SC Minnesota News

The largest number of students in Freeborn County districts were white in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Minnesota Department of Education.

Of the 4,019 students attending Freeborn County district schools, 62.5% were white. Hispanic students made up the second largest ethnic group among Freeborn County districts' students (21.2%).

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Freeborn County districts, representing 63% of the student body.

Albert Lea Public School District had the most balanced racial distribution among county districts, with 57% white students, 24.2% Hispanic, 11.3% Asian, 3.4% multiracial, 2.9% Black and 1.3% American Indian students.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in school districts in the county dropped 2.5% compared to the previous year.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Freeborn County.

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.

District	Most Prevalent Ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Albert Lea Public School District	White	57%	3,338
Alden-Conger Public School District	White	90.8%	457
Glenville-Emmons School District	White	86.6%	224