Southgate Elementary

Southgate Elementary is a primary school of heavily attended scale in AUSTIN, Minnesota, one of the schools within Austin Public School District, educateing 539 students in grades pre-K through 4. Compared to the state average of about 344 students per school, that is 57% larger than typical.

Across the 12 schools in Austin Public School District (5,385 students total), Southgate Elementary accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Southgate Elementary lists that 45% of students identify as White, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. The remainder breaks down as 30% Hispanic, 14% Asian, 5% Black, 4% multiracial. By comparison, Mower County as a whole is about 75% White, so the school skews noticeably less White than its surroundings.

Looking at school resources, On paper, Southgate Elementary has 40 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 13.7:1. The state averages about 13.7:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. About 56% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Southgate Elementary tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 35.1% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 37.2%.

In the broader community, the surrounding county (Mower County) logs that median household earnings sit near $73,074, 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. In all, Mower County runs 34 public schools (combined enrollment of about 7,434 students), of which Southgate Elementary is one.

The closest other public school is Banfield Elementary, roughly 1.2 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Southgate Elementary.

Geographically, the school is in a town-center area.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Southgate Elementary has rose 5%, going from 515 students in 2018 to 539 in 2025. The White share of enrollment fell from 53% to 45% over that span.

On allk12, the feed for Southgate Elementary typically covers classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. The community welcomes input from current and former families.