Public schools in Rochester, MN
51 open public schools with an address in Rochester, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
51
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
17,838
51 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
15.4:1
Minnesota median 13.6:1
Charter schools
4
2 virtual
An overview of Rochester public schools
The federal directory lists 51 public schools in Rochester, MN: 20 elementary, 5 middle, 17 high, 9 combined or other. The 51 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 17,838 students, an average of 350 per school. The largest campus is Mayo High School (1,787 students), and the largest elementary school is Gibbs Elementary School (675).
Rochester Public School District operates the most schools here (47), plus 2 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 15.4:1, higher than the statewide school median of 13.6:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 4 charter schools, 2 virtual schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 13 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 3 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 13 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 40% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Rochester
Elementary schools in Rochester
20| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bamber Valley Elementary School Rochester Public School District | PK–06 | 599 | — | |
| Bishop Elementary School Rochester Public School District | PK–05 | 545 | — | |
| Churchill Elementary School Rochester Public School District | PK–02 | 192 | — | |
| Early Childhood Year Round Rochester Public School District · Special Education School | PK–KG | 0 | — | |
| Elton Hills Elementary School Rochester Public School District | PK–05 | 308 | — | |
| Folwell Elementary School Rochester Public School District | PK–05 | 352 | — | |
| Franklin Elementary School Rochester Public School District | PK–05 | 600 | — | |
| Gage Elementary School Rochester Public School District | PK–05 | 412 | — | |
| Gibbs Elementary School Rochester Public School District | PK–05 | 675 | — | |
| Hoover Elementary School Rochester Public School District | 03–05 | 228 | — | |
| Jefferson Elementary School Rochester Public School District | PK–05 | 464 | — | |
| Lincoln K-8 School Rochester Public School District | KG–08 | 506 | — | |
| Longfellow Elementary School Rochester Public School District | PK–05 | 265 | — | |
| MNSync Online Elementary Rochester Public School District · Virtual | KG–06 | 68 | — | |
| Overland Elementary School Rochester Public School District | PK–05 | 549 | — | |
| Pinewood Elementary School Rochester Public School District | PK–05 | 380 | — | |
| Riverside Central Elementary School Rochester Public School District | PK–06 | 509 | — | |
| Rochester Math & Science Elementary Rochester Math and Science Academy · Charter | KG–06 | 322 | 15.4:1 | |
| Sunset Terrace Elementary School Rochester Public School District | PK–05 | 437 | — | |
| Washington Elementary School Rochester Public School District | KG–05 | 334 | — |
Middle schools in Rochester
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota Middle School Rochester Public School District | 06–08 | 921 | — | |
| John Adams Middle School Rochester Public School District | 06–08 | 867 | — | |
| Kellogg Middle School Rochester Public School District | 06–08 | 769 | — | |
| Middle School ALC Rochester Public School District · Alternative School | 06–08 | 31 | — | |
| Willow Creek Middle School Rochester Public School District | 06–08 | 864 | — |
High schools in Rochester
17| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALC Summer Credit Recovery Rochester Public School District · Alternative School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| Care & Treatment at ESC Rochester Public School District · Alternative School | 05–12 | 6 | — | |
| Century High School Rochester Public School District | 09–12 | 1,608 | — | |
| Credit Recovery Rochester Public School District · Alternative School | 09–12 | 1 | — | |
| John Marshall High School Rochester Public School District | 09–12 | 1,549 | — | |
| LEAP Launching Emerging Adults Prg Rochester Public School District · Special Education School | 09–12 | 7 | — | |
| Mayo High School Rochester Public School District | 09–12 | 1,787 | — | |
| MNSync Online Secondary Rochester Public School District · Virtual | 07–12 | 292 | — | |
| P-Tech 535 Rochester Public School District · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 3 | — | |
| Project Search Mayo Clinic Rochester Public School District · Special Education School | 12–12 | 8 | — | |
| Rochester Academy-Idp Living(RAIL) Rochester Public School District · Special Education School | 11–12 | 83 | — | |
| Rochester ALC Recovery Program Rochester Public School District · Alternative School | 09–12 | 9 | — | |
| Rochester Alternative Learning Cntr Rochester Public School District · Alternative School | 09–12 | 387 | — | |
| Rochester Beacon Academy Rochester Beacon Academy · Charter | 06–12 | 115 | 11.3:1 | |
| Rochester Math & Science Online HS Rochester Math and Science Academy · Charter | 07–12 | 0 | — | |
| Rochester Math & Science Secondary Rochester Math and Science Academy · Charter | 07–12 | 230 | 16.4:1 | |
| Southeast Regional Crisis Center Rochester Public School District · Alternative School | 05–12 | 7 | — |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Rochester
9| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Care & Treatment Hospital/Homebound Rochester Public School District · Alternative School | KG–12 | 1 | — | |
| Early Childhood Assessment Rochester Public School District · Special Education School | PK–PK | 1 | — | |
| Early Childhood Intervention Rochester Public School District · Special Education School | PK–PK | 154 | — | |
| ECSE Community Rochester Public School District · Special Education School | PK–PK | 40 | — | |
| Hoover Early Learning School Rochester Public School District · Special Education School | PK–PK | 211 | — | |
| Mighty Oaks Early Learning School Rochester Public School District · Special Education School | PK–PK | 56 | — | |
| Out of State Care and Treatment Rochester Public School District · Alternative School | KG–12 | 0 | — | |
| PrairieCare Rochester Public School District · Alternative School | KG–12 | 20 | — | |
| Rochester Phoenix Academy Rochester Public School District · Special Education School | KG–12 | 66 | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White50.4%
- Hispanic13.1%
- Black18.5%
- Asian8.5%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.4%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial9%
Enrollment-weighted across 47 Rochester schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (17,838 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Rochester
How many public schools are in Rochester, MN?
The current NCES directory lists 51 open public schools with a location address in Rochester: 20 elementary, 5 middle, 17 high, 9 combined or other. Together they reported 17,838 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Rochester?
Schools with an address in Rochester belong to 3 education agencies, led by Rochester Public School District (47 schools), Rochester Math and Science Academy (3 schools), Rochester Beacon Academy (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Rochester?
Mayo High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Rochester, with 1,787 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Rochester?
Yes. 4 of the 51 public schools in Rochester are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Rochester Beacon Academy, Rochester Math & Science Elementary, Rochester Math & Science Online HS. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Rochester schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Rochester public schools is 15.4:1, higher than the Minnesota school median of 13.6:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Rochester guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Minnesota cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Minnesota cities