12 Eagan Schools Among Best For Grades K-8: U.S. News

EAGAN, MN — Several elementary and middle schools in Eagan have been ranked among the best in Minnesota, according to a brand-new ranking released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.

For the inaugural list, U.S. News published rankings and data on more than 80,000 public elementary and middle schools across the United States.

Schools are ranked at the state and district levels. The best charter schools and best magnet schools ranked as stand-alone categories.

U.S. News ranked Dakota Hills Middle School as the highest school among schools in Eagan, according to the new list. Dakota Hills Middle School was ranked #89.

Here’s a look at how other schools in Eagan ranked compared with others in the state:

• #94 in elementary schools: Glacier Hills School - Arts/Science, ISD 196
• #191 in elementary schools: Pilot Knob Stem Magnet School, ISD 197
• #196 in elementary schools: Woodland Elementary, ISD 196
• #270 in elementary schools: Red Pine Elementary, ISD 196
• #296 in elementary schools: Thomas Lake Elementary, ISD 196
• #315 in elementary schools: Deerwood Elementary, ISD 196
• #375 in elementary schools: Northview Elementary, ISD 196
• #384 in elementary schools: Rahn Elementary, ISD 191
• #598 in elementary schools: Pinewood Elementary, ISD 196
• #653-871 in elementary schools: Oak Ridge Elementary, ISD 196
• #89 in middle schools: Dakota Hills Middle School, ISD 196
• #161 in middle schools: Black Hawk Middle School, ISD 196

To determine the rankings, U.S. News used data from the U.S. Department of Education to analyze two areas at each school:

• Math and reading proficiency — or how well students perform on state assessments.
• Math and reading performance — or how well they perform compared with expectations.

The state assessment data used in the rankings is from the 2018-19 school year and, therefore, predates any effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on test-taking.

Schools were also ranked by district. Here’s how elementary and middle schools in Independent School District 196 measured up:

Middle schools:

1. Rosemount Middle
2. Dakota Hills Middle
3. Black Hawk Middle
4. Falcon Ridge Middle
5. Scott Highlands Middle(tied with Valley Middle)
6. Valley Middle(tied with Scott Highlands Middle)

Elementary Schools:

1. Shannon Park Elementary
2. East Lake Elementary School
3. Glacier Hills School - Arts/Science
4. Cedar Park Elementary Stem School
5. Highland Elementary
6. Woodland Elementary
7. Red Pine Elementary
8. Thomas Lake Elementary
9. Deerwood Elementary
10. Northview Elementary
11. Westview Elementary
12. Diamond Path Elementary School of International Studies
13. Greenleaf Elementary
14. Echo Park Leadership Engineer/Tech(tied for 14)
15. Oak Ridge Elementary (tied for 14)
16. Parkview Elementary (tied for 14)
17. Pinewood Elementary (tied for 14)
18. Rosemount Elementary (tied for 14)
19. Southview Elementary (tied for 14)

Elementary in ISD 191 and ISD 197 were also ranked by U.S. News.

ISD 191 elementary schools:

1. Harriet Bishop Elementary
2. Gideon Pond Elementary
3. Rahn Elementary
4. Edward Neill Elementary
5. Sioux Trail Elementary
6. M.W. Savage Elementary
7. Vista View Elementary
8. Hidden Valley Elementary(tied for 8)
9. Sky Oaks Elementary(tied for 8)
10. William Byrne Elementary(tied for 8)

ISD 197 elementary schools:

1. Somerset Elementary
2. Mendota Elementary
3. Pilot Knob Stem Magnet School
4. Garlough Environmental Magnet (tied for 4)
5. Moreland Art/Health Science Magnet (tied for 4)

Nationally, California has 5,534 ranked elementary schools — the most of any state — followed by Texas at 4,446; New York at 2,211; Florida at 2,128; and Illinois at 2,038 schools.

California also has the most ranked middle schools with 2,319, followed by Texas at 1,942; Illinois at 1,243; New York at 1,219; and Florida at 997.

See the complete list of 2021’s Best K-8 Schools.