Summary:
ZIP code 56716 in Crookston, Minnesota is home to two public schools, both part of the Crookston Public School District: Crookston Secondary, which serves grades 6–12 with 592 students, and Highland Elementary, which serves grades K–5 with 474 students. There is no separate middle school in this ZIP code, so middle-grade students attend Crookston Secondary. The district is ranked 245 out of 458 in Minnesota, placing it in the 47th percentile with 2 stars, and both schools also earned 2 stars in 2025–26.
The two schools have different strengths. Highland Elementary is the standout in math, with 43.6% proficiency in 2025–26 — above the district's 36.2% and just below the state's 44.9%. Crookston Secondary is the standout in reading and graduation: reading proficiency is 50.0%, above the district's 47.8% and the state's 48.6%, and 8th grade reading reaches 61.7% versus 50% statewide. Its graduation rate of 88.8% also beats the state's 84.9%. However, Crookston Secondary lags in math (30.5%) and science (19.0%), with 11th grade math at just 14.9% against 35.3% statewide. Highland's reading (45.0%) and science (22.4%) are more mixed.
Both schools have seen recent shifts. Highland Elementary dropped sharply in math (54.02% to 43.6%) and reading (52.68% to 45.0%) from 2024–25 to 2025–26, after being the stronger school the prior year. Crookston Secondary improved in reading (46.8% to 50.0%) but slipped slightly in math and science. Highland has more low-income students (57.81% free/reduced lunch vs. 52.03%) and smaller classes (12.6 students per teacher vs. 15.2). Crookston Secondary's dropout rate is 7.7%, nearly double the state's 4.2%. Overall, reading is the relative strength across both schools, while math and science remain the main areas of concern.
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