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B−

Bemidji Public School District

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 31 towns

Serves Bemidji, Bemidji Township, Northern Township, Grant Valley Township, Eckles Township, Helga Township, Frohn Township, Turtle Lake Township, Turtle River Township, Farden Township, Ten Lake Township, Port Hope Township, Liberty Township, Guthrie Township, Lammers Township, Hart Lake Township, Rockwood Township, Buzzle Township, Fern Township, Nebish Township, Wilton, Jones Township, Durand Township, Roosevelt Township, Sugar Bush Township, Lake Hattie Township, Alaska Township, Schoolcraft Township, Maple Ridge Township, Turtle River and Solway.

Bemidji’s School Grade B− better than 47% of Minnesota school districts

Students
4,722
Schools
14
Spent per student
$15,715
MN $17,091
Students per teacher
15:1
Free or reduced lunch
42%
Debt
$36M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Bemidji Public School District

  • Its letter, B−: results better than 47% of Minnesota districts
  • Graduation rate 5 pts below the state
  • Spends 8% less per student than the MN average
  • 15 students per teacher
  • Debt of $36M, about $7,620 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

B−: better than 47% of the 502 Minnesota school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math close to the state, 2021–22
B
GraduationFour-year graduation well below the state, class of 2023
C
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
B−Bemidji 15,770B−Bemidji Township 4,031B−Northern Township 3,701B−Grant Valley Township 2,346B−Eckles Township 1,945B−Helga Township 1,807B−Frohn Township 1,582B−Turtle Lake Township 1,258B−Turtle River Township 1,194C+Farden Township 1,186B−Ten Lake Township 1,092Port Hope Township 721Liberty Township 717Guthrie Township 629Lammers Township 573Hart Lake Township 562Rockwood Township 405Buzzle Township 299Fern Township 298Nebish Township 277Wilton 267Jones Township 262Durand Township 220Roosevelt Township 210Sugar Bush Township 208Lake Hattie Township 188Alaska Township 180Schoolcraft Township 146Maple Ridge Township 108Turtle River 82Solway 72

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Bemidji. Grade by grade →

PK–32 elementary schoolsThis district
6–8Bemidji MiddleThis district
9–12Bemidji Senior HighThis district

Test scores vs. MN

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency45%
State average 44.8% · 2,211 students tested
Reading / language arts49%
State average 51.1% · 2,299 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)78%
State average 83.3% · 406 in the class

98% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$15,715 per student · 8% below MN
Spending
Classroom instruction 64%Support & administration 31%Other 6%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 18%State 69%Federal 13%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

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

Enrollment over time
4,852’20
4,874’21
4,836’22
4,812’23
4,722’24

About steady since 2020–21.

Students
White 68%American Indian/Alaska Native 25%Two or more races 3%Hispanic 2%Black 1%Asian <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

14 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Minnesota’s other public schools.

Lincoln Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–3 · Bemidji
A
320 students14:1
Horace May Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–3 · Bemidji
C+
300 students12:1
Northern Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–3 · Bemidji
B+
282 students14:1
J.W. Smith Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–3 · Bemidji
B−
238 students12:1
Solway Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–3 · Solway
B
148 students13:1
Paul Bunyan Center
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Bemidji
118 students7:1
First City School
Other · Grades 3–12 · Bemidji
D
48 students5:1
Gene Dillon Elementary School
Elementary · Grades 4–5 · Bemidji
B
667 students15:1
Bemidji Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Bemidji
C+
967 students16:1
Lakeside Learning Center
High · Grades 6–12 · Bemidji
7 students5:1
Bemidji Middle ALP
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Bemidji
1 students0:1
Oshki Manidoo Center
High · Grades 7–12 · Bemidji
4 students
Bemidji Senior High
High · Grades 9–12 · Bemidji
A−
1,537 students20:1
Bemidji Senior Lumberjack ALC
High · Grades 9–12 · Bemidji
C−
85 students21:1

Left off: 1 school reporting no students for 2024–25.

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

Blackduck Public School DistrictHagali Township, Moose Lake Township, O'Brien Township
$14,893per student
Bagley Public School DistrictBear Creek Township, Dudley Township, Itasca Township
$14,810per student
Cass Lake-Bena Public SchoolsPike Bay Township, Wilkinson Township
$23,168per student
Clearbrook-Gonvick School DistrictClover Township, Dudley Township, Sinclair Township
$17,365per student

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within Minnesota.