The top reported proficiency rate is 53% in Math. The lowest is 23% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Lake Benton Elementary
Lake Benton Elementary is a regular public school in the small town of Lake Benton, in far southwestern Minnesota. It serves children from prekindergarten through sixth grade and is the only elementary school in the Lake Benton Public School District. The school is small, and its student body is overwhelmingly white, with a very small Hispanic population and a tiny share of multiracial students. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced‑price lunch, a common measure of family economic need.
The town itself sits on the shores of Lake Benton and along the Buffalo Ridge, an area known for wind energy development, with many wind towers rising from the surrounding agricultural landscape. Civic life centers on the lake, a historic opera house, a local history museum, and community parks. Population trends are relatively stable, and recent improvements include renovations at Lake Side Park. Housing values in the area are somewhat below the Minnesota statewide average but sit a little above the national typical price, reflecting the region’s rural character and more modest cost of living.
Academically, Lake Benton Elementary shows a split picture. In state reading and math assessments for grades 3, 4, and 5, proficiency rates were generally strong. A majority of students in those grades met state standards, and in some cases the share was quite high. That performance placed the school above the midpoint among the four districts in Lincoln County on an overall proficiency index. These are solid results for a small rural elementary school.
However, the sixth‑grade results were an outlier. In both reading and math, no students tested as proficient. The data shows a zero‑percent proficiency rate. That is a sharp drop from the preceding grades, and a parent would want to ask the school directly about what might account for the change — whether it reflects a very small tested group, differences in instruction, or other factors. Similarly, science testing in fifth grade showed roughly one in four students reaching proficiency, a softer result that may also merit a conversation with the school about curriculum and support.
Because the school ends at sixth grade, there is no graduation rate, and data on chronic absenteeism and discipline was not available. The district’s web‑research did not turn up any recent referendums, curriculum changes, or other parent‑relevant developments; the district appears to have been stable in its operations.
Lake Benton Elementary provides a small‑town, close‑knit setting where early and middle elementary students perform well on state measures. The sixth‑grade results are a notable soft spot, and the limited data on special populations and other school environment factors means families may want to ask the school directly about how it supports students who struggle, particularly as they approach the transition to middle school. The town’s amenities — the lake, the opera house, the park — offer recreational and community anchors, and the local economy is shaped by agriculture and wind energy. For a family seeking a small rural school with strong early academics and a stable community, this is a plausible fit, with the caveat that the middle elementary experience warrants closer inquiry.
See more original research from School Decision →