St. Louis County School District

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 47 towns

Serves Babbitt, Brevator Township, Greenwood Township, Clinton Township, Cherry Township, Industrial Township, Embarrass Township, Breitung Township, McDavitt Township, Alborn Township, Cook, Leiding Township, Owens Township, Orr, Tower, Cotton Township, Beatty Township, New Independence Township, Meadowlands Township, Lavell Township, Stoney Brook Township, Field Township, Culver Township, Angora Township, Eagles Nest Township, Ellsburg Township, Waasa Township, Alango Township, Vermilion Lake Township, Arrowhead Township, Northland Township, Meadowlands, Portage Township, Kugler Township, Toivola Township, Sturgeon Township, Elmer Township, Kelsey Township, Kabetogama Township, Brookston, Linden Grove Township, Willow Valley Township, Crane Lake Township, Bassett Township, Ness Township, Morcom Township and Camp 5 Township, and parts of Pike Township.

Students

1,914

Schools

Spent per student

$19,087

MN $17,091

Students per teacher

13:1

Free or reduced lunch

42%

Debt

$43.8M

fiscal 2024

The gist

What stands out about St. Louis County School District

School Grade B: better than 60% of Minnesota districts
Math proficiency 10 pts below the state
Graduation rate (4-year) 13 pts above the state
Spends 12% more per student than the MN average
13 students per teacher
Debt of $43.8M, about $22,883 per student

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Knife River.

PK–52 elementary schoolsLake Superior Public School District

6–122 schoolsLake Superior Public School District

Test scores vs. MN

2020–21

Math proficiency34%

State average 44.2%

Reading / language arts49%

State average 52.5%

Graduation rate (4-year)97%

State average 84.4%

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024

$19,087 per student · 12% above MN

Spending

Classroom instruction 62%Support & administration 34%Other 4%

Paid for by

Local (mostly property tax) 29%State 62%Federal 9%

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time

1,956’20

2,014’21

1,954’22

1,947’23

1,914’24

About steady.

Students

White 78%Two or more races 10%American Indian/Alaska Native 9%Hispanic 3%Black <1%Asian <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

9 public schools.

South Ridge Elementary

Elementary · Grades PK–6 · Culver

303 students13:1

Cherry Elementary

Elementary · Grades PK–6 · Iron

B−

297 students13:1

North Woods Elementary

Elementary · Grades PK–6 · Cook

234 students12:1

Babbitt Elementary

Elementary · Grades PK–6 · Babbitt

C+

95 students10:1

Tower-Soudan Elementary

Elementary · Grades PK–6 · Tower

B−

95 students11:1

Cherry Secondary

High · Grades 7–12 · Iron

273 students15:1

South Ridge Secondary

High · Grades 7–12 · Culver

C−

258 students16:1

North Woods Secondary

High · Grades 7–12 · Cook

245 students14:1

Northeast Range Secondary

High · Grades 7–12 · Babbitt

C−

114 students11:1

Towns served

Babbitt 1,393Brevator Township 1,064Greenwood Township 975Clinton Township 949Cherry Township 792Industrial Township 680Embarrass Township 653Breitung Township 651McDavitt Township 534Alborn Township 442Cook 423Leiding Township 402Owens Township 378Orr 368Tower 367Cotton Township 356Beatty Township 349New Independence Township 343Meadowlands Township 328Lavell Township 325Stoney Brook Township 302Field Township 285Culver Township 278Angora Township 272Eagles Nest Township 258Ellsburg Township 254Waasa Township 250Alango Township 249Vermilion Lake Township 243Arrowhead Township 211Northland Township 190Meadowlands 174Portage Township 173Kugler Township 170Toivola Township 155Sturgeon Township 148Elmer Township 129Kelsey Township 120Kabetogama Township 105Brookston 103Linden Grove Township 94 Willow Valley Township 83 Crane Lake Township 81 Bassett Township 57 Ness Township 46 Morcom Township 45 Camp 5 Township 22

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

Floodwood Public School DistrictCedar Valley Township, Fine Lakes Township, Floodwood Township

$19,873per student

Hibbing Public School DistrictCedar Valley Township, French Township, Hibbing

$17,527per student

Mesabi East School DistrictHoyt Lakes, White Township

$15,966per student

Rock Ridge Public SchoolsEveleth, Fayal Township, Mountain Iron

$16,232per student

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES directory and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Neighbor ratings are opinions.