The top reported proficiency rate is 0% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Herman Secondary
Herman Secondary sits at the center of a very small, rural community in west-central Minnesota, serving grades seven through twelve for the Herman-Norcross School District. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and the enrollment is small. The student body is predominantly white, with a small share of students identifying as two or more races and a very small Hispanic population. More than a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a meaningful share in a town where median household income is below national averages and the poverty rate is elevated.
The town of Herman itself has seen a long-term population decline, though recent estimates suggest a slight rebound. It is a compact, walkable prairie town with a grid street pattern, limited commercial activity, and an agricultural surrounding. The Grant County Fair is held here, and the community has a Community Center and City Hall. Housing values in the area are well below the state median, and the local market has seen a notable year-over-year increase, though it remains relatively affordable compared to much of Minnesota.
Academically, the picture is mixed. The most recent state assessment data, from the school year ending in 2025, shows that proficiency rates in both math and English language arts were quite low. For math, the rate across all tested grades was under ten percent, and for English language arts it was in the low teens. These figures place the school in the bottom quartile for overall proficiency when compared with other districts in Grant County, a small cohort of three districts. The science results for eighth grade were suppressed, likely due to very small student counts, so that data is not available for review. A parent considering this school should be aware that these test results are well below the county median and likely well below state averages, and it is worth asking the school directly what steps are being taken in curriculum and instruction.
The school serves only grades seven through twelve, so the graduation rate data that was looked for was not found in the records provided. That is a gap a parent may want to follow up on with the district office. There were no course access, staffing, or program data available in the dataset, so it is not possible to say what Advanced Placement, career and technical education, or dual-credit offerings exist. A parent visiting the school or contacting its counseling office would want to ask about these opportunities, as they are critical for a school serving high school grades, especially in a small rural setting where college and career pathways may be limited by enrollment.
No recent disciplinary data, attendance rates, or chronic absenteeism figures were provided, so it is unclear how student engagement and school climate look in practice. The district brief turned up no recent parent-relevant changes such as referendums, curriculum shifts, or programming additions that would matter to a family deciding. The school's small size means individual attention may be a given, but it also means a narrow peer group and fewer course options than a larger school could offer. For a family that values a close-knit, rural environment and is prepared to engage directly with the school to understand what academic supports and advanced coursework are actually available, Herman Secondary may be a fit. For families prioritizing strong state test performance or a wide menu of academic pathways, this school would need a much closer look to see if it can deliver what they are after.
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