 6–12, 145 students). The two schools overlap at grade 6 and together enroll about 308 students. Both serve similar communities, with free or reduced lunch rates near 42–44%.
Carlton Secondary is the standout. Its state rank climbed from the 41st percentile (2 stars) in 2023–2024 to the 86th percentile (4 stars) in 2025–2026, placing it in the top 15% of its peer group. Its 92.0% graduation rate beats the state's 84.9%, and its 4.0% dropout rate is slightly below the state's 4.2%. Science is a particular strength — 35.9% proficient across all grades and 54.2% at End of Course, both above state — and 10th grade reading and 11th grade math also exceed state averages. Yet 7th and 8th grade math and reading fall below state, and 8th grade science is only 6.7% against the state's 16.7%, so the school's strength is concentrated in high school.
South Terrace Elementary splits sharply by grade. Third grade is a bright spot — 84.6% proficient in math and 69.2% in reading, both well above state — but results fall steeply after: 4th grade math 29.6%, 5th grade math 6.7%, and 6th grade math 22.7%. The school ranks at the 26th percentile with 1 star. District-wide, math (28.1%) and reading (37.3%) trail the state's 44.9% and 48.6%, while science (27.9%) edges above the state's 25.5%, thanks largely to Carlton Secondary. Because enrollment is small, grade-level percentages can swing widely from one year to the next.
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