SW Minnesota Today

There were 1,992 students enrolled in Watonwan County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 0.5% more than the previous year, according to reports from the Minnesota Department of Education.

In terms of gender distribution, the student body in Watonwan County comprised 50.1% girls, with boys representing the remaining 49.9%.

Data also showed that Hispanic students made up 57.7% of the student body, the largest percentage in Watonwan County schools, followed by white students with 39.4%, 1.3% multiracial students, 0.6% Asian students, 0.5% American Indian students, 0.4% Hawaiian Pacific Islander students and 0.2% Black students.

St. James Middle/High School had the highest enrollment among Watonwan County's seven schools in the 2024-25 school year, welcoming 566 students.

With more than 870,000 students enrolled, Minnesota's public school system is the 10th-largest in the United States. As of 2025 the student-to-teacher ratio in the state’s public schools is 15 to 1, on par with the national average. 

School name	Total enrollment in 2023-24	Total enrollment in 2024-25	% change
St. James Middle/High School	581	566	-2.6%
St. James Northside Elementary	492	502	2%
Madelia Elementary	344	352	2.3%
Madelia Secondary	289	294	1.7%
Butterfield Elementary	103	110	6.8%
Butterfield Secondary	107	103	-3.7%
Armstrong School	67	65	-3%