Best Schools in Rice County, MN
Rice County, MN has 58 public schools (15 high, 10 middle, 24 elementary) serving 18,426 students. On average they score 35% on state proficiency tests against a projected 44%, so schools in Rice County meet expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Rice County, MN
The top high schools in Rice County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Northfield Senior High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Northfield Public School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1246 Students
2. New Prague Senior High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
New Prague Area Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1343 Students
3. Arcadia Charter School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Arcadia Charter School • Charter • Grades 6 - 12 • 115 Students
4. Waterville-elysian-morristown Sr.
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Waterville-elysian-morristown • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 253 Students
5. Kenyon-wanamingo Senior High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Kenyon-wanamingo School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 227 Students
6. Waseca Senior High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Waseca Public School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 607 Students
7. Tri-city United High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Tri-city United School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 595 Students
8. Medford Secondary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Medford Public School District • Public • Grades 7 - 12 • 421 Students
9. Faribault Senior High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Faribault Public School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 981 Students
10. Northfield Area Learning Center
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Northfield Public School District • Public • Grades 6 - 12 • 124 Students
Best Middle Schools in Rice County, MN
The top middle schools in Rice County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Northfield Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Northfield Public School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 846 Students
2. New Prague Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
New Prague Area Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 937 Students
3. Waterville-elysian-morristown Jr.
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Waterville-elysian-morristown • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 122 Students
4. Waseca Intermediate School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Waseca Public School District • Public • Grades 4 - 6 • 359 Students
5. Kenyon-wanamingo Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Kenyon-wanamingo School District • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 208 Students
6. Morristown Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Waterville-elysian-morristown • Public • Grades 5 - 6 • 112 Students
7. Faribault Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Faribault Public School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 717 Students
8. Northfield Portage Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Northfield Public School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 17 Students
9. Falcons Online Academy-middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Faribault Public School District • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 18 Students
10. Waseca Middle Level Alc
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Waseca Public School District • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 4 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Rice County, MN
The top elementary schools in Rice County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Spring Creek Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Northfield Public School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 462 Students
2. Greenvale Park Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Northfield Public School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 496 Students
3. Bridgewater Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Northfield Public School District • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 527 Students
4. Kenyon-wanamingo Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Kenyon-wanamingo School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 4 • 219 Students
5. Nerstrand Charter School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Nerstrand Charter School • Charter • Grades KG - 5 • 101 Students
6. Hartley Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Waseca Public School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 3 • 449 Students
7. Eagle View
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
New Prague Area Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 577 Students
8. Waterville Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Waterville-elysian-morristown • Public • Grades Pre K - 4 • 280 Students
9. Lonsdale Pre K-6
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Tri-city United School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 6 • 305 Students
10. Raven Stream Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
New Prague Area Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 611 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Rice County, MN
County-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Rice County, MN has a total population of 67,097 with 28% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 93%, and 32% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Rice County, MN
K-12 Students
High School Graduates
Adults 25+ with HS diplomas
College Graduates
Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher
Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Rice County, MN.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
17.17 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
2.87 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
14.30 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Rice County, MN.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Rice County, MN.
ISP Report Card
Internet Infrastructure Grade
Average Download Speed
Speed Most Residents Can Get
Digital Connectivity Index
ISP Connectivity Demand Report
To read more about these statistics, please visit Rice County, MN Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Rice County, MN
How many schools are in Rice County, MN?
Rice County, MN has 58 public schools: 15 high schools, 10 middle schools and 24 elementary schools, serving 18,426 students in total.
How do schools in Rice County perform on state tests?
On average, 58 schools in Rice County score 35% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 44%, so on average schools in Rice County meet expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Rice County?
Every public school gets a SchoolGrade from A+ to F based on the share of students at or above the state proficiency bar. The Impact Grade compares that result with what we would expect given the school’s student and community context, so schools that outperform their circumstances stand out. Schools cannot pay to change a grade. Read the full methodology.
Best Schools in Cities Near Rice County, MN
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 37%
- Projected: 44%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 43%
- Projected: 48%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 41%
- Projected: 49%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 39%
- Projected: 45%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 38%
- Projected: 47%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 38%
- Projected: 47%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 45%
- Projected: 50%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 49%
- Projected: 55%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 42%
- Projected: 49%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 41%
- Projected: 46%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
Cities, towns and school districts in Rice County
5 places in Rice County with graded public schools. Each link opens that place's ranked schools.
Cities and towns (5)
- Faribault (13)
- Northfield (10)
- Morristown (2)
- Lonsdale (1)
- Nerstrand (1)
School districts (3)
- Northfield Public School District (10 schools)
- Faribault Public School District (9 schools)
- Cannon Valley Special Education Coo (3 schools)