The top reported proficiency rate is 38% in Math. The lowest is 33% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Neveln Elementary
Neveln Elementary serves first through fourth grade in Austin, a mid-sized city in Mower County where food processing, led by Hormel Foods, anchors the local economy. The school is part of the Austin Public School District and sits in a community that blends industrial employment with residential neighborhoods and civic institutions such as the Spam Museum and the Paramount Theater. The city’s population has been relatively stable in recent years.
The school enrolls a student body where just over a third of students are white, and a similar share are Hispanic. Asian students make up a noticeable portion as well, with smaller shares of Black, multiracial, and Native American or Pacific Islander students. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of economic need that families may want to weigh alongside other considerations.
State testing results from the 2024-25 school year provide a picture of academic performance, though only for a single year, so no trend is available. In third-grade math, about half of students met proficiency standards, while in fourth-grade math, that figure was lower, around a quarter. In English language arts, third-grade proficiency was roughly two-fifths, and fourth-grade proficiency was again around a quarter. The pattern shows a drop from third to fourth grade in both subjects, which a parent may want to discuss with the school to understand the reasons. An older science result from fifth grade, from several years ago, is present in the data but is not current enough to inform a present-day judgment; the school does not serve fifth grade now.
When compared across districts in Mower County, Neveln’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades falls above the midpoint among its peers. This positions the school solidly among its county neighbors, though the range of outcomes in the county is wide, so being above the middle reflects a reasonable standing without indicating a top-tier result.
The district, Austin Public Schools, has expanded non-traditional learning options in recent years, including an online academy for middle and high school grades and a separate K-12 alternative program. These offerings may be relevant for families considering long-term pathways beyond Neveln’s elementary grades.
Housing in the area is more affordable than the state average, with home values and rents at levels that are relatively modest. The economic context shows typical mortgage rates and unemployment at a moderate national level, but specific local employment conditions in Mower County may differ.
A significant portion of data that some families look for is not available here. There is no reported information on how many students have individualized education plans or are English learners, no chronic absenteeism data, no discipline records, and no staffing details like class sizes or teacher credentials. These gaps mean a parent would need to reach out to the school directly to learn about special education support, the learning environment for multilingual students, and day-to-day classroom conditions.
Neveln Elementary serves a diverse, high-need population in a stable industrial city, with academic results that are above the county midpoint but show a notable decline between third and fourth grade. It operates within a district that has added flexible learning options, and it sits in a housing market that is relatively affordable compared to much of Minnesota. The missing data on student supports and school climate means a prospective parent should plan to ask detailed questions during a visit or conversation with the school.
See more original research from School Decision →