Willie Jett Commissioner of Education Minnesota Department of Education | sahanjournal.com
Willie Jett Commissioner of Education Minnesota Department of Education | sahanjournal.com
Data showed that Steele County welcomed 6,891 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, Hispanic students comprised 14.3% of the student body to be the second most represented ethnicity in the county.
Among the 14 schools in the county, Owatonna Senior High School recorded the highest enrollment of Hispanic students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 218.
According to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), Minnesota's fourth graders scored 241 in math, just above the national average of 237. Their reading score of 216 was on par with the U.S. average, but shows a slight decline over recent years. Eighth graders scored 284 in math and 264 in reading, both above the national averages.
However, despite these results, both grade levels remain below pre-pandemic levels in math and reading.
As of 2024, according to Public School Review, the student-to-teacher ratio in Minnesota's public schools stands at 1:16, slightly worse than the national average of 1:15. This is part of a larger framework within Minnesota's educational system, which is the 10th largest in the United States, accommodating over 869,000 students across 2,709 public schools.
| School Name | No. of Hispanic Students | % of Hispanic Students | Total School Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owatonna Alternative Learning Center 9-12 | 31 | 34.4% | 90 |
| CHOICE Technical Academy | 13 | 29.6% | 44 |
| Wilson Elementary School | 159 | 28.4% | 560 |
| McKinley Elementary School | 83 | 17.2% | 483 |
| Owatonna Middle School | 171 | 16.9% | 1,015 |
| Medford Elementary School | 73 | 14.9% | 491 |
| Owatonna Senior High School | 218 | 14.6% | 1,494 |
| Medford Secondary School | 55 | 13.8% | 399 |
| Washington Elementary School | 55 | 11.4% | 484 |
| Lincoln Elementary School | 69 | 11.3% | 609 |
| NRHEG Elementary School | 24 | 6.7% | 358 |
| Blooming Prairie High School | 17 | 4.5% | 380 |
| Blooming Prairie Intermediate School | 5 | 3.5% | 142 |
| Blooming Prairie Elementary School | 12 | 3.5% | 342 |
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