Quantcast

NW Minnesota News

Tuesday, September 9, 2025

Polk County Districts: Which ethnicity was most represented in 2023-24 school year?

Webp willie jett

Willie Jett Commissioner of Education Minnesota Department of Education | sahanjournal.com

Willie Jett Commissioner of Education Minnesota Department of Education | sahanjournal.com

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

Of the 5,077 students attending Polk County district schools, 75.3% were white. Hispanic students made up the second largest ethnic group among Polk County districts' students (11.1%).

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Polk County districts, representing 75.4% of the student body.

Crookston Public School District had the most diverse student body in the county, including white, Hispanic, American Indian, Black, multiracial, Asian and Hawaiian Pacific Islander.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in school districts in the county increased 1.5% compared to the previous year.

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

Enrollment in Polk County: Breakdown of Ethnic Representation in 2023-24 School Year

White (75.3%)Hispanic (11.1%)American Indian (7.2%)<5% Ethnicities (6.4%)

Most Prevalent Ethnicities in Polk County Districts in 2023-24 School Year

DistrictMost Prevalent EthnicityPercent of Total Student BodyTotal Enrollment
East Grand Forks Public SchoolsWhite74.4%1,942
Crookston Public School DistrictWhite61.3%1,162
Fosston Public School DistrictWhite80.6%618
Fertile-Beltrami School DistrictWhite92.9%492
Win-E-Mac School DistrictWhite91.7%444
Fisher Public School DistrictWhite75.5%233
Climax-Shelly Public SchoolsWhite69.4%186

!RECEIVE ALERTS

The next time we write about any of these orgs, we’ll email you a link to the story. You may edit your settings or unsubscribe at any time.
Sign-up

DONATE

Help support the Metric Media Foundation's mission to restore community based news.
Donate

MORE NEWS