Medford Secondary, Medford MN - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Medford Secondary

Medford Secondary serves students in seventh through twelfth grade in the Medford Public School District, a small district in Steele County about a short drive south of the Twin Cities. The school is a regular public school, not a charter. The town of Medford itself is small and primarily rural, with a compact downtown and a cluster of commercial businesses along the interstate corridor. Recent years have shown the highest growth rate in Steele County, and the community has been actively attracting families. The school building, located on the eastern edge of town, was built after the old school was outgrown and now operates at capacity, drawing a number of students from outside the district through open enrollment.

The student body is small for a secondary school serving six grade levels. The student population is predominantly white, with a notable Hispanic share. More than a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a moderate range of economic need. Data on the share of students with an individualized education program and the share of English learners was not available.

On state assessments, proficiency rates in math and reading fall well below state averages. In seventh grade math, about a third of students met standards, and in eighth grade math about a quarter did. In reading, roughly a third of seventh graders and a smaller share of eighth graders scored proficient. Science results for eighth graders are markedly lower. When compared with other districts in Steele County using an overall proficiency index, Medford falls in the bottom quartile. This is a consistent pattern of academic performance that families will want to weigh carefully and discuss with the school to understand the instructional approach and support available.

Course access, staffing ratios, and chronic absenteeism data were not available in the provided information, so those areas cannot be assessed here. No four-year graduation rate was reported, which for a school serving through twelfth grade is a notable gap. A parent may want to ask the school directly for its graduation rate and postsecondary plans for graduates.

The school itself is a single building serving middle and high school grades, meaning students experience a continuous secondary environment without a separate transition between middle and high school. This can appeal to families who prefer a stable, smaller setting where students move through grades in a familiar community. Given the school’s capacity and open enrollment draw, the student experience is shaped by both local residents and families who have chosen to send their children here.

Housing in Medford has seen appreciation, with home values rising in recent years, and the area remains more affordable than the state average. The local economy is anchored by outlet retail and auction businesses along the interstate, and the town’s park system provides recreational amenities.

For a family considering this school, the main considerations are the academic performance levels, which are below county and state benchmarks, and the small, growing community context. The school’s location on the edge of a small town, its open enrollment draw, and its single-building secondary setup all contribute to a distinctive environment that is quite different from a larger suburban or metro-area school. Because data on graduation rates, program offerings, and support for special populations was not provided, families should seek that information directly from the school to complete their picture.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

80-84%Cohort of 74 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

649 schools plotted. 88 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 731%

School 31% · District 31%

▲ 6 pts above state median

Grade 825%

School 25% · District 25%

even with state median

English language arts

Grade 729%

School 29% · District 29%

▼ 7 pts below state median

Grade 843%

School 43% · District 43%

▲ 8 pts above state median

Science

Grade 811%

School 11% · District 11%

▼ 2 pts below state median

This schoolMEDFORD 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 7Lower-income24%Higher-income32%8 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income54%Higher-income37%17 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 7Lower-income29%Higher-income32%3 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income27%Higher-income24%2 pp gap