Best Public Schools in Esko, MN

The city of Esko, Minnesota is home to two exceptional public schools that serve students from elementary through high school: Winterquist Elementary and Lincoln Secondary. These schools, part of the Esko Public School District, consistently rank among the top schools in the state, providing a high-quality education to their predominantly White student populations.

Winterquist Elementary is a standout school, ranking 74th out of 881 Minnesota elementary schools and earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's students consistently outperform state averages on MCA-III tests in math, reading, and science, with proficiency rates ranging from 67.29% to 81.11% in math and 57.78% to 75.86% in reading. Lincoln Secondary is also a high-performing school, ranking 23rd out of 480 Minnesota high schools and earning a 5-star rating. The school boasts an impressive 99.0% four-year graduation rate and only a 0.9% dropout rate, significantly better than state averages.

While the academic excellence of these schools is undeniable, the lack of diversity in their student populations is noteworthy. Both Winterquist Elementary and Lincoln Secondary have student bodies that are over 90% White, with low percentages of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Additionally, the relatively low percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch suggest that the Esko community has a higher socioeconomic status, which may contribute to the schools' strong academic performance.