Lincoln Elementary, Alexandria MN

Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln Elementary

Lincoln Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school in Alexandria, Minnesota, within the Alexandria Public School District. It is one of several elementary schools in the district that feed into a single middle school and high school.

Alexandria is a regional hub in west-central Minnesota's lake country, with a manufacturing-based economy alongside a strong resort and tourism identity. It serves as the Douglas County seat and a commercial, medical, and retail center for the surrounding area. The traditional downtown along Broadway Street has storefronts and civic buildings, but much of daily life outside that core is car-dependent, given the city's spread across multiple lakes and the interstate that bisects it. The district operates multiple elementary campuses, a middle school, and a high school, and Alexandria Technical and Community College provides a post-secondary option locally.

Lincoln's enrollment draws from a student body that is predominantly White, with smaller shares of students who are Hispanic, of two or more races, Asian, and Black. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a moderate level of economic diversity. The school did not report counts for students with individualized education plans or English learners in the available data, so a parent with specific questions about special education services or language support may want to follow up directly with the school.

On state assessments from the 2024-25 school year, Lincoln's results varied by subject and grade. In mathematics, performance was strongest in fourth grade, where a large majority of students met or exceeded state standards. Third and fifth grade math results were lower, though a majority of fifth graders were still proficient. In reading and language arts, fourth grade again showed the highest proficiency rate, with fifth grade not far behind, while third grade results were lower, with under half of students proficient. In science, which is tested only in fifth grade, about a quarter of students met the proficiency mark. Because only a single year of data was available, there is no trend to compare against prior years, and state assessment changes for science mean those results reflect a new test and new cut scores.

When placed relative to districts in Douglas County, Lincoln's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits in the top quartile. That positioning reflects strong results in several grade-level subjects, particularly fourth-grade math and reading.

Housing costs in the area around the school are roughly in line with state averages. Home values have seen modest appreciation, and the estimated monthly mortgage payment on a median-priced home is somewhat above the typical rent, a common pattern in many Midwest communities. Economic context such as unemployment and household income mirrors national trends.

The district has a notable recent development: in the summer of 2025, it submitted a Capital Project Levy proposal that, if approved by voters, would affect property taxes and fund facility investments, including work at one of the other elementary schools. Parents moving to the area may want to learn about the status of that proposal and what it could mean for school buildings and budgets.

For a family considering Lincoln Elementary, the school offers a regular elementary program in a regional hub community, with math and reading results that compare well with other Douglas County districts. The variation in proficiency across grades, especially the lower third-grade reading results and the modest science scores, are areas a parent may want to discuss with the school to understand the instructional approach and available support. The school's size and economic mix are typical for its setting, and its place within a district planning for growth and facility needs signals a community investing in its schools.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 352%

School 52% · District 63% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 478%

School 78% · District 75% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median

Grade 557%

School 57% · District 56% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 22 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 343%

School 43% · District 53% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 465%

School 65% · District 55% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median

Grade 558%

School 58% · District 54% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median

Science

Grade 529%

School 29% · District 28% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

This schoolALEXANDRIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income32%Higher-income52%20 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income53%Higher-income73%19 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income37%Higher-income70%33 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income68%Higher-income87%19 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income28%Higher-income69%42 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income65%Higher-income87%22 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income46%Higher-income63%17 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income80%Higher-income95%15 pp gap