The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in English language arts. The lowest is 23% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Cannon Falls Elementary
Cannon Falls Elementary serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the Cannon Falls Public School District, a regular public school in the southeastern Minnesota community of Cannon Falls. The school sits on Minnesota Street on the east side of town, in a small, growing village described as a scenic riverside community at the junction of the Big Cannon and Little Cannon rivers. Cannon Falls has a compact historic downtown district listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with dining, shopping, and service amenities, and the town sits on Highway 52 roughly between Rochester and the Twin Cities, offering small-town living with access to larger urban centers. The Cannon Valley Trail, a paved recreational trail on a former railroad line, runs parallel to the Cannon River and serves as a major pedestrian and cycling corridor, with Cannon Falls as the western trailhead.
Enrollment at Cannon Falls Elementary is moderate for an elementary school serving this grade band, and the student body is predominantly white. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which gives a sense of the economic diversity in the building. Specific numbers for students with disabilities and English learners were not available, so a full picture of the school's special population supports is not possible from the data provided; a parent may want to ask the school directly about these services and the staffing that supports them.
The school's academic results come from the 2024-25 Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) and show a mixed picture that varies notably by grade level and subject. In reading, the third-grade cohort had proficiency above the midpoint of tested students, while fourth-grade reading proficiency was lower. Fifth-grade reading proficiency was the strongest in the school, with over half of students meeting the standard. In math, third-grade proficiency was solid, with a clear majority of students meeting the bar. Fourth-grade math proficiency dropped off substantially, and fifth-grade math was at a similar lower level. Science is tested only in fifth grade, and the proficiency rate there was much lower than either reading or math at any grade. Minnesota changed its science assessment and cut scores in the testing window, which limits direct comparison with prior years, but the result itself is soft. Overall, across tested subjects and grades, the school's composite proficiency index sits above the midpoint among districts in Goodhue County, meaning it performs in the upper half of the county.
The most notable pattern is the unevenness across grades. Third-grade reading and math both hit stronger marks, while fourth grade in both subjects and fifth-grade math are areas where the school may want to examine instruction or support. The dip from third to fourth grade is common statewide as the material becomes more complex, but the magnitude here is worth a parent's attention if their child is entering those grades. Fifth graders, conversely, show that reading skills hold up better than math at the upper end of the elementary span.
The district passed a bond referendum in late 2023 to fund facility improvements across both district schools, including security upgrades, HVAC improvements, and classroom renovations at the elementary school. This means property taxpayers in the district will see an impact, and families can expect improved physical plant conditions going forward. The district has also established a Personalized Learning Academy for students in grades seven through twelve, an alternative learning environment offering flexible pathways, though this does not directly affect the elementary building.
Cannon Falls itself, while a small town, has a few notable employers and anchors such as Mayo Clinic Health System and the Cannon Valley Trail. Housing values in the area have been rising, and mortgage rates nationally have fluctuated in the mid-single digits, all context a family moving in would want to consider. The school's location on Highway 52 means that parents who commute to Rochester or the Twin Cities for work face a moderate drive, though the town's own amenities are sufficient for daily life.
Housing values in the area sit slightly above the state benchmark, which families evaluating affordability should factor in. The broader economic context includes a stable national unemployment rate and a steady but rising cost of rent for shelter, though specific rental data for this area was not available.
There is no state testing for pre-kindergarten through second grade, which is developmentally typical, and the data reported covers only the tested grades of three through five. Graduation rates do not apply to an elementary school. The school does not have charter or magnet status. Given the grades served, the available academic data is limited to the three tested grades, and a parent with a child in the primary grades will need to rely on other indicators such as teacher communication, classroom observation, and the school's own formative assessments.
Overall, Cannon Falls Elementary presents as a school with a solid third-grade foundation, a sharp drop-off in fourth grade that families should be aware of, and a fifth-grade reading program that appears to deliver. The building is in the middle of a physical upgrade cycle, and its students are broadly representative of a small, mostly white, modest-income community. The school fits families who value a small-town elementary setting with access to outdoor recreation and who are comfortable with the academic variability that comes with a single building serving a wide developmental range. A parent who sees the fourth-grade numbers and wants more detail about math and reading intervention in those grades would be wise to ask the school directly.
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