The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in Math. The lowest is 26% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Princeton Intermediate School
Princeton Intermediate School serves grades three through five in the Princeton Public School District, located in the small city of Princeton, Minnesota. The school is a regular public school and is not a charter or magnet school. Its enrollment is sizeable for an intermediate school, drawing students from across the district. The student body is predominantly white, with a modest share of students who are Hispanic, and very small numbers from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Just over a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that gives a meaningful sense of the economic diversity present. Data on the share of students receiving special education services or English learner support was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about how those populations are served.
Princeton itself is a community that describes itself as a growing place on the Rum River. It has a traditional downtown business district, two shopping malls, a newer retail development near the highway corridors, and an industrial park with major employers including a cabinet works, a regional hospital, a plastics manufacturer, and a distillery that traces its roots to the town’s early industries. The city’s population grew measurably between the 2020 census and a 2023 estimate, and it is positioned within a part of the state that has been growing quickly. Housing values in the area sit near a national benchmark, and the owner-occupancy rate suggests a mix of owners and renters.
On state assessments, Princeton Intermediate School’s performance presents a mixed picture. In mathematics, proficiency rates varied noticeably by grade level. Third graders reached a level that is solid, while fourth graders posted a moderately stronger result, and fifth graders recorded a lower rate. In English language arts, third and fourth graders both showed rates that are in a moderate range, while fifth graders performed at a higher level, the strongest reading result in the school. Science is tested in fifth grade only, and the proficiency rate there was markedly lower than in the other subjects, a soft spot a parent may want to discuss with the school to understand what supports are in place. Because only one year of data was available for the school, it is not possible to say whether these results are part of a longer trend.
A comparison of the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Mille Lacs County. That is a strong showing within this specific set of comparisons. The county itself has a small number of districts, so this position reflects a generally higher performance compared to local peers. No graduation rate data applies here because the school does not serve high school grades.
The school environment data for Princeton Intermediate is thin. There is no reported information on discipline rates, course access, staffing ratios, or attendance patterns. A parent considering this school may want to ask about class sizes, specialist staffing, and how the school approaches student behavior and support. The district’s recent priorities or changes were not found in available materials, so that leaves a gap as well.
For a family weighing this school, the academic picture is one of relative strength in math and reading for some grades, with a notable drop in science proficiency that merits attention. The student body is not highly diverse, and the economic makeup is mixed. The school sits in a growing community with a developing economic base, and the housing market is active. Parents who value a straightforward intermediate school in a community that is expanding may find this a reasonable fit, though the missing information on staffing and student support means some direct inquiry will be necessary to get a full picture.
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