The top reported proficiency rate is 53% in Math. The lowest is 23% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Park Elementary
Park Elementary in Le Sueur is a regular public school serving children from prekindergarten through fifth grade. It is one of the elementary schools in the Le Sueur-Henderson School District, with its counterpart Hilltop Elementary further south in Henderson. Le Sueur itself is a small city set along the Minnesota River, historically anchored by the Green Giant canning company and now home to industrial employers such as a foundry, a dairy processor, and a quartz surfaces manufacturer. The town has a residential, small-town feel, and the school buildings are integrated into the community rather than on remote campuses.
The school enrolls a mid-sized elementary population. Its student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic share and smaller numbers of Black and multiracial students. Nearly half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker that a significant portion of families face economic constraints. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported in the available records.
Academically, Park Elementary’s latest state assessment results show a mixed picture depending on subject and grade level. In math, about half of students in grades three through five met proficiency standards, with the proportion rising slightly in the upper grades. English language arts results followed a similar pattern, though third-grade reading proficiency trailed behind the other elementary grades. This suggests that early literacy may be an area where the school is working to build stronger foundational skills. Science results for fifth graders were notably lower, with roughly a quarter of students proficient; it is worth noting that the state science assessment had both a name change and a cut-score change that year, so the results may not be directly comparable to previous years. A parent may want to ask the school how they address science instruction and whether recent assessment changes affected scores.
Overall, when combined across all tested subjects and grades, Park Elementary’s proficiency index sits above the midpoint among the four districts in Le Sueur County. That is a solid position relative to its immediate neighbors, though the county itself is not a large or high-performing universe, so comparisons are best understood at that local level.
The housing market in Le Sueur is moderately priced relative to the state as a whole. Home values are below the Minnesota median, which may make the area more accessible for families seeking a home near a school that performs around the county’s typical range. The community has seen a slight population decline in recent years, though city economic development efforts aim to attract and retain businesses through loan programs and tax incentives. No major recent district-level changes—such as referendums, boundary shifts, or program overhauls—were found in public records, so the current setup appears stable.
Because Park Elementary serves only through fifth grade, there is no graduation rate or college-readiness data to consider. Those metrics apply to the secondary school that students will attend later. Chronic absenteeism and discipline data were also absent from the available records, so a parent interested in those topics should reach out to the school directly for current information.
In sum, Park Elementary offers a typical small-town public elementary experience in a community with a working-class industrial history and a modest cost of living. Its academic results are around the local average for math and reading, with science an area to watch, and the student body reflects a mix of white and Hispanic families, with a notable share of economic need. For a family looking within Le Sueur County, it is a school that holds a decent position among its peers.
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