The top reported proficiency rate is 79% in Math. The lowest is 46% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Miltona Elementary
Miltona Elementary sits in the small lakes-country town of Miltona, about a dozen miles north of Alexandria, the region’s employment and retail center. The school serves kindergarten through fifth grade and is part of the Alexandria Public School District. For families deciding where to live or where to enroll, this is a school whose identity is shaped by its rural recreational settingamenthe town itself has a post office, a couple of municipal parks, ballfields, and a volunteer fire department, and the surrounding landscape is dotted with lakes that draw retirees and second-home owners. The community is growing slowly, with homes replacing fields around the town’s edge, but the scale remains small.
Academically, the school posts strong results on state assessments. Across the tested grades, math proficiency is high, landing well above typical levels in the county. Reading and English language arts proficiency is solid though more moderate. In the most recently tested year, a majority of students met or exceeded standards in ELA. Science results for fifth graders come in noticeably lower, a pattern that would bear a conversation with the school about how that subject is addressed in the elementary curriculum. The school’s overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Douglas County, a meaningful comparison for a family weighing local options.
The student body is modest in size and largely homogeneous. Nearly all students are white, with a very small share identifying as two or more races. About a fifth of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that suggests a moderate range of household incomes. Data on students with Individualized Education Programs and English learners were not available for this school, so a parent wanting to understand how special education or language supports work here would need to ask the school directly. Similarly, discipline and chronic absenteeism numbers are absent from the reporting, so those dimensions of school climate are not captured in this picture.
Housing in the Miltona area carries a value close to Minnesota’s statewide average, and the typical monthly mortgage payment is lower than the estimated rent, which may factor into a family’s decision to buy versus rent. The area has no major employers; most working residents commute south to Alexandria or to nearby Parkers Prairie. The median household income in town is in line with national figures, and the poverty rate is modest.
The district itself recently pursued a Capital Project Levy proposal in 2025, which, if approved, would shape school facility investments and property taxes. That is the only district-level change publicly reported for the near term; otherwise, a parent would find the district’s long-term planning and budgeting materials worth following.
Because Miltona Elementary ends at fifth grade, there is no graduation rate to report. Students continue to Discovery Middle School and then Alexandria Area High School, both located in Alexandria. Families considering the elementary school should factor in that transition and the commute for secondary school activities.
Overall, Miltona Elementary offers a small-town, lake-region setting with academic performance that stands out in its county, particularly in math. The school’s size and rural character will suit families who value a close-knit environment and are comfortable driving for secondary schooling and amenities. The gaps in special populations and climate data are worth clarifying with the school, but the available evidence shows a school that is performing well for the students it serves.
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