Byron Intermediate School, Byron MN

Original Research by School Decision on Byron Intermediate School

Byron Intermediate School is a regular public school serving third through fifth grade in the Byron Public School District, located in the city of Byron, Minnesota. The school occupies a single building on 10th Avenue NE, within the town’s residential fabric rather than on an isolated campus.

Byron itself is a growing small city that functions primarily as a bedroom community for Rochester, roughly ten miles west. The town has a compact historic downtown, a traditional grid layout, and newer residential development including the Somerby Golf Club community. Local employers include Schmidt Printing and farm services, but many residents commute to Rochester, where the Mayo Clinic dominates the regional economy. The town is growing steadily, and the housing market is strong, with home values above the national median. A commuter bus runs to Rochester, and Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo is a nearby county attraction. The district recently undertook major capital construction, publicly reported as a significant facility investment.

On state assessments, Byron Intermediate’s math proficiency is strong across all three grades, with the large majority of students meeting state standards. In English language arts, results vary by grade: third-grade proficiency is lower, with just over half of students meeting the bar, while fourth and fifth grade show a clear upward trend, with a solid majority proficient. Science is tested only in fifth grade, and about two in five students scored proficient; the state noted that both the assessment and its cut scores changed recently, so parents may want to ask the school about how science performance compares to prior years. Overall, across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s proficiency index places it in the top quarter among districts in Olmsted County. Only one year of data is available, so no trend can be drawn.

The student body is around the size typical for an intermediate school serving three grades. The demographic profile is predominantly white, with small shares of Asian, Hispanic, and two-or-more-race students. Slightly less than one in five students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported, so a parent should ask the school directly about those populations and services. The school does not appear to be a Title I school, though that status was not confirmed. No information on discipline, attendance, or course access is available.

Because Byron Intermediate ends at fifth grade, there is no graduation rate or high school outcome data to consider. The school is part of a district that covers all grades K-12, so families will transition to a middle and high school within the same system. The district’s recent capital investment suggests a focus on facilities, which may affect the learning environment.

For a family considering this school, the picture is one of a math-strong elementary program in a growing small town with a commuter-friendly location near Rochester. The lower third-grade reading results are the main soft spot, and a parent may want to discuss reading intervention and support with the school. The community offers a mix of small-town amenities and access to a larger metro area, with housing demand that reflects its appeal. The school fits families who want a solid academic foundation in a community-oriented setting and who are comfortable with a predominantly homogeneous student body. Those seeking detailed special education or English learner data, or more granular program information, will need to follow up directly with the school or district.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 378%

School 78% · District 78%

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

Grade 477%

School 77% · District 77%

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 578%

School 78% · District 78%

▲ 43 pts above state median · ▲ 36 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 357%

School 57% · District 57%

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 469%

School 69% · District 69%

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Grade 577%

School 77% · District 77%

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Science

Grade 544%

School 44% · District 44%

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

This schoolBYRON 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-income54%Higher-income58%4 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income55%Higher-income72%17 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income59%Higher-income80%21 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income79%Higher-income78%1 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income63%Higher-income80%17 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income48%Higher-income84%35 pp gap