Willie Jett Commissioner of Education Minnesota Department of Education | Office of Gov. Tim Walz
Willie Jett Commissioner of Education Minnesota Department of Education | Office of Gov. Tim Walz
Of the 2,158 students attending Cottonwood County district schools, 60.2% were white. Hispanic students made up the second largest ethnic group among Cottonwood County districts' students (21.6%).
In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Cottonwood County districts, representing 62.2% of the student body.
Mountain Lake Public Schools had the most balanced racial distribution among county districts, with 53.6% white students, 28.9% Hispanic, 7.5% multiracial, 6.7% Asian, 1.6% Black, 1.2% American Indian and 0.6% Hawaiian Pacific Islander students.
In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in school districts in the county increased 0.5% compared to the previous year.
The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Cottonwood County.
According to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), Minnesota's fourth graders scored 241 in math, just above the national average of 237. Their reading score of 216 was on par with the U.S. average, but shows a slight decline over recent years. Eighth graders scored 284 in math and 264 in reading, both above the national averages.
However, despite these results, both grade levels remain below pre-pandemic levels in math and reading.
As of 2024, according to Public School Review, the student-to-teacher ratio in Minnesota's public schools stands at 1:16, slightly worse than the national average of 1:15. This is part of a larger framework within Minnesota's educational system, which is the 10th largest in the United States, accommodating over 869,000 students across 2,709 public schools.
| District | Most Prevalent Ethnicity | Percent of Total Student Body | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windom Public School District | White | 60.2% | 1,150 |
| Mountain Lake Public Schools | White | 53.6% | 509 |
| Westbrook-Walnut Grove Schools | White | 66.7% | 499 |
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