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

No. Use the Cook 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 Cook 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 Cook County?

Start with the 7 listed public schools and 4 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Cook County Schools & Education

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

Cook County, Minnesota

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

School Score

91/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Higher Signal

Graduation Rate

95.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

95.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 86.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$12,089

National avg $13,239

State avg $8,463

School Score

91/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 55/100

State Score Position

of 87 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Cook County

Measured School Summary

Cook County has a higher measured school signal with a school score of 91/100 and a graduation rate of 95.0%, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-score inputs.

Funding Context

With $12,089 per pupil, Cook County has adequate funding that generally covers core educational needs and some supplemental services.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 65% above the Minnesota average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 8.4 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 43% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Cook 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

7 public schools and 4 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

91/100

Higher measured signal. Ranks #1 of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data.

Completion

95.0%

8.4 pts above the state average

Funding context

$12,089

$3,626 above the state average

School coverage

4 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county screens well on the combined school metrics available here. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Cook County has 7 public schools across 4 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 Cook 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.

Choice-program county

Cook County has a visible charter, magnet, or virtual-school layer in NCES records. The practical question is eligibility, lottery timing, and transportation, not just whether a school appears nearby.

State position

of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data. The county score is 36 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.

COOK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Elementary to high school visible

459 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 2Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Elementary school only in this slice

136 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

BIRCH GROVE COMMUNITY SCHOOL

Elementary school only in this slice

42 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

OSHKI OGIMAAG CHARTER SCHOOL

Elementary school only in this slice

25 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

COOK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS is the largest listed district slice, with 4 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 Cook County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Cook 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?

Education Overview

About Schools in Cook 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.

Small Schools, Big Results

Cook County provides a unique educational setting with 7 schools across 4 districts for only 662 students. This includes 4 elementary schools and 2 high schools.

Exceptional Graduation Performance

The county boasts an incredible 95% graduation rate, far exceeding state and national averages. Investment is also very high at $12,089 per pupil, nearing the national average of $13,000.

A Hub for Charter Innovation

Cook County Public Schools serves 459 students, but the county is also a charter hub; three charter schools represent nearly 43% of all local schools. This includes the Birch Grove Community and Great Expectations schools.

Intimate Rural Classrooms

All 7 schools are in rural settings, with an average school size of just 110 students. Sawtooth Mountain Elementary is the county's largest school, yet only enrolls 185 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Cook County

Reported Enrollment

662

7 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

43% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary4

Middle1

High2

Other0

4 School Districts in Cook County

COOK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

4 schools

459 students

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

1 school

136 students

BIRCH GROVE COMMUNITY SCHOOL

1 school

42 students

OSHKI OGIMAAG CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school

25 students

7 Public Schools in Cook 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

Sort

Showing 7 of 7 matching schools

Public schools in Cook County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
SAWTOOTH MOUNTAIN ELEMENTARY	Record	COOK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS	GRAND MARAIS, 55604Rural: Remote	PK–5	Primary	185
COOK COUNTY SENIOR HIGH	Record	COOK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS	GRAND MARAIS, 55604Rural: Remote	9–12	High	172
GREAT EXPECTATIONS	Record	GREAT EXPECTATIONS	GRAND MARAIS, 55604Rural: Remote	KG–8	Charter	136
COOK COUNTY MIDDLE	Record	COOK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS	GRAND MARAIS, 55604Rural: Remote	6–8	Middle	102
BIRCH GROVE COMMUNITY SCHOOL	Record	BIRCH GROVE COMMUNITY SCHOOL	TOFTE, 55615Rural: Remote	KG–5	Charter	42
OSHKI OGIMAAG CHARTER SCHOOL	Record	OSHKI OGIMAAG CHARTER SCHOOL	GRAND PORTAGE, 55605Rural: Remote	KG–6	Charter	25
GRAND MARAIS COMMUNITY	Record	COOK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS	GRAND MARAIS, 55604Rural: Remote	6–12	Special Education	0

SAWTOOTH MOUNTAIN ELEMENTARY

COOK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

GRAND MARAIS, 55604 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–5Primary185 students

COOK COUNTY SENIOR HIGH

COOK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

GRAND MARAIS, 55604 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High172 students

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

GRAND MARAIS, 55604 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–8Charter136 students

COOK COUNTY MIDDLE

COOK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

GRAND MARAIS, 55604 / Rural: Remote

Record6–8Middle102 students

BIRCH GROVE COMMUNITY SCHOOL

TOFTE, 55615 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–5Charter42 students

OSHKI OGIMAAG CHARTER SCHOOL

GRAND PORTAGE, 55605 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–6Charter25 students

GRAND MARAIS COMMUNITY

COOK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

GRAND MARAIS, 55604 / Rural: Remote

Record6–12Special Education0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$12,089

State avg $8,463

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Cook 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 Cook County?

Cook County has a school score of 91/100, which is a higher 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 Cook County?

The high school graduation rate in Cook County is 95.0%, 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 Cook County spend per student?

Cook County spends $12,089 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 Cook County, Minnesota — FAQ

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

Cook County provides a unique educational setting with 7 schools across 4 districts for only 662 students. This includes 4 elementary schools and 2 high schools.

How do schools in Cook County perform academically?

The county boasts an incredible 95% graduation rate, far exceeding state and national averages. Investment is also very high at $12,089 per pupil, nearing the national average of $13,000.

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

What is the school experience like in Cook County?

All 7 schools are in rural settings, with an average school size of just 110 students. Sawtooth Mountain Elementary is the county's largest school, yet only enrolls 185 students.

Counties with Similar School Profile

Cottonwood County

Minnesota

-7 pts

84/100

School score

Norman County

Minnesota

-9 pts

82/100

School score

Lac qui Parle County

Minnesota

-9 pts

82/100

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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