2023 Elementary Schools with the Best Teachers in Minnesota

• Cologne, MN•

• Public School•

• K-8

• •
  Rating 4.78 out of 5  27 reviews

Parent: Cologne Academy has been a great fit for our children and has exceeded our expectations in education excellence over the last 6 years. We appreciate the school's focus on character building along with traditional education. Children are given many ways to grow and shine: peer mentoring, musical productions, language camps, and athletic programs. Cologne Academy has strong leadership, teachers and staff who care deeply about the students and are open to questions and feedback. The rankings are accurate. This is one of the best schools in the state!... Read 27 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Students 732

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Edina, MN•

• Public School•

• PK, K-6

• •
  Rating 4.5 out of 5  8 reviews

Parent: ISLA has been such an incredible school for our children. Our kids love going to school, the staff is incredibly loving, nurturing and skilled. I’m so impressed with the IB curriculum and the reflection on being an engaged and caring global citizen. I also am so impressed with how strong my daughters’ Spanish has become! What a gift it is to have the ability to communicate in two languages. Also, I have loved the community. People care about each other and the well being of each other’s kids. The leadership it ISLA is beyond impressive and really cares about parent engagement and feedback. I feel like the school really cares about the whole family. I am so incredibly grateful for this strong academic opportunity for my kids.... Read 8 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Students 380

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• St. Croix Preparatory Academy, MN•

• K-4

• •
  Rating 3.25 out of 5  8 reviews

Parent: We have absolutely loved SCPA since day 1. Our children are now in the 7th and 4th grades. Teachers are awesome. K-12 together in one building makes for wonderful interactions between upper and lower school students and a fun and inclusive school environment. The school does not shy away from challenging it's students which is the number one reason that we chose this school for our children. They instill the importance of accountability at a very young age while also focusing on strong character traits & leadership. And try not to mistake the fact that they get homework in elementary school for it being an uncaring environment. Our children have always felt well loved by their teachers - even my rambunctious, sometimes in trouble, hard to sit still 4th grade boy! He needs boundaries & guidance and has been given that by each of his teachers in a caring & effective way. We have never felt intimidated by the staff or administration. In fact we are thankful that they run a tight ship!... Read 8 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Students 450

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Starbuck, MN•

• Public School•

• PK, K-6

• •
  Rating 4.6 out of 5  5 reviews

Niche User: Great school for kids in all stages of learning (whether they are gifted or even behind).... Read 5 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Students 88

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Nova Classical Academy, MN•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 3.24 out of 5  17 reviews

Parent: My daughter was a transfer student from another charter school. The previous school she went to wanted to put her in special education. I disagreed with this and turned that down. So when my daughter was accepted into nova we were thrilled. The new way she is being taught at nova is so much better she is no where near needing special ed. We love the curriculum at this school and are thankful to get in. She adjusted well to the new school and we are thankful... Read 17 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Students 484

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Northfield, MN•

• Public School•

• K-5

• grade A

• grade A+

• Students 180

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Savage, MN•

• Public School•

• K-8

• •
  Rating 4.24 out of 5  17 reviews

Works Here: Aspen Academy is a great K-8 school! The students, staff, families and community always work together to do what is best for kids and finds ways to get us what we need! Kids are kind to each other and the big kids always help the little kids. There are high expectations but the teachers support us in reaching high goals.... Read 17 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Students 647

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• Saint Paul, MN•

• Public School•

• K-8

• •
  Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Middle School Student: I am a student in 6th grade as I'm writing this and I recommend this school but I would start early so if your coming here at my age knowing no german than thats may be a bad idea because it a new language were fluent in and you wouldn't know one word. If you like a Waldorf style of school this is probably not the school for you as here we do do tests and focus on academics but do events as in service learning, which I'm in, today we went to an event called WE DAY a empowerment non-profit organization to make the world better with our youth. Our school is very very very accepting of all cultures and backgrounds. If your happy with who you are then were fine with it. The one thing is are school is not that diverse..... were mostly white..... but where ale exerting and racism is not tolerated at our school. We encourage to feel welcome. So are school in my mind is amazing. So think about enrolling.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A+

• Students 587

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Minnetonka Public School District, MN•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  6 reviews

Parent: Groveland is amazing! We moved here from out of state and my daughter was behind in reading. Within the first weeks she was given a "reading helper," and made amazing progress! There are many instances where my kids needed extra help or have been "ahead" on something. Groveland teachers always identified things quickly and were able to get extra resources to help, or extra learning opportunities to challenge them. The resources and attention to individual learning needs are phenomenal. Most importantly, the teachers and staff CARE - and that is saying SO much - just to have someone put some serious effort in when things need fixing. I will always be a huge Groveland Supporter because of that reason! Is Groveland perfect? Certainly not, but nothing is. We wish for more diversity (I'd say we're 'average' for this area, though, sadly) and for EVERY kid in the school to be a kind and caring human... but parents need to take accountability for that, too!... Read 6 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Students 917

