Can I use Carlton County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Carlton County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Carlton County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Carlton County?

Start with the 23 listed public schools and 8 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Carlton County Schools & Education

Name: Carlton County, Minnesota Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Carlton County, Minnesota

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

School Score

57/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

89.6%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

89.6%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 86.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,205

National avg $13,239

State avg $8,463

School Score

57/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 55/100

State Score Position

#35

of 87 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Carlton County

Measured School Summary

Carlton County performs at an average level with a school score of 57/100 and a solid graduation rate of 89.6%.

Funding Context

Carlton County spends $8,205 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 4% above the Minnesota average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 3.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 3% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Carlton County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

23 public schools and 8 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

57/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #35 of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data.

Completion

89.6%

3.0 pts above the state average

Funding context

$8,205

$258 below the state average

School coverage

8 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Carlton County has 23 public schools across 8 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Carlton County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Mixed school landscape

Carlton County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.

State position

#35

of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data. The county score is 2 points above the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

CLOQUET PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

2,641 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 3Other 1

8 listed schools in this county slice.

ESKO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary and high visible

1,278 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

BARNUM PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary and high visible

696 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

MOOSE LAKE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary and high visible

600 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

CLOQUET PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT is the largest listed district slice, with 8 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Carlton County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Carlton County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Carlton County, Minnesota

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

A Solid Network of Local Schools

Carlton County maintains 23 public schools across 8 districts, serving a total of 6,236 students. The infrastructure is well-balanced with 10 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 10 high schools.

Graduation Rates Outpace National Benchmarks

The county boasts an 89.6% graduation rate, significantly higher than the 87% national average and the 86.6% state average. This success comes despite a leaner per-pupil expenditure of $8,205 compared to the state average of $8,463.

Cloquet Leads the County Districts

The Cloquet Public School District is the largest provider, enrolling 2,641 students across 8 different schools. There are currently no charter schools operating within the county's public system.

A Mix of Town and Rural Learning

Schooling here primarily happens in town settings (15 schools) and rural areas (8 schools). While Cloquet Senior High is the largest campus with 800 students, the average school size remains intimate at 283 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Carlton County

Reported Enrollment

6,236

23 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary10

Middle1

High10

Other2

8 School Districts in Carlton County

CLOQUET PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

8 schools

2,641 students

ESKO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

2 schools

1,278 students

BARNUM PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

2 schools

696 students

MOOSE LAKE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

2 schools

600 students

WRENSHALL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

2 schools

351 students

CARLTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

2 schools

342 students

CROMWELL-WRIGHT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2 schools

305 students

Northern Lights Academy Cooperative

2 schools

21 students

23 Public Schools in Carlton County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 23 matching schools

Public schools in Carlton County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
CLOQUET SENIOR	Record	CLOQUET PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	CLOQUET, 55720Town: Fringe	9–12	High	800
CLOQUET MIDDLE	Record	CLOQUET PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	CLOQUET, 55720Town: Fringe	5–8	Middle	780
WINTERQUIST ELEMENTARY	Record	ESKO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	ESKO, 55733Town: Fringe	PK–6	Primary	670
LINCOLN SECONDARY	Record	ESKO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	ESKO, 55733Town: Fringe	7–12	High	608
WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY	Record	CLOQUET PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	CLOQUET, 55720Town: Fringe	PK–4	Primary	500
CHURCHILL ELEMENTARY	Record	CLOQUET PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	CLOQUET, 55720Town: Fringe	PK–4	Primary	376
BARNUM SECONDARY	Record	BARNUM PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	BARNUM, 55707Rural: Distant	7–12	High	363
BARNUM ELEMENTARY	Record	BARNUM PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	BARNUM, 55707Rural: Distant	PK–6	Primary	333
MOOSE LAKE ELEMENTARY	Record	MOOSE LAKE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	MOOSE LAKE, 55767Town: Distant	PK–6	Primary	309
MOOSE LAKE SECONDARY	Record	MOOSE LAKE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	MOOSE LAKE, 55767Town: Distant	7–12	High	291
WRENSHALL SECONDARY	Record	WRENSHALL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	WRENSHALL, 55797Rural: Distant	7–12	High	176
CARLTON SECONDARY	Record	CARLTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	CARLTON, 55718Rural: Fringe	6–12	High	175
WRENSHALL ELEMENTARY	Record	WRENSHALL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	WRENSHALL, 55797Rural: Distant	PK–6	Primary	175
SOUTH TERRACE ELEMENTARY	Record	CARLTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	CARLTON, 55718Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	167
CROMWELL-WRIGHT SECONDARY	Record	CROMWELL-WRIGHT PUBLIC SCHOOLS	CROMWELL, 55726Rural: Remote	7–12	High	156
CROMWELL-WRIGHT ELEMENTARY	Record	CROMWELL-WRIGHT PUBLIC SCHOOLS	CROMWELL, 55726Rural: Remote	PK–6	Primary	149
CLOQUET EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION	Record	CLOQUET PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	CLOQUET, 55720Town: Fringe	PK	Special Education	95
CLOQUET AREA ALT. ED. PROGRAMS	Record	CLOQUET PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	CLOQUET, 55720Town: Fringe	6–12	Alternative	87
Northern Lights Academy	Record	Northern Lights Academy Cooperative	CLOQUET, 55720Town: Fringe	KG–12	Special Education	16
Northern Lights Academy Cooperative	Record	Northern Lights Academy Cooperative	CLOQUET, 55720Town: Fringe	KG–3	Special Education	5

