WC Minnesota News

There were 12 American Indian students enrolled in Big Stone County public schools in the 2023-24 school year, 71.4% more than the previous year, according to the Minnesota Department of Education.

Data showed that Big Stone County welcomed 825 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, American Indian students comprised 1.5% of the student body to be the fourth most represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the eight schools in the county, Knoll Elementary School recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2023-24 school year, with four.

According to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), Minnesota's fourth graders scored 241 in math, just above the national average of 237. Their reading score of 216 was on par with the U.S. average, but shows a slight decline over recent years. Eighth graders scored 284 in math and 264 in reading, both above the national averages. 

However, despite these results, both grade levels remain below pre-pandemic levels in math and reading.

As of 2024, according to Public School Review, the student-to-teacher ratio in Minnesota's public schools stands at 1:16, slightly worse than the national average of 1:15. This is part of a larger framework within Minnesota's educational system, which is the 10th largest in the United States, accommodating over 869,000 students across 2,709 public schools.

School Name	No. of American Indian Students	% of American Indian Students	Total School Enrollment
6-12th Grade Building	3	2.3%	130
Knoll Elementary School	4	1.5%	267
Pre-K - 5th Grade Building	2	1.3%	149
Ortonville Secondary School	3	1.3%	230
Lismore Colony Senior High School	0	0%	6
Lismore Colony Elementary School	0	0%	22
Big Stone Colony High School	0	0%	4
Big Stone Colony Elementary	0	0%	17