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

No. Use the Carver 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 Carver 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 Carver County?

Start with the 48 listed public schools and 7 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Carver County Schools & Education

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

Carver County, Minnesota

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

School Score

67/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

92.5%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

92.5%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 86.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,900

National avg $13,239

State avg $8,463

School Score

67/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 55/100

State Score Position

#19

of 87 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Carver County

Measured School Summary

Carver County performs at an average level with a school score of 67/100 and a solid graduation rate of 92.5%.

Funding Context

At $7,900 per pupil, Carver County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 21% above the Minnesota average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 5.9 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 7% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Carver 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

48 public schools and 7 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

67/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #19 of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data.

Completion

92.5%

5.9 pts above the state average

Funding context

$7,900

$563 below the state average

School coverage

7 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

Carver County has 48 public schools across 7 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 Carver 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

Carver 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

#19

of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data. The county score is 12 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.

EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL

Elementary to high school visible

9,320 students

Elementary 8Middle 4High 6Other 2

20 listed schools in this county slice.

WACONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

4,045 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 4Other 1

9 listed schools in this county slice.

Watertown-Mayer Public School Dist

Elementary to high school visible

1,506 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 2Other 1

5 listed schools in this county slice.

CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

919 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL is the largest listed district slice, with 20 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 Carver County?

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

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

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

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

Data Story

Carver County School Composite Score Significantly Surpasses State Average

Education data brief for Carver County, Minnesota.

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorPublished Jul 7, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Lead metric:School score

Carver County reports a composite school score of 66.8, which is significantly higher than the Minnesota state average of 54.9 and the national median of 50.0. This metric coincides with a graduation rate of 92.5%, surpassing the national average of 87.0% and the state average of 86.6%. Public education in the county is characterized by a suburb-heavy school mix, with 28 of the 48 schools classified as suburban. The Eastern Carver County Public School District is the largest in the county, managing 20 schools and 9,320 students. Enrollment is concentrated in large facilities such as Chaska High School, which serves 1,584 students. While performance metrics are high, per-pupil expenditure is $7,900, which is below the state average of $8,463 and well under the national average of $13,000. Charter schools represent a small portion of the system, accounting for three of the 48 total public schools. Educational researchers should consult the NCES directory for individual school enrollment trends.

Sources

NCES Common Core of Data
U.S. Census Bureau ACS

School Overview

Total Schools

in Carver County

Reported Enrollment

18,105

48 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

6% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary16

Middle8

High18

Other6

7 School Districts in Carver County

EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL

WACONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Watertown-Mayer Public School Dist

5 schools

1,506 students

CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

3 schools

919 students

COLOGNE ACADEMY

2 schools

689 students

Southwest Metro Intermediate 288

16 schools

484 students

WORLD LEARNER CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school

204 students

48 Public Schools in Carver County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 5 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

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

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 48 matching schools

Public schools in Carver County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
CHASKA HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL	CHASKA, 55318Suburb: Large	8–12	High	1,584
CHANHASSEN HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL	CHANHASSEN, 55317Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,370
Waconia High School	Profile	WACONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	WACONIA, 55387Town: Fringe	9–12	High	1,351
MINNETONKA WEST MIDDLE	Profile	MINNETONKA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	EXCELSIOR, 55331Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	1,274
Waconia Middle School	Profile	WACONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	WACONIA, 55387Town: Fringe	6–8	Middle	937
Carver Elementary School	Record	EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL	CARVER, 55315Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	748
COLOGNE ACADEMY	Record	COLOGNE ACADEMY	COLOGNE, 55322Rural: Distant	KG–8	Charter	658
CLOVER RIDGE ELEMENTARY	Record	EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL	CHASKA, 55318Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	657
VICTORIA ELEMENTARY	Record	EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL	VICTORIA, 55386Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	652
CHASKA MIDDLE SCHOOL WEST	Record	EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL	CHASKA, 55318Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	599
SOUTHVIEW ELEMENTARY	Record	WACONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	WACONIA, 55387Town: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	568
BAYVIEW ELEMENTARY	Record	WACONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	WACONIA, 55387Town: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	562
JONATHAN ELEMENTARY	Record	EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL	CHASKA, 55318Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	556
Laketown Elementary	Record	WACONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	WACONIA, 55387Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	530
WATERTOWN-MAYER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	Watertown-Mayer Public School Dist	WATERTOWN, 55388Rural: Fringe	KG–4	Primary	528
CHASKA MIDDLE SCHOOL EAST	Record	EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL	CHASKA, 55318Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	519
BLUFF CREEK ELEMENTARY	Record	EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL	CHANHASSEN, 55317Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	507
PIONEER RIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL	Record	EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL	CHASKA, 55318Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	496
WATERTOWN MAYER HIGH	Record	Watertown-Mayer Public School Dist	WATERTOWN, 55388Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	488
WATERTOWN-MAYER MIDDLE	Record	Watertown-Mayer Public School Dist	WATERTOWN, 55388Rural: Fringe	5–8	Middle	460

CHASKA HIGH SCHOOL

EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL

CHASKA, 55318 / Suburb: Large

Profile8–12High1,584 students

CHANHASSEN HIGH SCHOOL

EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL

CHANHASSEN, 55317 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,370 students

Waconia High School

WACONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

WACONIA, 55387 / Town: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,351 students

MINNETONKA WEST MIDDLE

MINNETONKA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

EXCELSIOR, 55331 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle1,274 students

Waconia Middle School

WACONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

WACONIA, 55387 / Town: Fringe

Profile6–8Middle937 students

Carver Elementary School

EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL

CARVER, 55315 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary748 students

COLOGNE ACADEMY

COLOGNE, 55322 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–8Charter658 students

CLOVER RIDGE ELEMENTARY

EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL

CHASKA, 55318 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary657 students

VICTORIA ELEMENTARY

EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL

VICTORIA, 55386 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary652 students

CHASKA MIDDLE SCHOOL WEST

EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL

CHASKA, 55318 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle599 students

SOUTHVIEW ELEMENTARY

WACONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

WACONIA, 55387 / Town: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary568 students

BAYVIEW ELEMENTARY

WACONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

WACONIA, 55387 / Town: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary562 students

JONATHAN ELEMENTARY

EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL

CHASKA, 55318 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary556 students

Laketown Elementary

WACONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

WACONIA, 55387 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary530 students

WATERTOWN-MAYER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Watertown-Mayer Public School Dist

WATERTOWN, 55388 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–4Primary528 students

CHASKA MIDDLE SCHOOL EAST

EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL

CHASKA, 55318 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle519 students

BLUFF CREEK ELEMENTARY

EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL

CHANHASSEN, 55317 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary507 students

PIONEER RIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL

EASTERN CARVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL

CHASKA, 55318 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle496 students

WATERTOWN MAYER HIGH

Watertown-Mayer Public School Dist

WATERTOWN, 55388 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High488 students

WATERTOWN-MAYER MIDDLE

Watertown-Mayer Public School Dist

WATERTOWN, 55388 / Rural: Fringe

Record5–8Middle460 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,900

State avg $8,463

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Carver 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 Carver County?

Carver County has a school score of 67/100, 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 Carver County?

The high school graduation rate in Carver County is 92.5%, 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 Carver County spend per student?

Carver County spends $7,900 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.

Counties with Similar School Profile

Sherburne County

Minnesota

0 pts

67/100

School score

Meeker County

Minnesota

+0 pts

67/100

School score

Redwood County

Minnesota

+1 pts

67/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Jul 7, 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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