The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in Math. The lowest is 18% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Ellsworth Elementary
Ellsworth Elementary is a small, rural public school in the town of Ellsworth, Minnesota, serving students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. The school enrolls a modest number of children, and the student body is predominantly white with a small Hispanic presence. More than two out of every five students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a significant share of families rely on this support. Data on students with disabilities or English learners was not available, so a parent may wish to ask the school directly for those counts.
Academically, the school’s state test results present a mixed picture. In math, third graders performed well, with a large majority reaching proficiency. Fourth graders also showed a strong result. However, in fifth grade fewer than half of students met the math standard, and in sixth grade no student reached proficiency. A similar pattern appears in reading: fourth graders had a high proficiency rate, third graders were midsized, fifth graders were lower, and sixth graders again had no proficient scores. Science is tested only in fifth grade, and only a small share of students met expectations. The school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades stands above the midpoint when compared with other districts in Nobles County, a frame that includes four districts. The pattern suggests that students in the earliest tested grades may be building a solid foundation, but performance drops sharply by sixth grade. Because the school does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to consider.
The school operates as a regular public school within the Ellsworth Public School District. No recent parent-relevant changes, such as referendums or curriculum shifts, were found in publicly reported information about the district. The district itself is small and rural, and the school is the only elementary building in the system.
Ellsworth itself is a quiet farming community. The town is compact, walkable for basic errands along its main avenue, but there is little street life. The local economy is anchored by agriculture-related businesses – a grain elevator, implement dealer, trucking companies, and a nursing home are among the major employers, along with the school itself. Civic life centers on small-town institutions: churches, a volunteer fire department, and an annual community festival. The population has declined over time, though home values have risen modestly. There is no indication of significant new housing development; the overall trajectory is a stable but slowly shrinking rural population. Families moving to Ellsworth are likely choosing a close-knit, low-key environment.
For a parent considering Ellsworth Elementary, the school offers a small setting where early elementary grades show promising proficiency, especially in math and reading at third and fourth grade. The drop-off in fifth and sixth grade is a soft spot worth investigating: a parent may want to ask the school about instructional approaches, intervention supports, or student transitions in those upper grades. The community context is rural and slow-paced, with limited amenities and a shrinking population. The school’s small size means that class sizes and individual attention may be a draw, but the absence of data on special populations, chronic absenteeism, and staffing means a closer look at those areas is reasonable before making a decision.
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