Dakota Middle School

Q: Is Dakota Middle School a good school?

Dakota Middle School ranks 327 th of 545 Minnesota middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Dakota Middle School is a public middle school located in Rochester, Minnesota, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 967 students. The school is part of the Rochester Public School District, which is ranked 205 out of 463 districts in Minnesota and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Dakota Middle School has a diverse student population, with 51.5% White, 19.75% African American, 7.65% Hispanic, 13.44% Asian, 0.52% Native American, and 7.14% two or more races, the school's academic performance is below the district and state averages. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates were 24.56% in Math, 44.61% in Reading, and 21.52% in Science, compared to the district's 41.83%, 49.7%, and 37.61%, respectively, and the state's 45.47%, 49.85%, and 39.56%. The school's performance is particularly low for certain student subgroups, such as English Language Learners, Special Education students, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, ranking in the bottom quartile of Minnesota middle schools for these groups.

Compared to nearby schools, Willow Creek Middle has slightly better academic performance, while Middle School Right Fit has significantly lower performance. Kasson-Mantorville Middle School, a high-performing middle school outside the Rochester district, has significantly higher academic achievement across all subject areas and grade levels compared to Dakota Middle School. Additionally, the high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch at Dakota Middle School, at 42.4%, suggests that the school serves a higher proportion of students from low-income families, which may contribute to the school's lower academic performance.

Detail:

Public 6-8

5501 65th St NW
Rochester, MN 55901-8888

(507) 328-4530

District: Rochester Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
327^th of 545 Minnesota Middle Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 18.1

Number of students: 1,003

Racial breakdown:

White:

48.1%

African American:

21.1%

Asian:

11.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 43.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Dakota Middle School ranks worse than 60% of middle schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 41.44. (See more...)

Student Body

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Teachers

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Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Dakota Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Dakota Middle School 327^th of 545 Minnesota public middle schools. (See Dakota Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Rochester Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Rochester Public School District 205^th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Dakota Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Dakota Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	41.44	327^th	545	40.0%

See the entire list of Minnesota Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Dakota Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	18.63	104^th	116	10.3%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Dakota Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	33.05	118^th	158	25.3%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Dakota Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	32.04	223^rd	307	27.4%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Dakota Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	23.30	394^th	473	16.7%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Dakota Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	29.94	349^th	474	26.4%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Dakota Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	46.59	252^nd	479	47.4%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Dakota Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	48.56	56^th	111	49.5%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Dakota Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	31.65	124^th	179	30.7%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Dakota Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	37.99	114^th	186	38.7%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Dakota Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	42.66	259^th	440	41.1%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Minnesota Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Dakota Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2023	498	191	130	74	5	0	69	0	967
2024	482	212	118	88	7	0	96	0	1003

