The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in English language arts. The lowest is 9% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Faribault Middle
Faribault Middle School serves grades six through eight as a regular public school in the Faribault Public School District. The school sits within the city of Faribault, a manufacturing and food-processing center at the confluence of the Cannon and Straight Rivers, about fifty miles south of the Twin Cities via Interstate 35. The city’s historic downtown, designated a Main Street community, holds local restaurants, arts venues, and the Cheese Cave. Major employers include Faribault Foods, Jennie-O Turkey Store, Faribault Woolen Mills, and the Minnesota Correctional Facility – Faribault. The population has grown steadily in recent decades.
The school’s student body is moderate in size for a middle school and economically diverse in a specific sense: a substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Racially and ethnically, the student population is mixed, with no single group forming an outright majority. White and Hispanic students each make up roughly a third of enrollment, Black students about a quarter, and smaller shares identify as Asian, two or more races, or American Indian. Data on special education and English learner populations were not available in the source materials, and neither were figures on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing. A parent may wish to ask the school directly for those details.
State assessment results are a key point to understand about this school. In math, the share of students meeting proficiency standards was low across all three grades. In English language arts, proficiency rates were higher than in math but still modest, with the sixth grade showing the strongest of the three grade levels. Science, tested only in eighth grade, had a similarly low proficiency rate. When compared with other districts in Rice County, Faribault Middle School’s overall proficiency index falls in the bottom quartile. These numbers reflect the school’s performance on the state’s Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments during the most recent testing year. Trends data show only one year of results, so no multi-year trajectory is available to indicate improvement or decline.
The district itself, Faribault Public School District, operates an early childhood center, four elementary schools, the middle school, Faribault High School, an Area Learning Center, and an education center. A search for recent district-level changes such as referendums, curriculum adoptions, or program launches did not turn up specific developments meeting the bar for a lasting impact on families. The district appears to be operating without major recent disruptions or redirections, though a parent should always check directly for any upcoming proposals.
Housing in the Faribault area is priced around the national median, with modest year-over-year appreciation. The local economy includes a mix of industrial employers and public-sector institutions such as the Minnesota State Academies for the Deaf and Blind and South Central Community College. The city’s location on the I-35 corridor makes it a viable option for commuters to the Twin Cities, though the drive is substantial. The broader community has parks, a nature center, and trails including the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail.
For a family considering Faribault Middle School, the picture is straightforward. The school serves a diverse, high-poverty student population. State proficiency results are low, particularly in math and science, and the school ranks in the bottom quarter among its county peers. A parent would want to understand what academic interventions, enrichment, and support structures are in place, as well as how the school is working to raise student achievement. Without data on chronic absenteeism, staffing ratios, or program offerings, those are natural questions to raise with the school administration. The setting is a midsize city with a manufacturing base, steady growth, and a downtown that retains a traditional Main Street character.
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