Summary:
ZIP code 55972 covers St. Charles, Minnesota, and contains just two public schools — St. Charles Secondary (grades 7–12, 479 students) and St. Charles Elementary (grades PK–6, 457 students) — both part of the St. Charles Public School District, which ranks 89th of 458 Minnesota districts (81st percentile, 4 stars). There is no separate middle school, so grades 7–8 sit inside the secondary building, and total enrollment across the two schools is 936 students.
St. Charles Secondary is the standout: it ranks 58th of 473 schools (88th percentile, 4 stars), up sharply from the 72nd percentile the year before. Its graduation rate is 92.5% and dropout rate 2.1%, both well better than the state's 84.9% and 4.2%. Science is its brightest spot — 38.1% proficient across all grades versus 25.5% statewide, and 56.2% at End of Course versus 35.0% statewide. Math rose from 33.78% to 40.4%. The clear weak point is 8th grade: math is 27.3% versus 42.3% at state, and reading 42.4% versus 50.0%, which drags down its all-grades averages. By contrast, St. Charles Elementary ranks 307th of 869 (65th percentile, 3 stars) but is strong in the core subjects: math 51.1% and reading 57.8%, both above district and state. Its science is weak at 21.2% versus 25.5% statewide.
Both schools serve similar poverty levels (about 28% free/reduced lunch) and the elementary has smaller classes (13.7 students per teacher versus 17.0), yet their strengths differ. Elementary math fell from 56.89% to 51.1% and science from 27.54% to 21.2% year over year, with 5th grade a particular concern (math 30.6%, science 21.2%). The main opportunities are 8th-grade math and reading at the secondary school, and 5th-grade math plus overall science at the elementary.
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