Nerstrand Charter School, Nerstrand MN

Original Research by School Decision on Nerstrand Charter School

Nerstrand Charter School serves grades kindergarten through five in the small rural city of Nerstrand, located roughly midway between Northfield and Faribault in Rice County. The school operates as its own charter district, a single-building elementary program situated on the compact street grid along Main Street. Nerstrand itself is a very small bedroom community; most working residents commute to nearby cities for employment. A grain elevator, a meat processor, and a farm equipment dealer are among the few local employers. The nearby Nerstrand Big Woods State Park provides recreational anchor with hiking trails and camping, and the historic city hall sits at the center of town. The population has been essentially flat in recent years, and home values in the area are elevated relative to the state median, reflecting the desirability of this quiet rural setting.

State testing data is available for the 2024-25 school year across math, reading, and science. Proficiency rates vary by grade and subject, but the school’s overall performance is notably strong when placed against other districts in Rice County. The school’s combined proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to districts in the county, a meaningful marker given the area’s range of school outcomes. In math, a majority of third graders met proficiency, while fourth and fifth graders posted rates that were lower but still solid. Reading results showed a similar pattern, with fifth graders achieving the highest rate. Science proficiency for fifth graders was lower than in the other subjects; families may want to ask the school about science instruction and supports.

The school is small. Its student body is predominantly white, with small shares of Black and multiracial students. A substantial share of students come from low-income households. Data on students receiving special education services or English learner support was not reported, nor is information on chronic absenteeism or discipline available. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to consider.

Nerstrand Charter School is a straightforward choice for families seeking a small, rural elementary environment with academic results that compare favorably to other Rice County schools. The school’s charter status and size mean it operates independently as its own district, though it shares the community’s stable, slow-growth character. Parents who want more detail on areas like science performance or student support services should follow up directly with the school, as some common data points are not reported in the available records.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 364%

School 64% · District 64%

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 42 pts above county median

Grade 455%

School 55% · District 55%

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 33 pts above county median

Grade 550%

School 50% · District 50%

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 32 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 350%

School 50% · District 50%

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 455%

School 55% · District 55%

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 35 pts above county median

Grade 564%

School 64% · District 64%

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

Science

Grade 536%

School 36% · District 36%

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

This schoolNERSTRAND CHARTER SCHOOL, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.