Charles P. Noyes Cottage · Photo: Elkman · CC BY-SA 3.0White Bear Lake’s public schools outscore 71% of Minnesota districts
The grade covers the public school district serving White Bear Lake, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within Minnesota, not nationally.
From Minnesota state tests taken in spring 2022, when 91% of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
White Bear Lake’s schools, in brief
Above the state on both counts
Reading proficiency is 55% and math 48% in spring 2022, against 51% and 45% statewide; 89% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 83%. Test scores ↓
Spending and class size
The district spends $16,146 per student, against $17,091 across Minnesota (FY2024). Spending doesn’t count toward the grade. Districts ↓
Five elementary schools, then two middle and one high school
Which school depends on the address at every step. Enrollment is up 69% since 2021–22. See the path ↓
Choice beyond the district
Level Up Academy, Level Up Academy Middle School, Frassati Catholic Academy Est. 2014 (private) and Magnuson Christian School (private) are in town. Level Up K-5 Virtual Academy, an online school, is based here too; it isn’t counted as a local school. Every school ↓
Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.
What’s behind White Bear Lake’s grade
B+: better than 71% of Minnesota school districts, #129 of 274 Minnesota towns. Test scores and graduation are both above the Minnesota average; test scores are the stronger of the two.
Where will my kid go?
Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve White Bear Lake, with each school’s own grade.
Pre-K in White Bear Lake · depends on your address
Lakeaires Elementary
Grades PK–5 · 396 students · 15:1 students per teacher
Willow Lane Elementary
Grades PK–5 · 279 students · 10:1 students per teacher
Birch Lake Elementary
Grades PK–5 · 239 students · 11:1 students per teacher
6th grade in White Bear Lake · depends on your address
Central Middle
Grades 6–8 · 922 students · 20:1 students per teacher
Mariner Middle School
Grades 6–8 · 881 students · 18:1 students per teacher
7th grade in White Bear Lake · depends on your address
Central Middle
Grades 6–8 · 922 students · 20:1 students per teacher
Mariner Middle School
Grades 6–8 · 881 students · 18:1 students per teacher
8th grade in White Bear Lake · depends on your address
Central Middle
Grades 6–8 · 922 students · 20:1 students per teacher
Mariner Middle School
Grades 6–8 · 881 students · 18:1 students per teacher
9th grade in White Bear Lake
White Bear Lake Area High School
Grades 9–12 · 2,572 students · 20:1 students per teacher
10th grade in White Bear Lake
White Bear Lake Area High School
Grades 9–12 · 2,572 students · 20:1 students per teacher
11th grade in White Bear Lake
White Bear Lake Area High School
Grades 9–12 · 2,572 students · 20:1 students per teacher
12th grade in White Bear Lake
White Bear Lake Area High School
Grades 9–12 · 2,572 students · 20:1 students per teacher
White Bear Lake’s public schools are run by White Bear Lake School District, which also serves Birchwood Village, Gem Lake, Hugo and North Oaks and others. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.
The district
Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.
Above the state in reading
White Bear Lake vs. its neighbors
Schools grades for the Minnesota towns that share White Bear Lake’s borders.
| Town | Schools | Main districts |
|---|---|---|
| White Bear Lake | B+ | White Bear Lake |
| White Bear | B+ | White Bear Lake |
| Mahtomedi | A+ | Mahtomedi Public |
| Vadnais Heights | B+ | White Bear Lake |
| Gem Lake | — | White Bear Lake |
| Maplewood | C | North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale |
3 of the 5 neighbors share White Bear Lake with White Bear Lake, so their letters differ mainly through other districts.
Every school in White Bear Lake
17 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Minnesota’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).
Left off: 8 public programs with fewer than 25 students (Level Up Academy Virtual Middle, White Bear Lake HS Credit Recovery, Central Area Learning Center, Mariner Area Learning Center, Area Learning Center Summer, White Bear Lake Middle OLL, Distance Learning Academy - H and White Bear Lake Elementary Distance).
Questions about White Bear Lake’s schools
Are White Bear Lake’s schools good?
By Minnesota’s own tests, yes: the public schools White Bear Lake children attend outscore 71% of Minnesota’s school districts on tests and graduation, a B+ Schools grade, #129 of 274 Minnesota towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 70%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.
What school district is White Bear Lake in?
White Bear Lake School District, which runs grades PK–12 and enrolls 8,571 students in 17 schools (2024–25).
Where do White Bear Lake kids go to high school?
White Bear Lake Area High School, with 2,572 students.
What is White Bear Lake’s graduation rate?
89% of the class of 2023 in White Bear Lake School District graduated in four years, against 83% across Minnesota.
How much does White Bear Lake spend per student?
$16,146 in White Bear Lake School District (FY2024), against $17,091 across Minnesota. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.
Are there private schools in White Bear Lake?
Yes: Frassati Catholic Academy Est. 2014 (Catholic, grades 7, 220 students) and Magnuson Christian School (religious, grades K–8, 142 students). White Bear Lake also has 2 charter schools, free and open by application.
Parents talk
What White Bear Lake families are saying about school.
Looking for colleges? Colleges near White Bear Lake → They have their own page.
School data: state test results (2021–22, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within Minnesota. Stars are from neighbors.