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Minneapolis, MN•

• Public School•

• K-8

• •
  Rating 3.6 out of 5  15 reviews

Parent: This school is amazing - the teachers, administrators, and students. My son has been attending for 6 years. It is very structured - and can seem overwhelming (imagine being spoken to all day in a foreign language)! But, my son is happy. I think the teachers have high expectations, but are very nurturing and they provide additional help if the student is struggling academically (I know from personal experience). I am so impressed by the dedication of the teachers - they are always available and willing to communicate and partner on plans specific to individual students. With any immersion program, the first couple years are a struggle, as students may fall behind mainstream schools - however, by 5th grade, my son is scoring well above average. I highly recommend this school.... Read 15 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Students 833

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Lakeville Public School District, MN•

• K-5

• grade A

• grade A+

• Students 614

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Orono Public School District, MN•

• 3-5

• grade A

• grade A+

• Students 609

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• PACT Charter School, MN•

• K-6

• •
  Rating 3.6 out of 5  10 reviews

Parent: We got into PACT in 2018 and right away we could see a huge improvement from the elementary public school we came from and PACT. The teachers really go above and beyond to ensure my daughters are getting all the help they need. I love the emphasis on character building as well as academics. The small school feel as well as being able to be involved in my kids education is so important for our family. We have also made some great friendships with other students and parents. We genuinely love this community. Highly recommend PACT!... Read 10 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A+

• Students 340

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Edina Public School District, MN•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: Creek Valley Elementary School is a great school! Everyone is equal with their races, the teachers are strict, but funny and kind, and everyone learns a lot!!... Read 1 review

• grade A

• grade A+

• Students 576

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Minnetonka Public School District, MN•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 2.75 out of 5  4 reviews

Parent: Minnetonka is an amazing school district. We attended for two years. Deephaven has fabulous resources and the gifted program (Wings) is very strong. Teachers are top notch and expectations for education is high. The only reason I give it four and not five stars is the people. I found the school to be unfriendly. You could meet the same parents a million times and they don't ever remember you. Or pretend not to remember you. Volunteering for class parties--you could be standing next to another parent and they don't even give you the time of day. There is NO diversity. I'm not Caucasian and it made me uncomfortable. We moved out of state and while my current district isn't as highly rated as Minnetonka, we are much happier with the welcoming nature of the school community and people--in a town that is just as affluent, if not more so.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Students 652

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Winona, MN•

• Public School•

• K-8

• •
  Rating 4.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Parent: We have had four kids go to this school, three of whom have graduated and gone on to do very well in high school and college. They loved their experience, and we have enjoyed both the Montessori teaching approach as well as the strong sense of community. Kids here are very kind and respectful -- they are trained to help one another and to collaborate on an almost daily basis in the classroom, which is good preparation for working with others in real life. Kids spend up to three years with a single teacher, which helps teachers get to know the kids at a deep level. All teachers have their regular state certification as well as their Montessori certification, which means they have an extra two years of training. As a public charter school, it's governed by a local, on-site board composed of teachers and parents, which means the leadership is well informed about what the needs of the school are.... Read 3 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A+

• Students 208

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Minnetonka Public School District, MN•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 4.9 out of 5  10 reviews

Parent: The BEST SCHOOL in Minnesota if not on earth! I absolutely love this school for the administration, nurse and everyone else who works there. My daughter has Special needs and she is treated with so much of care and love that I feel blessed for us to be so lucky! Their Special needs program is word class probably the best in the world. Its no wonder parents from all over the country Move to Minneapolis just to put their kids in this school! It really is the GOLDEN Ticket for your children! Believe it or not, its the best thing in Minnesota and the only reason I never want to leave Minneapolis.... Read 10 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Students 901

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Edina Public School District, MN•

• K-5

• grade A

• grade A+

• Students 530

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Minnetonka Public School District, MN•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: We have 2 children enrolled in this school and will add another next year. We have had nothing but a pleasant experience and our children consistently rank well above the state and US averages in every academic category. They have all kinds of programs to accommodate kids of all abilities, from kids with learning disabilities to kids who have borderline genius level IQ's. We are very happy with this school.... Read 1 review

• grade A

• grade A+

• Students 800

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• St. Michael-Albertville School District, MN•

• 1-4

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

• grade A

• grade A+

• Students 653

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Duluth Public School District, MN•

• K-5

• grade A minus

• grade A+

• Students 546

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Minnetonka Public School District, MN•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  8 reviews

Parent: This is our second year at Clear Spring. We loved the school as it made us feel warmth and welcome. The school community was very friendly. There was an unexpected pandemic in mid March, all the schools across the states have to be closed. Clear Springs was so well prepared for the E learning. There were a group of creative and dedicated teachers made the online learning so special for the kids. They were not just simply assisted the students to excel in their academics remotely. They were also cared for their social being. The teacher provided the Lunch Bunch online and did the Kahoot Game with the class. It was so fun to engage students learning a new music instrument at home. The Music teachers are totally Awesome, Orchestra and Band instructor is Extraordinary!! Personally, Clear Springs is not just a school to us anymore, it is just like a home that allows my child to learn beyond her classroom but feel so comfy in it.... Read 8 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Students 863

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Minnetonka Public School District, MN•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 4.6 out of 5  5 reviews

Alum: The teachers are great and the education is awesome here! Most of the students are really nice and friendly.... Read 5 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Students 898

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Lakeville Public School District, MN•

• K-5

• grade A

• grade A+

• Students 624

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Lakeville Public School District, MN•

• K-5

• grade A minus

• grade A+

• Students 470

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1