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Dakota Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2023	967	25.3	38.1	42.4
2024	1003	55.3	18.1	43.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Dakota Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2023	967	25.3	38.1	42.4
2024	1003	55.3	18.1	43.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Schools Near Dakota Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCA-III Math (2024)						MCA-III Reading (2024)						MCA-III Science (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCA-III Math 4th Grade	MCA-III Math 5th Grade	MCA-III Math 6th Grade	MCA-III Math 7th Grade	MCA-III Math 8th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	MCA-III Reading 4th Grade	MCA-III Reading 5th Grade	MCA-III Reading 6th Grade	MCA-III Reading 7th Grade	MCA-III Reading 8th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	MCA-III Science 5th Grade	MCA-III Science 8th Grade	MCA-III Science All Grades	Total
Dakota Middle School	Public	6-8	5501 65th St NW	Rochester	55901	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(507) 328-4530	1,003	55	18.1	43.1%	482 (48.1%)	212 (21.1%)	88 (8.8%)	118 (11.8%)	7 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	96 (9.6%)	41.4	327^th of 545 public middle schools	40.0%					(n/a)			26.9	24.2	22.4	24.6			48.0	44.4	41.1	44.6		21.5	21.5
John Adams Middle	Public	6-8	1525 31st St NW	Rochester	55901	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-5700	801	41	19.4	39.2%	459 (57.3%)	113 (14.1%)	73 (9.1%)	80 (10.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	75 (9.4%)	63.2	173^rd of 545 public middle schools	68.3%					(n/a)			32.2	34.0	46.4	37.3			53.6	49.6	51.5	51.6		33.8	33.8	$11,895
Kellogg Middle	Public	6-8	503 17th St NE	Rochester	55906	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-5800	781	44	17.8	43.0%	414 (53.0%)	128 (16.4%)	106 (13.6%)	57 (7.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	74 (9.5%)	54.1	241^st of 545 public middle schools	55.8%					(n/a)			32.1	32.7	31.3	32.1			50.8	45.7	43.8	46.7		32.4	32.4	$12,077
Byron Middle School	Public	6-8	601 4th St NW	Byron	55920	Olmsted County	Byron Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 775-2189	541	29	18.5	14.8%	478 (88.4%)	8 (1.5%)	16 (3.0%)	13 (2.4%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (4.1%)	84	57^th of 545 public middle schools	89.5%		84.5	48^th of 529 public middle schools	90.9%	9			59.2	54.9	44.4	52.7			69.2	59.2	56.2	61.4		41.6	41.6	$10,272
Middle School Right Fit	Public	6-8	1200 Broadway Ave S	Rochester	55904	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-5650	27	4	6.6	70.4%	16 (59.3%)	5 (18.5%)	3 (11.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (7.4%)	3.3	541^st of 545 public middle schools	0.7%					(n/a)			0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0				6.7	8.3	8.3		0.0	0.0	$17,865
Pine Island Middle	Public	4-8	223 1st Ave SE	Pine Island	55963	Goodhue County	Pine Island Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(507) 356-4849	482	29	16.4	18.5%	433 (89.8%)	15 (3.1%)	20 (4.1%)	7 (1.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.2%)	70.9	137^th of 545 public middle schools	74.9%		78.7	80^th of 529 public middle schools	84.9%	57		41.4	40.2	58.3	48.5	46.7		60.6	57.3	58.3	41.7	53.8	37.4	34.4	35.7	$9,488
RPS Online Middle School	Public, Virtual	7-8	2435 20th St SE	Rochester	55904	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	Yes	No	(507) 328-4830	58	6	9.1	65.5%	31 (53.4%)	9 (15.5%)	8 (13.8%)	3 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (12.1%)	13.6	484^th of 545 public middle schools	11.2%					(n/a)				20.0	9.5	12.9					18.8	24.0		11.1	11.1
Willow Creek Middle	Public	6-8	2425 11th Ave SE	Rochester	55904	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-5900	834	48	17.5	42.0%	436 (52.3%)	94 (11.3%)	188 (22.5%)	49 (5.9%)	5 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	61 (7.3%)	44.4	308^th of 545 public middle schools	43.5%					(n/a)			34.2	36.3	28.5	33.0			45.3	41.9	35.0	40.8		21.0	21.0	$12,038
Kasson-Mantorville Middle School	Public	5-8	1400 5th Ave NE	Kasson	55944	Dodge County	Kasson-Mantorville School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 634-4030	693	35	19.7	21.1%	608 (87.7%)	7 (1.0%)	45 (6.5%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (4.0%)	87.6	41^st of 545 public middle schools	92.5%		90.8	26^th of 529 public middle schools	95.1%	15		54.0	49.1	60.9	62.2	56.6		61.4	67.4	53.4	64.9	61.7	62.2	53.3	57.8	$8,392
Plainview-Elgin-Millville 4-6	Public	4-6	210 2nd St SW	Elgin	55932	Wabasha County	Plainview-Elgin-Millville	No	No	No	No	(507) 876-2213	329	20	16.1	38.0%	285 (86.6%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (11.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.8%)								(n/a)	68.8	60.7	49.0			59.3	43.8	65.8	63.5			58.4	57.3		57.3	$8,397

Frequently Asked Questions about Dakota Middle School

What district is Dakota Middle School in?

Rochester Public School District

Is Dakota Middle School a good school?

Dakota Middle School ranks 327^th of 545 Minnesota middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Dakota Middle School?

Students at Dakota Middle School are 48% White, 21% African American, 12% Asian, 10% Two or more races, 9% Hispanic.

How many students attend Dakota Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,003 students attended Dakota Middle School.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Minnesota Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.