Welcome to Rochester Public Schools
New to Rochester? Welcome! Are you interested in enrolling your student at RPS?
Do you have a student entering Kindergarten?
Enrollment is now open for incoming Kindergarten families.
Make A Difference - Join the RPS Team!
Make a direct impact in the Rochester community by working at RPS.
RPS Strategic Plan
Learn more about our newly approved Strategic Plan
Volunteer in Rochester Public Schools
We encourages parent, caregivers, and community members to share their time, talents and knowledge with our students
Updates and Events
![21st Century Grant Cohort 7 Logo]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1680295326/rochesterk12mnus/ljvbsy2v6ppnzlrqz2mv/21stCenturyGrant.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1680295326/rochesterk12mnus/ljvbsy2v6ppnzlrqz2mv/21stCenturyGrant.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1680295326/rochesterk12mnus/ljvbsy2v6ppnzlrqz2mv/21stCenturyGrant.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1680295326/rochesterk12mnus/ljvbsy2v6ppnzlrqz2mv/21stCenturyGrant.png","width":940}])
The 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant program supports the creation of community learning centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours for children, particularly students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools.
![Photo of the Elton Hills Music Classroom with students on risers.]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1679500497/rochesterk12mnus/phx1cjuhk8i9f9hp9lwo/MusicinourschoolsMonth.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1679500497/rochesterk12mnus/phx1cjuhk8i9f9hp9lwo/MusicinourschoolsMonth.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1679500497/rochesterk12mnus/phx1cjuhk8i9f9hp9lwo/MusicinourschoolsMonth.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1679500497/rochesterk12mnus/phx1cjuhk8i9f9hp9lwo/MusicinourschoolsMonth.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1679500497/rochesterk12mnus/phx1cjuhk8i9f9hp9lwo/MusicinourschoolsMonth.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1679500497/rochesterk12mnus/phx1cjuhk8i9f9hp9lwo/MusicinourschoolsMonth.jpg","width":2200}])
Music is embedded in our lives; from nursery rhymes to sound effects of a new email notification or the ringtone of an incoming call, sound and music impact our daily lives.
![A camera attached to the stop arm side of a school bus]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1679429876/rochesterk12mnus/tbxvztaf2j329pv88bzk/stoparmcamera.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1679429876/rochesterk12mnus/tbxvztaf2j329pv88bzk/stoparmcamera.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1679429876/rochesterk12mnus/tbxvztaf2j329pv88bzk/stoparmcamera.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1679429876/rochesterk12mnus/tbxvztaf2j329pv88bzk/stoparmcamera.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1679429876/rochesterk12mnus/tbxvztaf2j329pv88bzk/stoparmcamera.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1679429876/rochesterk12mnus/tbxvztaf2j329pv88bzk/stoparmcamera.jpg","width":2200}])
![Title Graphic for Supt in the Halls Part 2]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1678121071/rochesterk12mnus/p6bizagyfqqjbr6frq27/Screenshot2023-03-06at102151AM.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1678121071/rochesterk12mnus/p6bizagyfqqjbr6frq27/Screenshot2023-03-06at102151AM.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1678121071/rochesterk12mnus/p6bizagyfqqjbr6frq27/Screenshot2023-03-06at102151AM.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1678121071/rochesterk12mnus/p6bizagyfqqjbr6frq27/Screenshot2023-03-06at102151AM.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1678121071/rochesterk12mnus/p6bizagyfqqjbr6frq27/Screenshot2023-03-06at102151AM.png","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1678121071/rochesterk12mnus/p6bizagyfqqjbr6frq27/Screenshot2023-03-06at102151AM.png","width":1790}])
How do our middle school students think about the future? Superintendent Pekel visited our middle schools to find out. Watch the second installment of Supt In the Halls to see what he learned!
Fast Facts
Our mission is to inspire, challenge, and empower all students with the knowledge and skills required to reach their full potential, to contribute to future generations, and to become involved members of a global community.
As the 7th largest district in Minnesota we serve more than 17,400 students and continue to grow.
As one of the top three employers in Rochester, we currently employee over 3,000 staff members.
63.3% of our teachers hold a Master’s Degree or the equivalency.
We strive to provide our students with different opportunities for learning including early childhood education, quality neighborhood schools, district-wide programs and schools, alternative learning, and adult education.
In the 2017-2018 school year, we had a 4-year graduation rate of 87.01%, and our graduation rates continue to surpass the state average of 83.20%. Our three high schools combined had a 92% graduation rate.
Our district celebrates diversity with more than 80 spoken languages in our schools.
We offer four full-service community schools at Gage Elementary School, Riverside Central Elementary School, John Marshall High School, and Rochester Alternative Learning School.
Hawthorne Education Center offers Adult Basic Education, English as a second language, and college programs for our community members.