Dakota Meadows Middle School, North Mankato MN

Original Research by School Decision on Dakota Meadows Middle School

Dakota Meadows Middle School serves grades six through eight in North Mankato, a primarily residential city on the north bank of the Minnesota River across from its larger neighbor, Mankato. The school is part of the Mankato Public School District and sits within a community that includes South Central College, a two-year technical and community college, and several highway corridors that bring commercial activity. North Mankato’s population has been relatively stable in recent years, and the city’s housing stock consists largely of single-family homes, with a median home value that is below the state average. The area is car-dependent, with most residents commuting by vehicle.

Dakota Meadows is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and it enrolls a predominately white student body. About one-third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, giving the school a moderate level of economic diversity. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the size of those populations and the supports available.

On state assessments from the 2024–25 school year, Dakota Meadows’ overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in a lower position when compared to the school districts in Nicollet County. In mathematics, proficiency rates across grades six, seven, and eight were all near the middle range, while in English language arts they were slightly higher across those same grades. The eighth-grade science proficiency rate was notably lower, which may be influenced by recent changes to the science assessment’s name and cut scores; families should check with the school for context on how these results are being addressed. Only one year of testing data was available, so no trend in improvement or decline could be assessed.

Because Dakota Meadows is a middle school, it does not have a graduation rate. Data on chronic absenteeism and discipline were not reported. The district brief turned up no major recent changes in curriculum, referendums, or policies that would affect a parent’s experience.

The school’s location in a residential area means it draws from the surrounding neighborhoods. North Mankato does not have a distinct downtown commercial district; civic and educational facilities are spread across the community. The broader Mankato area offers a range of shopping, healthcare, and employment, though specific major employers within North Mankato itself were not identified in publicly available information.

For families considering Dakota Meadows, the academic picture is one of moderate performance on math and ELA state tests, with science a soft spot that may warrant further inquiry with the school. The student body is not highly diverse in terms of race and ethnicity, and the school’s economic makeup is mixed but not extreme. The community is suburban and stable, with housing that is more affordable than the state median. No specialized programs or pathways were listed in available data, so the school operates as a conventional middle school within a midsized district. A parent looking for a regular public middle school in a quiet residential setting with a below-average cost of living may find Dakota Meadows a reasonable fit, while those seeking strong test performance data, robust program offerings, or a more diverse peer environment would want to investigate further.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 648%

School 48% · District 48% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 20 pts above state median

Grade 748%

School 48% · District 45% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median

Grade 851%

School 51% · District 49% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 25 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 655%

School 55% · District 52% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 9 pts above state median

Grade 755%

School 55% · District 49% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median

Grade 853%

School 53% · District 51% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median

Science

Grade 821%

School 21% · District 19% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median

This schoolMANKATO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income39%Higher-income64%26 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income31%Higher-income65%35 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income38%Higher-income59%21 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income32%Higher-income56%24 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income23%Higher-income59%36 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income28%Higher-income60%32 pp gap