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C

Deer River Public School District

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 11 towns

Serves Deer River, Deer River Township, Morse Township, Marcell Township, Oteneagen Township, Lake Jessie Township, Bowstring Township, Sand Lake Township, Torrey Township, Wirt Township and Zemple, and parts of Stokes Township.

Deer River’s Schools page →

Students
833
Schools
4
Spent per student
$21,331
MN $17,091
Students per teacher
9:1
Free or reduced lunch
64%
Debt
$19.2M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Deer River Public School District

  • Its letter, C: results better than 34% of Minnesota districts
  • Math proficiency 12 pts below the state
  • Reading proficiency 6 pts below the state
  • Graduation rate 9 pts below the state
  • Spends 25% more per student than the MN average
  • 9 students per teacher
  • Enrollment down 9.2% since 2020–21
  • Debt of $19.2M, about $23,049 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

C: better than 34% 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 well below the state, 2021–22
C+
GraduationFour-year graduation well below the state, class of 2023
C−
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
Deer River 926Deer River Township 653Morse Township 583Marcell Township 474Oteneagen Township 308Lake Jessie Township 252Bowstring Township 213Sand Lake Township 187Torrey Township 176Wirt Township 94Zemple 77

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Deer River. Grade by grade →

PK–5King ElementaryThis district
6–12Deer River SecondaryThis district

Test scores vs. MN

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency33%
State average 44.8% · 376 students tested
Reading / language arts45%
State average 51.1% · 414 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)70–79%
State average 83.3% · 59 in the class

84% 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
$21,331 per student · 25% above MN
Spending
Classroom instruction 58%Support & administration 36%Other 5%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 20%State 62%Federal 18%

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

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

Enrollment over time
917’20
901’21
885’22
852’23
833’24

Down 9.2% since 2020–21.

Students
White 51%American Indian/Alaska Native 31%Two or more races 16%Hispanic 1%Asian <1%Black <1%

Schools in the district

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

King Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Deer River
B−
390 students9:1
Deer River Schools SPED
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Deer River
5 students5:1
Deer River Secondary
High · Grades 6–12 · Deer River
C−
425 students11:1
Deer River High School ALP
High · Grades 10–12 · Deer River
13 students

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

Grand Rapids Public School DistrictBigfork Township, Kinghurst Township, Max Township
$14,971per student
Northland Community SchoolsSalem Township
$23,677per 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.