Can I use Mower County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Mower County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Mower County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Mower County?

Start with the 33 listed public schools and 7 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Mower County Schools & Education

Name: Mower County, Minnesota Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Mower County, Minnesota

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

School Score

47/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

82.6%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

82.6%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 86.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$9,025

National avg $13,239

State avg $8,463

School Score

47/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 55/100

State Score Position

#58

of 87 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Mower County

Measured School Summary

Mower County has midrange measured school signals (score: 47/100) with a graduation rate of 82.6%, which warrants review in official state and district records.

Funding Context

Mower County spends $9,025 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 14% below the Minnesota average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 4.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 7% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Mower County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

33 public schools and 7 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

47/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #58 of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data.

Completion

82.6%

4.0 pts below the state average

Funding context

$9,025

$562 above the state average

School coverage

7 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Mower County has 33 public schools across 7 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Mower County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Mixed school landscape

Mower County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.

State position

#58

of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data. The county score is 8 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

5,120 students

Elementary 5Middle 2High 4Other 3

14 listed schools in this county slice.

SOUTHLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

448 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

GRAND MEADOW PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

445 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

LYLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

305 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT is the largest listed district slice, with 14 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Mower County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Mower County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Mower County, Minnesota

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Expansive Education Infrastructure in Southern Minnesota

Mower County operates 33 public schools serving 6,714 students across seven different districts. The landscape includes nine elementary schools and nine high schools, supported by a significant number of specialized and alternative programs.

Austin Public Schools Drives Enrollment

The Austin Public School District is the largest provider by far, managing 14 schools and 5,120 students. Traditional public schools make up 100% of the landscape here, as there are no charter schools currently serving the county's student population.

A Balance of Town and Rural Learning

Education is split between 18 rural and 15 town-based schools, with an average enrollment of 232 students per building. Austin Senior High stands out as the largest campus with 1,345 students, providing a more urban high school experience compared to the smaller outlying districts.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Mower County

Reported Enrollment

6,714

33 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary9

Middle5

High9

Other10

7 School Districts in Mower County

AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

SOUTHLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

3 schools

448 students

GRAND MEADOW PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

3 schools

445 students

LYLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

3 schools

305 students

LEROY-OSTRANDER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2 schools

258 students

SOUTHERN MN EDUCATION CONSORTIUM

11 schools

149 students

Austin Albert Lea Area Special Educ

2 schools

34 students

33 Public Schools in Mower County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 33 matching schools

Public schools in Mower County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
AUSTIN SENIOR HIGH	Profile	AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	AUSTIN, 55912Town: Distant	9–12	High	1,345
I.J. HOLTON INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL	Record	AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	AUSTIN, 55912Town: Distant	5–6	Middle	741
ELLIS MIDDLE	Record	AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	AUSTIN, 55912Town: Distant	7–8	Middle	720
SOUTHGATE ELEMENTARY	Record	AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	AUSTIN, 55912Town: Distant	1–4	Primary	496
BANFIELD ELEMENTARY	Record	AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	AUSTIN, 55912Town: Distant	1–4	Primary	461
WOODSON KINDERGARTEN CENTER	Record	AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	AUSTIN, 55912Town: Distant	PK–KG	Primary	352
NEVELN ELEMENTARY	Record	AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	AUSTIN, 55912Town: Distant	1–4	Primary	339
SUMNER ELEMENTARY	Record	AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	AUSTIN, 55912Town: Distant	1–4	Primary	325
AUSTIN AREA LEARNING CENTER	Record	AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	AUSTIN, 55912Town: Distant	6–12	Alternative	240
GRAND MEADOW ELEMENTARY	Record	GRAND MEADOW PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	GRAND MEADOW, 55936Rural: Distant	PK–4	Primary	173
SOUTHLAND ELEMENTARY	Record	SOUTHLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	ADAMS, 55909Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	172
SOUTHLAND SENIOR HIGH	Record	SOUTHLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	ADAMS, 55909Rural: Distant	9–12	High	167
GRAND MEADOW SENIOR HIGH	Record	GRAND MEADOW PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	GRAND MEADOW, 55936Rural: Distant	9–12	High	139
LEROY SECONDARY	Record	LEROY-OSTRANDER PUBLIC SCHOOLS	LEROY, 55951Rural: Remote	6–12	High	138
GRAND MEADOW MIDDLE	Record	GRAND MEADOW PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	GRAND MEADOW, 55936Rural: Distant	5–8	Middle	133
LYLE ELEMENTARY	Record	LYLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	LYLE, 55953Rural: Distant	PK–4	Primary	122
LEROY ELEMENTARY	Record	LEROY-OSTRANDER PUBLIC SCHOOLS	LEROY, 55951Rural: Remote	PK–6	Primary	120
SOUTHLAND MIDDLE	Record	SOUTHLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	ADAMS, 55909Rural: Distant	6–8	Middle	109
Lyle Middle	Record	LYLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	LYLE, 55953Rural: Distant	5–8	Middle	101
Lyle High School	Record	LYLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	LYLE, 55953Rural: Distant	9–12	High	82

