Schools in Zip Code 56009

Zip code 56009 covers Alden, Minnesota, and lists three schools serving grades PK through 12: Alden-Conger Elementary (PK–6, 229 students), Alden-Conger Secondary (7–12, 215 students), and Next Step West (Alden) (8–12, 6 students). The first two belong to Alden-Conger Public School District, which ranks 288 of 458 statewide (37th percentile, 2 stars), while Next Step West belongs to Southern MN Education Consortium. Together the three schools enroll 450 students, with the two Alden-Conger schools accounting for 98.7% of that total.

Of the three, Alden-Conger Secondary posts the strongest results. Its 96.9% graduation rate and 0.0% dropout rate far exceed the state's 84.9% and 4.2%. In 2024–2025 it ranked 26 of 450 (94th percentile, 5 stars), then slipped to 198 of 473 (58th percentile, 3 stars) in 2025–2026. Current all-grade proficiency is 39.6% in math, 37.9% in reading, and 22.4% in science—above the district in every subject but still below the state. Grade-level bright spots include 11th grade math (43.9% vs. state 35.3%) and 8th grade math (47.1% vs. 42.3%).

Alden-Conger Elementary is the clearer concern. Its rank fell from the 41st percentile in 2023–2024 to the 18th percentile (1 star) now, and 2025–2026 proficiency trails the state in math (23.2% vs. 44.9%), reading (33.8% vs. 48.6%), and science (12.9% vs. 25.5%). Fifth and sixth grade are pressure points, with 6th grade math at just 5.1%. Next Step West has only 6 students and no test score, rank, graduation, or dropout data, so it cannot be compared academically; its blank free/reduced-lunch figure is unknown, not zero.