Original Research by School Decision on Faribault Day School Alc
Faribault Day School ALC is an alternative school serving grades six through eight in Faribault, Minnesota. It is part of the Faribault Public School District. The school's designation as an alternative learning center means it is structured for students who benefit from a setting different from a traditional middle school. The data available for this school is very thin, which is common for alternative programs that serve small, specialized populations.
State testing results for math, reading, and science are all suppressed, meaning the number of students tested was too small to report publicly. Only a handful of students took the assessments in the most recent year with available data. This is not unusual for an alternative school of this type, where enrollment is often small and the student population may be in transition. Because the data is suppressed, there is no way to evaluate academic performance through state assessments. A parent considering this school would want to discuss academic progress measures directly with the school.
Enrollment data shows no students reported in the most recent year, which may reflect a gap in reporting or a period of transition for the program. The school serves grades six through eight and is classified as an alternative school. No information on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education, or English learner status was available. No data on discipline, staffing, or course access was reported.
The school is part of the Faribault Public School District, which operates an early childhood center, four elementary schools, a middle school, Faribault High School, and the Area Learning Center across the city. The district did not have any recent major changes publicly reported that would meet the bar for lasting impact.
Faribault itself is a city of steady growth, located along Interstate 35 about 50 miles south of the Twin Cities. It has a historic downtown with local businesses, restaurants, and arts venues, and a strong manufacturing base with employers like Faribault Foods, Jennie-O Turkey Store, and Faribault Woolen Mills. The city sits at the confluence of the Cannon and Straight Rivers and has a walkable downtown core, though the broader city is auto-oriented. Housing values in the area are below the national median, and the area has seen modest appreciation. The city has a mix of residential neighborhoods, industrial areas, and civic institutions including a community college and the Minnesota State Academies for the Deaf and Blind.
For a family considering Faribault Day School ALC, the most important takeaway is that this is a small alternative program for middle school students, and the available data does not provide a picture of academic performance, student demographics, or school environment. The school's purpose is to serve students who need a different learning environment than a traditional middle school offers. Anyone evaluating this school would need to contact the school directly to understand its program, student body, and outcomes.
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