Grant County Schools & Education
Grant County, Minnesota
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
64/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
90.9%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
90.9%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 86.6%
Per-Pupil Spending
$8,528
National avg $13,239
State avg $8,463
School Score
64/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 55/100
State Score Position
#22
of 87 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Grant County
Measured School Summary
Grant County performs at an average level with a school score of 64/100 and a solid graduation rate of 90.9%.
Funding Context
Grant County spends $8,528 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 17% above the Minnesota average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 4.3 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 1% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Grant 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
8 public schools and 3 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
64/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #22 of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data.
Completion
90.9%
4.3 pts above the state average
Funding context
$8,528
$65 above the state average
School coverage
8
3 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
Grant County has 8 public schools across 3 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.
What Grant 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.
Dominant-district county
WEST CENTRAL AREA carries most of the listed public-school system, with 5 of 8 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.
State position
#22
of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data. The county score is 9 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.
WEST CENTRAL AREA
Elementary to high school visible
649 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
ASHBY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
Elementary and high visible
338 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
HERMAN-NORCROSS SCHOOL DISTRICT
Elementary and high visible
102 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
WEST CENTRAL AREA is the largest listed district slice, with 5 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 Grant County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Grant 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 Grant 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.
Intimate Education in Grant County
Grant County manages a focused education landscape consisting of 8 public schools serving 1,089 total students. Three local districts coordinate 3 elementary, 1 middle, and 4 high schools. This compact infrastructure ensures that students remain in a tightly integrated system throughout their academic careers.
West Central Area District Leads
The West Central Area district is the regional leader, managing five schools and educating 779 students. Ashby Public School District serves another 338 students, while the Herman-Norcross district remains very small with 102 students. There are currently no charter schools in the county, maintaining a purely traditional public school focus.
A Purely Rural Learning Experience
Every single school in Grant County is classified as rural, creating a consistent and quiet learning environment for all 1,089 students. The average school size is just 156 students, making it one of the most intimate systems in the state. West Central Area Secondary is the largest campus, yet even it only hosts 250 students.
School Overview
Total Schools
8
in Grant County
Reported Enrollment
1,089
8 schools reporting
School Districts
3
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
3 School Districts in Grant County
WEST CENTRAL AREA
ASHBY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
HERMAN-NORCROSS SCHOOL DISTRICT
8 Public Schools in Grant 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 dataLevel
Showing 8 of 8 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEST CENTRAL AREA SECONDARY | Record | WEST CENTRAL AREA | BARRETT, 56311Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 250 |
| WCA Middle School | Record | WEST CENTRAL AREA | BARRETT, 56311Rural: Remote | 5–8 | Middle | 220 |
| ASHBY ELEMENTARY | Record | ASHBY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT | ASHBY, 56309Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 206 |
| WEST CENTRAL AREA N. EL. | Record | WEST CENTRAL AREA | ELBOW LAKE, 56531Rural: Remote | PK–4 | Primary | 179 |
| ASHBY SECONDARY | Record | ASHBY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT | ASHBY, 56309Rural: Remote | 7–12 | High | 132 |
| HERMAN ELEMENTARY | Record | HERMAN-NORCROSS SCHOOL DISTRICT | HERMAN, 56248Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 59 |
| HERMAN SECONDARY | Record | HERMAN-NORCROSS SCHOOL DISTRICT | HERMAN, 56248Rural: Remote | 7–12 | High | 43 |
| West Central Area ALP | Record | WEST CENTRAL AREA | BARRETT, 56311Rural: Remote | 5–12 | Alternative | 0 |
WEST CENTRAL AREA SECONDARY
WEST CENTRAL AREA
BARRETT, 56311 / Rural: Remote
ASHBY ELEMENTARY
ASHBY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
ASHBY, 56309 / Rural: Remote
WEST CENTRAL AREA N. EL.
WEST CENTRAL AREA
ELBOW LAKE, 56531 / Rural: Remote
HERMAN ELEMENTARY
HERMAN-NORCROSS SCHOOL DISTRICT
HERMAN, 56248 / Rural: Remote
HERMAN SECONDARY
HERMAN-NORCROSS SCHOOL DISTRICT
HERMAN, 56248 / Rural: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$8,528
State avg $8,463
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Grant County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Minnesota counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Minnesota?
How should I read the school score in Grant County?
What is the graduation rate in Grant County?
How much does Grant County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Grant County, Minnesota — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Grant County, Minnesota?
Grant County manages a focused education landscape consisting of 8 public schools serving 1,089 total students. Three local districts coordinate 3 elementary, 1 middle, and 4 high schools. This compact infrastructure ensures that students remain in a tightly integrated system throughout their academic careers.
What are the major school districts in Grant County, Minnesota?
The West Central Area district is the regional leader, managing five schools and educating 779 students. Ashby Public School District serves another 338 students, while the Herman-Norcross district remains very small with 102 students. There are currently no charter schools in the county, maintaining a purely traditional public school focus.
What is the school experience like in Grant County?
Every single school in Grant County is classified as rural, creating a consistent and quiet learning environment for all 1,089 students. The average school size is just 156 students, making it one of the most intimate systems in the state. West Central Area Secondary is the largest campus, yet even it only hosts 250 students.
Counties with Similar School Profile
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.