The top reported proficiency rate is 52% in Science. The lowest is 36% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Burnside Elementary
Burnside Elementary is a regular public school in Red Wing, part of the Red Wing Public School District. It serves only second through fourth graders, a short span of three consecutive elementary years, so families will move their children to another building in the district for later grades. The school sits on Learning Lane on the edge of town, in a setting that blends Red Wing’s industrial heritage with the bluffs and river bottomland that define the city.
State assessment results from the most recent testing year show that in third grade, roughly two in five students met proficiency in math, while just over one in three did so in reading. Fourth-grade reading results are similar, and fourth-grade math comes in a touch lower. Combined across tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency sits below the midpoint when compared with other districts in Goodhue County. Science results from an earlier testing cycle are available for a grade the school does not currently serve; in that earlier year about half of those students were proficient. With only two tested subjects at two grade levels, the picture is fairly narrow, and a parent may want to ask the school how it tracks student progress across the full elementary sequence.
Enrollment is moderate for a school that holds three grades. The student body is predominantly white, with a notable Hispanic population and smaller shares of American Indian, multiracial, Black, and Asian students. About two in five students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a moderate level of economic need. Data on special education identification and English learner status were not available in the records reviewed, so families who need those details should request them directly from the school.
Red Wing is a small river city of stable population, the county seat of Goodhue County, situated along the upper Mississippi roughly an hour’s drive southeast of St. Paul. Its economy rests on manufacturing—footwear, skates, stoneware—alongside the Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant and the Treasure Island Resort and Casino operated by the Prairie Island Indian Community. Downtown has a compact, historic core with local shops, galleries, and restaurants, and festivals punctuate the year. The Cannon Valley Trail begins here, and He Mni Can–Barn Bluff rises above downtown with hiking trails and climbing routes, managed in partnership with the tribe. Housing prices and rents in the area are moderate relative to state and national figures, and the city has seen slow, steady growth rather than rapid expansion.
No specialized programs or course access beyond a regular curriculum were listed in the available data. No recent district-level changes or strategic initiatives surfaced in the web research, so it is unclear whether the district has undertaken noteworthy shifts in instruction, facilities, or programming. For a family considering Burnside, the most salient structural fact is that the school covers only a three-year band: a child who enters in second grade will leave after fourth grade, moving to another elementary or intermediate building in the district. This makes it important to understand the full feeder pattern and how the transition works. Academically, the school’s performance is softer relative to the county, and a parent may want to explore what tutoring, intervention, or enrichment options exist within the building and the district. Red Wing itself offers a stable, small-city lifestyle with a mix of industry, riverfront recreation, and a walkable downtown, all within commuting distance of the Twin Cities metro.
See more original research from School Decision →