CLOQUET SENIOR

CLOQUET PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

CLOQUET, 55720 / Town: Fringe

Record9–12High800 students

CLOQUET MIDDLE

CLOQUET PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

CLOQUET, 55720 / Town: Fringe

Record5–8Middle780 students

WINTERQUIST ELEMENTARY

ESKO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

ESKO, 55733 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–6Primary670 students

LINCOLN SECONDARY

ESKO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

ESKO, 55733 / Town: Fringe

Record7–12High608 students

WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY

CLOQUET PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

CLOQUET, 55720 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–4Primary500 students

CHURCHILL ELEMENTARY

CLOQUET PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

CLOQUET, 55720 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–4Primary376 students

BARNUM SECONDARY

BARNUM PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

BARNUM, 55707 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High363 students

BARNUM ELEMENTARY

BARNUM PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

BARNUM, 55707 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary333 students

MOOSE LAKE ELEMENTARY

MOOSE LAKE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

MOOSE LAKE, 55767 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary309 students

MOOSE LAKE SECONDARY

MOOSE LAKE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

MOOSE LAKE, 55767 / Town: Distant

Record7–12High291 students

WRENSHALL SECONDARY

WRENSHALL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

WRENSHALL, 55797 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High176 students

CARLTON SECONDARY

CARLTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

CARLTON, 55718 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–12High175 students

WRENSHALL ELEMENTARY

WRENSHALL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

WRENSHALL, 55797 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary175 students

SOUTH TERRACE ELEMENTARY

CARLTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

CARLTON, 55718 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary167 students

CROMWELL-WRIGHT SECONDARY

CROMWELL-WRIGHT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

CROMWELL, 55726 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High156 students

CROMWELL-WRIGHT ELEMENTARY

CROMWELL-WRIGHT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

CROMWELL, 55726 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary149 students

CLOQUET EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

CLOQUET PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

CLOQUET, 55720 / Town: Fringe

RecordPKSpecial Education95 students

CLOQUET AREA ALT. ED. PROGRAMS

CLOQUET PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

CLOQUET, 55720 / Town: Fringe

Record6–12Alternative87 students

Northern Lights Academy

Northern Lights Academy Cooperative

CLOQUET, 55720 / Town: Fringe

RecordKG–12Special Education16 students

Northern Lights Academy Cooperative

CLOQUET, 55720 / Town: Fringe

RecordKG–3Special Education5 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,205

State avg $8,463

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Carlton County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Minnesota counties have the highest graduation rates?

Jackson County (95.7%), Cottonwood County (95.3%), and Cook County (95.0%) currently lead Minnesota among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in Minnesota?

Across Minnesota counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $8,463. The highest current county values are Cook County ($12,089), Kittson County ($10,301), and Beltrami County ($10,167). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Carlton County?

Carlton County has a school score of 57/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in Carlton County?

The high school graduation rate in Carlton County is 89.6%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does Carlton County spend per student?

Carlton County spends $8,205 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Carlton County, Minnesota — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Carlton County, Minnesota?

Carlton County maintains 23 public schools across 8 districts, serving a total of 6,236 students. The infrastructure is well-balanced with 10 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 10 high schools.

How do schools in Carlton County perform academically?

What are the major school districts in Carlton County, Minnesota?

The Cloquet Public School District is the largest provider, enrolling 2,641 students across 8 different schools. There are currently no charter schools operating within the county's public system.

What is the school experience like in Carlton County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Koochiching County

Minnesota

+0 pts

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School score

Douglas County

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+0 pts

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Clay County

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-0 pts

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School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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