Pine River-Backus Public School District

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 24 towns

Serves Ideal Township, Pine River Township, Pine River, Powers Township, Ponto Lake Township, Jenkins Township, Barclay Township, Wilson Township, Maple Township, Fifty Lakes, Walden Township, Backus, Home Brook Township, Chickamaw Beach, Moose Lake Township, Timothy Township, Deerfield Township, Bull Moose Township, McKinley Township, Gail Lake Township, Bungo Township, Blind Lake Township, Ansel Township and Manhattan Beach, and parts of Crosslake, Woodrow Township and Meadow Brook Township.

Students

906

Schools

Spent per student

$14,258

MN $17,091

Students per teacher

14:1

Free or reduced lunch

62%

Debt

$5.9M

fiscal 2024

The gist

What stands out about Pine River-Backus Public School District

School Grade C: better than 30% of South Dakota districts
Math proficiency 18 pts below the state
Reading / language arts 7 pts below the state
Graduation rate (4-year) 12 pts below the state
Spends 17% less per student than the MN average
14 students per teacher
Debt of $5.9M, about $6,538 per student

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Albee.

PK–82 schoolsMilbank School District 25-4

9–12Milbank High School - 01Milbank School District 25-4

Test scores vs. MN

2020–21

Math proficiency26%

State average 44.2%

Reading / language arts46%

State average 52.5%

Graduation rate (4-year)72%

State average 84.4%

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024

$14,258 per student · 17% below MN

Spending

Classroom instruction 65%Support & administration 30%Other 5%

Paid for by

Local (mostly property tax) 17%State 69%Federal 14%

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

Enrollment over time

903’20

915’21

903’22

879’23

906’24

About steady.

Students

White 91%Two or more races 4%Hispanic 2%Asian <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Black <1%

Schools in the district

3 public schools.

Pine River-Backus Elementary

Elementary · Grades PK–6 · Pine River

C+

478 students13:1

Pine River-Backus High School

High · Grades 7–12 · Pine River

371 students14:1

Pine River-Backus ALP

High · Grades 9–12 · Pine River

C−

57 students24:1

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

Pequot Lakes Public SchoolsBreezy Point, Jenkins, Loon Lake Township

$12,742per student

Walker-Hackensack-Akeley School DistrictBadoura Township, Birch Lake Township, Hiram Township

$21,831per student

Northland Community SchoolsPine Lake Township, Trelipe Township, Wabedo Township

$23,677per student

Staples-Motley School DistrictByron Township, May Township, Poplar Township

$15,538per 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.