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C

Willmar Public School District

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 14 towns

Serves Willmar, Dovre Township, Green Lake Township, Kandiyohi Township, Kandiyohi, Whitefield Township, Pennock, Willmar Township, St. Johns Township, Mamre Township, Roseland Township, Fahlun Township, Lake Lillian Township and Blomkest.

Willmar’s School Grade C better than 34% of Minnesota school districts

Students
4,218
Schools
12
Spent per student
$16,523
MN $17,091
Students per teacher
13:1
Free or reduced lunch
65%
Debt
$36.1M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Willmar Public School District

  • Its letter, C: results better than 34% of Minnesota districts
  • Reading proficiency 15 pts below the state
  • Graduation rate 7 pts below the state
  • 13 students per teacher
  • Debt of $36.1M, about $8,564 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
CWillmar 22,001CDovre Township 2,173C+Green Lake Township 1,622Kandiyohi Township 577Kandiyohi 560Whitefield Township 515Pennock 478Willmar Township 470St. Johns Township 416Mamre Township 395Roseland Township 348Fahlun Township 334Lake Lillian Township 180Blomkest 137

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Willmar. Grade by grade →

PK–53 elementary schoolsThis district
6–8Willmar Middle SchoolThis district
9–12Willmar Senior HighThis district

Test scores vs. MN

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency40%
State average 44.8% · 2,066 students tested
Reading / language arts36%
State average 51.1% · 2,108 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)76%
State average 83.3% · 344 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
$16,523 per student · 3% below MN
Spending
Classroom instruction 62%Support & administration 32%Other 6%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 15%State 75%Federal 11%

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

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

Enrollment over time
4,252’20
4,332’21
4,279’22
4,220’23
4,218’24

About steady since 2020–21.

Students
Hispanic 45%White 34%Black 14%Asian 4%Two or more races 3%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

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

Kennedy Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Willmar
C
672 students12:1
Lakeland Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Willmar
C
623 students13:1
Roosevelt Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Willmar
C
580 students12:1
Jefferson Learning Center
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Willmar
89 students6:1
Jefferson Early Learning Center
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Willmar
26 students
Lakeview School
Other · Grades K–12 · Willmar
11 students
Lake Park School
Other · Grades 4–12 · Willmar
C−
33 students
Prairie Lakes Education Center
Other · Grades 4–12 · Willmar
19 students2:1
Willmar Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Willmar
C+
842 students14:1
Middle School ALC
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Willmar
27 students
Willmar Senior High
High · Grades 9–12 · Willmar
C+
1,205 students16:1
Willmar Area Learning Center
High · Grades 9–12 · Willmar
D−
91 students7:1

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

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

New London-Spicer School DistrictArctander Township, Lake Andrew Township, New London Township
$15,773per student
A.C.G.C. Public School DistrictEast Lake Lillian Township, Gennessee Township, Harrison Township
$15,853per student
Bird Island-Olivia-Lake Lillian Public School DistrictEast Lake Lillian Township, Kingman Township, Lake Lillian
$15,666per student
Kerkhoven-Murdock-SunburgArctander Township, Pillsbury Township, Woods Township
$14,117per 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.