The top reported proficiency rate is 39% in English language arts. The lowest is 12% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Mountain Lake Elementary
Mountain Lake Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in Mountain Lake, a small agricultural town in southwestern Minnesota. The school is part of the Mountain Lake Public Schools district and functions as the primary elementary campus for the community. The town itself, publicly described as retaining a full-service downtown alongside a growing industrial base, reflects the agricultural roots on which it was founded. Two strong schools, one public and one private, characterize the community, and civic anchors include a public library, a man-made lake with a walking trail, and a park within the county system.
The student body at Mountain Lake Elementary is modest in size for a pre-K through sixth grade school. In terms of composition, white students make up just over half of the enrollment, with a substantial share of students who are Hispanic. Smaller groups of students who are Asian, two or more races, Black, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander round out the enrollment. A majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a population with significant economic need. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the information provided; a parent may want to ask the school directly about the support structures in place for those groups.
The school’s academic performance on state assessments, drawn from Minnesota’s MCA and MTAS tests for the most recent school year, shows a mixed picture. In English language arts, proficiency rates hovered around two-fifths to half of students across grades three through six, with sixth grade showing a notably higher share meeting standards than the lower grades. In mathematics, proficiency rates fell between roughly a third and two-fifths of students, with a decline across the grade levels, particularly in sixth grade. Science results, available for fifth grade only, showed a low share of students reaching proficiency. The district’s overall proficiency index, which averages results across tested subjects and grades, placed Mountain Lake Elementary below the midpoint when compared to the other school districts in Cottonwood County. These are modest results, and a family considering the school may want to discuss with staff how the school addresses early literacy and math foundations.
Because the school serves only through sixth grade, there is no graduation rate to report. No information was available on course offerings, magnet or Title I status, chronic absenteeism, or discipline data, so this profile cannot speak to those areas. The district did not appear to have publicly reported recent curriculum changes in the search conducted, so that is left as an open question.
Housing in the area is relatively affordable. Home values in the zip code are well below the statewide median and also below the national median, making homeownership more accessible here than in many parts of Minnesota. The town has seen demographic growth with the addition of Lao, Hmong, and Hispanic immigrant groups, and development has focused on a business and manufacturing subdivision platted with highway access, positioned for economic growth. A variety of senior housing options are available as well.
Mountain Lake Elementary offers a small-town, economically diverse elementary setting where academic performance on state tests is mixed and generally falls in the lower range relative to other county districts. The school serves a community where housing is affordable and the local economy retains an agricultural base while pursuing industrial growth. Families considering this school will want to learn more about how the school supports students who are not yet meeting benchmarks and what enrichment or intervention programs are available.
See more original research from School Decision →