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Average

#1387 of 1,992 schools in MN

Prairie Winds Middle School

Middle School · Mankato Public School District · Mankato, MN

A Mankato Public School District middle school serving grades 6th – 8th.

1200 PRAIRIE WINDS DR, Mankato, MN 56001

  • Math 37% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 44% proficient (2022)
  • 17.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.3Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-1.37 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics5.9Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency37% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency44% (2022 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency41% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)43% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected-2.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile42th
Resources & Environment3.6Needs Improvement25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio17.9:1
District spending per student$14,091
Chronic Absenteeism33.9%

Students at Prairie Winds Middle School score 40% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 43%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MN average.

Math Proficiency37%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency44%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 13 points since 2019, to 41% in 2022, across a 14-year record (2009–2022).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
61%
ELA
66%
2010
Math
57%
ELA
66%
2011
Math
57%
ELA
63%
2012
Math
55%
ELA
54%
2013
Math
57%
ELA
60%
2014
Math
59%
ELA
55%
2015
Math
57%
ELA
58%
2016
Math
59%
ELA
59%
2017
Math
55%
ELA
55%
2018
Math
50%
ELA
56%
2019
Math
50%
ELA
56%
2020*
Math
40%
ELA
51%
2021*
Math
40%
ELA
51%
2022
Math
37%
ELA
44%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 52% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 57% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from MN state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

47.2%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Prairie Winds Middle School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 2Car-Dependent
  • Bike 35Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,874/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Mankato), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$67,224

Median home value

$263,100

Median rent

$1,088/mo

College educated

36.6%

Homeownership

54.5%

Poverty rate

19.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 56001; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Loyola Catholic SchoolPrivate · tuition8.3PK–122.6 mi462Compare →
Immanuel Lutheran SchoolPrivate · tuition6.9K–122.9 mi133Compare →
Prairie Care MankatoEnrollment path unverifiedNot ratedK–122.9 mi17Compare →
Central Middle School AlcEnrollment path unverifiedNot rated6–83.1 mi2Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Mankato Public School District

Schools in district
26
Rank in district
#13 of 17
District spending per student
$14,091NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
9.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

Prairie Winds Middle School is listed in MANKATO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Prairie Winds Middle School

Prairie Winds Middle School is a public middle school in Mankato, MN, part of Mankato Public School District, serving approximately 914 students in grades 6th-8th with a 17.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 out of 10 and ranks #1,387 of 1,992 schools in MN. State assessment records show 52% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 57% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Prairie Winds Middle School

What grades does Prairie Winds Middle School serve?

Prairie Winds Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Prairie Winds Middle School?

Prairie Winds Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 914 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Prairie Winds Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Prairie Winds Middle School is 17.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Prairie Winds Middle School rank in MN?

Prairie Winds Middle School ranks #1,387 of 1,992 schools in MN.

What is Prairie Winds Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Prairie Winds Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Prairie Winds Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Prairie Winds Middle School has 52% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 57% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Prairie Winds Middle School a charter school?

No, Prairie Winds Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Prairie Winds Middle School a Title I school?

No, Prairie Winds Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Prairie Winds Middle School?

47.2% of students at Prairie Winds Middle School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
914
Student-Teacher Ratio
17.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
51
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Blue Earth County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
33.9%
Area population (ZIP 56001)
50,960
Area average commute
15 min
Area median age
28.6
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 56001; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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