What’s Working & What’s Improving
Minnesota’s public schools are doing important work every day. There are many areas where students and schools are seeing strong results, and there are also areas where focused improvement is needed. We’ve collected them to tell the full story of public education in Minnesota.
This page is designed to provide a clear, balanced view so you can better understand how schools are performing and where progress is happening.
What’s Working
Across Minnesota, public schools are helping students grow academically, socially, and personally. Many districts are seeing strong outcomes in areas such as graduation rates, career and technical education, student participation in activities, and access to advanced coursework.
Students are gaining real-world skills through hands-on learning, internships, and community partnerships. Schools continue to create environments where students feel supported, connected, and encouraged to explore their interests.
Teachers, counselors, and staff play a central role in this progress. Their daily work helps students build confidence, stay engaged, and prepare for what comes next.
While experiences vary across communities, there are clear examples of success happening in schools throughout the state.
What’s Improving
Minnesota’s public schools are also working to address real and persistent challenges. These include achievement gaps, differences in outcomes across student groups, and the need to better support students with diverse learning needs.
Districts across the state are taking steps to improve literacy outcomes, strengthen math performance, expand mental health supports, and ensure every student has access to the resources they need to succeed.
This work takes time and sustained effort. It also requires coordination between schools, families, and communities.
By focusing on continuous improvement, schools are working toward more consistent outcomes so that every student has the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.
What This Looks Like in Real Communities
Statewide information provides helpful context, but the most meaningful insights are often local.
Across Minnesota, schools are implementing programs and strategies that reflect the needs of their communities. This might include partnerships with local businesses, expanded career pathways, targeted literacy support, or new approaches to student engagement. When you explore local examples, you can see how schools are applying resources, responding to challenges, and building on strengths in ways that are relevant to students and families in your area.
We encourage you to look at both the data and the stories coming from your local schools to get a clearer picture of what is happening close to home.
How to Read the Data
Understanding school data can feel overwhelming without context. This section is designed to help you interpret what you are seeing in a clear and useful way.
Looking for tools, information, or ways to share this work?
Minnesota Kids Rise offers resources designed to help community leaders, educators, and advocates share clear, credible information about public schools.
Explore materials that are easy to use, locally relevant, and built to support conversations in your community.