The top reported proficiency rate is 32% in English language arts. The lowest is 8% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Ellis Middle
Ellis Middle School serves seventh and eighth graders in the Austin Public School District. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet school, and is one of the middle-grade options for families living in the city of Austin and its surrounding area.
Austin itself is a mid-sized city with a strong industrial identity, anchored by Hormel Foods, which is headquartered here and operates its main production facility. The local economy is dominated by food processing, with Hormel, Quality Pork Processors, and Mayo Clinic Health System as the top employers. The city has been stable in population in recent years, and recent capital projects, such as a new county justice center campus, have been downtown, where civic life is centered. The Cedar River runs through the city, and there are two artificial lakes that provide recreation. The district recently updated its offerings to include an Online Academy and an alternative program, New Dominion Academy, giving families non-traditional options within the system.
The student body at Ellis Middle is diverse. The largest demographic group is white students, but Hispanic students also make up a substantial share of the enrollment, and there are notable populations of Asian, Black, and multiracial students as well. A majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a measure that indicates a high proportion of households with lower incomes. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the data reviewed.
Academically, the state test results show an area where families will want to look closely. In both seventh and eighth grade, the share of students meeting state standards in reading was below half of the tested students. The math results were lower still, with a smaller share of students meeting the bar in both grades. The eighth-grade science results were the weakest area, where a very small share of students scored proficient. Because only one year of state testing data was available, there is no trend to report; whether these results represent a steady pattern or a particular year’s outcome is something a parent may want to ask the school about directly. When compared to other middle schools in Mower County, the overall proficiency index here places in the bottom quartile.
As a middle school, there is no graduation rate to consider, as that data only applies to high schools. The school does not serve grades that are tested for a graduation measure.
The housing market in the zip code that feeds the school offers a more accessible entry point than the statewide or national averages. Home values are well below the Minnesota median, and rents are similarly lower relative to the state. For a family buying a home, the estimated monthly mortgage payment here is below what the national median household income would support, and rents also come in below that benchmark. This suggests that housing affordability in Austin is a relative strength compared to many other parts of the state.
Overall, Ellis Middle School presents as a regular public middle school in a working-class, industrial city. Its academic attainment on state assessments is an area of concern, with proficiency rates that are below the county median and well below the state average. The school serves a diverse student body, many from lower-income households, in a community where housing is more affordable than the state norm. A family considering this school would want to investigate the academic support structures in place, the programs offered, and how the school is addressing the performance levels shown in the state data.
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