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B−

Duluth Public School District

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 6 towns

Serves Duluth, Rice Lake, Lakewood Township, Gnesen Township, Normanna Township and North Star Township.

Duluth’s School Grade B− better than 51% of Minnesota school districts

Students
8,723
Schools
30
Spent per student
$16,562
MN $17,091
Students per teacher
14:1
Free or reduced lunch
39%
Debt
$38.4M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Duluth Public School District

  • Its letter, B−: results better than 51% of Minnesota districts
  • Graduation rate 8 pts below the state
  • 14 students per teacher
  • Debt of $38.4M, about $4,406 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

B−: better than 51% 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 above 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−Duluth 88,330B−Rice Lake 4,169B−Lakewood Township 2,345B−Gnesen Township 1,940Normanna Township 768North Star Township 203

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Duluth. Grade by grade →

PK–58 elementary schoolsThis district
6–82 middle schoolsThis district
9–122 high schoolsThis district

Test scores vs. MN

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency45%
State average 44.8% · 3,869 students tested
Reading / language arts56%
State average 51.1% · 4,047 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)75%
State average 83.3% · 734 in the class

100% 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
$16,562 per student · 3% below MN
Spending
Classroom instruction 66%Support & administration 30%Other 4%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 29%State 59%Federal 12%

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

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

Enrollment over time
8,358’20
8,216’21
8,268’22
8,486’23
8,723’24

Up 4.4% since 2020–21.

Students
White 77%Two or more races 10%Black 4%Hispanic 4%American Indian/Alaska Native 4%Asian <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

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

Homecroft Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Duluth
A
448 students18:1
Piedmont Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Duluth
C+
410 students10:1
Myers-Wilkins Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Duluth
C−
329 students8:1
Laura Macarthur Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Duluth
C−
277 students8:1
Early Childhood Special Education
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Duluth
249 students
Stowe Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Duluth
B−
245 students10:1
Special Ed. N.P.
Other · Grades PK–12 · Duluth
25 students
Lester Park Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Duluth
A+
510 students13:1
Congdon Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Duluth
A+
474 students17:1
Lowell Elementary Spanish Immersion
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Duluth
A
329 students18:1
Lowell Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Duluth
C+
312 students11:1
Lakewood Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Duluth
A−
254 students16:1
Merritt Creek Academy
Other · Grades K–12 · Duluth
D−
75 students6:1
Rockridge Academy
Other · Grades K–12 · Duluth
D
35 students5:1
Chester Creek Academy
Other · Grades K–12 · Duluth
D
31 students4:1
Superior Academy
Other · Grades K–12 · Duluth
19 students10:1
Bethany Crisis Shelter
Other · Grades K–12 · Duluth
2 students
Arrowhead Academy
Other · Grades 4–12 · Duluth
18 students4:1
Ordean East Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Duluth
B+
1,037 students18:1
Lincoln Park Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Duluth
C
606 students12:1
ALC SWS Lincoln Park
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Duluth
65 students
Academic Excellence Online
High · Grades 6–12 · Duluth
54 students4:1
ALC SWS Ordean East
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Duluth
47 students24:1
Duluth Area Learning Center
High · Grades 6–12 · Duluth
35 students13:1
East High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Duluth
A−
1,495 students20:1
Denfeld High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Duluth
C
951 students16:1
ALC Independent Study
High · Grades 9–12 · Duluth
235 students
ALC SWS East
High · Grades 9–12 · Duluth
74 students
ALC SWS Denfeld
High · Grades 9–12 · Duluth
57 students
The Bridge
High · Grades 12 · Duluth
25 students

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

Hermantown Public School DistrictCanosia Township, Fredenberg Township, Hermantown
$12,681per student
Proctor Public School DistrictCanosia Township, Midway Township, Proctor
$14,622per student
Lake Superior Public School DistrictAlden Township, Duluth Township
$15,682per student
Superior School DistrictOliver, Superior, Superior
$15,521per 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.