AUSTIN SENIOR HIGH

AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

AUSTIN, 55912 / Town: Distant

Profile9–12High1,345 students

I.J. HOLTON INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

AUSTIN, 55912 / Town: Distant

Record5–6Middle741 students

ELLIS MIDDLE

AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

AUSTIN, 55912 / Town: Distant

Record7–8Middle720 students

SOUTHGATE ELEMENTARY

AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

AUSTIN, 55912 / Town: Distant

Record1–4Primary496 students

BANFIELD ELEMENTARY

AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

AUSTIN, 55912 / Town: Distant

Record1–4Primary461 students

WOODSON KINDERGARTEN CENTER

AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

AUSTIN, 55912 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–KGPrimary352 students

NEVELN ELEMENTARY

AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

AUSTIN, 55912 / Town: Distant

Record1–4Primary339 students

SUMNER ELEMENTARY

AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

AUSTIN, 55912 / Town: Distant

Record1–4Primary325 students

AUSTIN AREA LEARNING CENTER

AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

AUSTIN, 55912 / Town: Distant

Record6–12Alternative240 students

GRAND MEADOW ELEMENTARY

GRAND MEADOW PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

GRAND MEADOW, 55936 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary173 students

SOUTHLAND ELEMENTARY

SOUTHLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

ADAMS, 55909 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary172 students

SOUTHLAND SENIOR HIGH

SOUTHLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

ADAMS, 55909 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High167 students

GRAND MEADOW SENIOR HIGH

GRAND MEADOW PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

GRAND MEADOW, 55936 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High139 students

LEROY SECONDARY

LEROY-OSTRANDER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

LEROY, 55951 / Rural: Remote

Record6–12High138 students

GRAND MEADOW MIDDLE

GRAND MEADOW PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

GRAND MEADOW, 55936 / Rural: Distant

Record5–8Middle133 students

LYLE ELEMENTARY

LYLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

LYLE, 55953 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary122 students

LEROY ELEMENTARY

LEROY-OSTRANDER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

LEROY, 55951 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary120 students

SOUTHLAND MIDDLE

SOUTHLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

ADAMS, 55909 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle109 students

Lyle Middle

LYLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

LYLE, 55953 / Rural: Distant

Record5–8Middle101 students

Lyle High School

LYLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

LYLE, 55953 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High82 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$9,025

State avg $8,463

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Mower County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Minnesota counties have the highest graduation rates?

Jackson County (95.7%), Cottonwood County (95.3%), and Cook County (95.0%) currently lead Minnesota among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in Minnesota?

Across Minnesota counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $8,463. The highest current county values are Cook County ($12,089), Kittson County ($10,301), and Beltrami County ($10,167). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Mower County?

Mower County has a school score of 47/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in Mower County?

The high school graduation rate in Mower County is 82.6%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does Mower County spend per student?

Mower County spends $9,025 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Mower County, Minnesota — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Mower County, Minnesota?

What are the major school districts in Mower County, Minnesota?

What is the school experience like in Mower County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Brown County

Minnesota

-1 pts

47/100

School score

Morrison County

Minnesota

-1 pts

46/100

School score

Hennepin County

Minnesota

+1 pts

48/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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