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Schools in Mountain Iron · Mountain Iron-Buhl School District, Rock Ridge Public Schools

Mountain Iron’s public schools outscore 55% of Minnesota districts

The grade covers the two public school districts serving Mountain Iron, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within Minnesota, not nationally.

#195of 274 Minnesota townsK–12Where will my kid go?

From Minnesota state tests taken in spring 2022, when 96% of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency
52%
▲ 1 pts vs MN 51%
2021–22
Math proficiency
40%
▼ 5 pts vs MN 45%
2021–22
Graduate on time
85–89%
▲ 2–6 pts vs MN 83%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$16.2K
▼ 5% vs MN $17.1K
FY2024 · Rock Ridge
Students per teacher
16.7
MN 14.8 · larger classes
Schools in town
3
637 students on the public path
In brief

Mountain Iron’s schools, in brief

Against towns with similar incomes

Among the 1565 Minnesota towns with household incomes within a quarter of Mountain Iron’s, its schools beat 46%, lower than their 55% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Above the state in reading, below in math

Reading proficiency is 52% and math 40% across both districts in spring 2022, against 51% and 45% statewide; 85–89% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 83%. Test scores ↓

Spending and class size

Mountain Iron-Buhl spends $15,393 per student and Rock Ridge $16,232, against $17,091 across Minnesota (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

Choice beyond the district

East Range Academy of Tech-Science is in town. Every school ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind Mountain Iron’s grade

B Test scoresB− Graduation

B: better than 55% of Minnesota school districts, #195 of 274 Minnesota towns. Graduation is above the Minnesota average; test scores are below it.

Minnesota school districts we grade (502)Better than 55%
Lower resultsHigher results
Minnesota towns with similar household incomes (1565)Better than 46%
B−B+A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 1,520 test results and a graduating class of 179 could put Mountain Iron anywhere from B− to B+. The tests are from spring 2022, when 96% of Mountain Iron’s students in the tested grades sat them (1,486 in math, 1,554 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Mountain Iron, with each school’s own grade.

The path, start to finish
PK–6Merritt ElementaryMountain Iron-Buhl School DistrictB−
7–12Mountain Iron-Buhl SecondaryMountain Iron-Buhl School DistrictB−

Mountain Iron runs its own schools through grade 12 (Mountain Iron-Buhl School District). From grade PK, students attend the Rock Ridge Public Schools, shared with Biwabik, Clinton, Eveleth, Fayal, Gilbert, Iron Junction, Leonidas, McKinley, Pike, Sandy, Virginia and Wuori. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve Mountain Iron

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

Mountain Iron-Buhl School DistrictGrades PK–12 · 2 schools · 637 students, up 12% since 2020–21 · 16.3 per teacher (MN 14.8)
$15,393MN $17,091 · FY2024
B−
Rock Ridge Public SchoolsGrades PK–12 · 5 schools · 2,288 students, up 13% since 2022–23 · 16.8 per teacher (MN 14.8)
$16,232MN $17,091 · FY2024
B
Test scores · 2021–22

Close to the state in reading

Reading · PK–12, Mountain Iron-Buhl School District51%
State average 51.1% · 297 students tested
Math · PK–12, Mountain Iron-Buhl School District37%
State average 44.8% · 287 students tested
Reading · PK–12, Rock Ridge Public Schools52%
State average 51.1% · 1257 students tested
Math · PK–12, Rock Ridge Public Schools41%
State average 44.8% · 1199 students tested

Mountain Iron vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the Minnesota towns that share Mountain Iron’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
Mountain IronBMountain Iron-Buhl PK–12 · Rock Ridge PK–12
VirginiaBRock Ridge
Great Scott—Mountain Iron-Buhl
Clinton—St. Louis County PK–12 · Rock Ridge PK–12
Wuori—Rock Ridge
Leonidas—Rock Ridge
EvelethBRock Ridge

5 of the 6 neighbors share Rock Ridge with Mountain Iron for grades PK–12, so their letters differ mainly through the lower grades.

Every school in Mountain Iron

3 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Minnesota’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

District schools in Mountain Ironby address
Merritt Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–6
B−
354 students16:1Rate it →
Mountain Iron-Buhl Secondary
High · Grades 7–12
B−
283 students17:1Rate it →
Charter schoolsfree, open by application
East Range Academy of Tech-Science
High · Grades 9–12
D
Charter
127 students12:1Rate it →

Left off: 2 public programs with fewer than 25 students (Northeast Service Cooperative Oll and Mountain Iron-Buhl ISD 712 Credit R).

Questions about Mountain Iron’s schools

Are Mountain Iron’s schools good?

They sit near the middle of Minnesota: the public schools Mountain Iron children attend outscore 55% of Minnesota’s school districts on tests and graduation, a B Schools grade, #195 of 274 Minnesota towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 46%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Mountain Iron in?

Two districts: Mountain Iron-Buhl School District runs grades PK–12, and Rock Ridge Public Schools runs grades PK–12, shared with Biwabik, Clinton, Eveleth, Fayal, Gilbert, Iron Junction, Leonidas, McKinley, Pike, Sandy, Virginia and Wuori.

What is Mountain Iron’s graduation rate?

85–89% of the class of 2023 in Rock Ridge Public Schools graduated in four years, against 83% across Minnesota.

How much does Mountain Iron spend per student?

$15,393 in Mountain Iron-Buhl School District and $16,232 in Rock Ridge Public Schools (FY2024), against $17,091 across Minnesota. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Mountain Iron families are saying about school.

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Start the conversation

Looking for colleges? Colleges near Mountain Iron → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2021–22, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within Minnesota. Stars are from neighbors.