The top reported proficiency rate is 64% in Math. The lowest is 32% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Le Sueur-henderson Middle School
Le Sueur-Henderson Middle School serves sixth through eighth graders in the Le Sueur-Henderson School District, a small district that draws from the city of Le Sueur and the town of Henderson. The school building is located on the east side of Le Sueur, and all three grades share a single campus. With an enrollment of roughly 225 students, the school is a mid-sized middle school for a rural Minnesota setting. The student body is predominantly white, with a noticeable Hispanic population, and very small shares of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. About three out of ten students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a rate that reflects the economic mix of the surrounding communities rather than a high-poverty concentration.
Academically, the school shows a mixed picture that varies by grade and subject. In math, sixth and seventh graders reached proficiency at roughly the same rate, about six in ten test-takers, while eighth graders performed markedly higher, with roughly three-quarters meeting the state standard. In reading, the pattern is more uneven. Sixth graders posted a strong result, with about seven in ten proficient, but seventh graders fell to about half proficient, a notable drop. Eighth graders recovered somewhat to between half and six in ten. Science is tested only in eighth grade, and here about a third of students scored proficient, a softer result that a parent may want to discuss with the school to understand how science instruction is structured across the middle years. Compared with the other three districts in Le Sueur County, the school’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades sits in the top quartile. That position is a clear strength relative to its immediate geographic neighbors.
Because this is a middle school, there is no graduation rate and no chronic absenteeism data in the available records. The data also does not include information on course offerings, advanced or elective programs, or staffing ratios. State testing participation was complete in every grade and subject, so the results reflect the full tested population.
The community context helps explain the school’s environment. Le Sueur is a small city along the Minnesota River, positioned between Mankato and the Twin Cities. It has a residential small-town character with a manufacturing core: a foundry, a creamery, and a quartz surfaces manufacturer are the major employers. The area’s historic identity is tied to the Green Giant canning company, founded there as the Minnesota Valley Canning Company, and while the processing plant closed years ago, a research center remains and the “Valley of the Jolly Green Giant” branding persists. Home values in the broader area run modestly below the state average, and the local economy has held up with low unemployment. The district itself did not show any major recent changes such as referendums or curriculum overhauls in public records, so the school’s academic trajectory appears to be operating on a steady footing without recent disruption.
Le Sueur-Henderson Middle School fits a family looking for a small, community-based middle school where the student body is largely homogeneous and the academic results are above average for the county, particularly in math for eighth graders and reading for sixth graders. The noticeable dip in seventh-grade reading and the lower science score are areas to follow up on. Families accustomed to wider program offerings or more diverse peer environments may want to verify what electives and supports are available, as the available data does not speak to that dimension.
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