Houston County Schools & Education
Houston County, Minnesota
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
38/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
70.4%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
70.4%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 86.6%
Per-Pupil Spending
$8,726
National avg $13,239
State avg $8,463
School Score
38/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 55/100
State Score Position
#78
of 87 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Houston County
Measured School Summary
Houston County faces educational challenges with a school score of 38/100 and a graduation rate of 70.4%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
Houston County spends $8,726 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 31% below the Minnesota average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 16.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 3% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Houston 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
18 public schools and 5 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
38/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #78 of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data.
Completion
70.4%
16.2 pts below the state average
Funding context
$8,726
$263 above the state average
School coverage
18
5 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Houston County has 18 public schools across 5 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 Houston 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
Houston 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
#78
of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data. The county score is 17 points below 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.
HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
Elementary to high school visible
2,115 students
6 listed schools in this county slice.
LA CRESCENT-HOKAH SCHOOL DISTRICT
Elementary to high school visible
1,028 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
CALEDONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
Elementary to high school visible
730 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
SPRING GROVE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Elementary and high visible
352 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT is the largest listed district slice, with 6 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 Houston County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Houston 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
Houston County Graduation Rates Trail State and National Benchmarks
Education data brief for Houston County, Minnesota.
Houston County reports a graduation rate of 70.4%, which is significantly lower than the Minnesota state average of 86.6% and the national average of 87.0%. The county's educational landscape is heavily influenced by the Houston Public School District, which operates three large virtual academies: Minnesota Virtual Academy High, Middle, and Elementary. These virtual schools account for a substantial portion of the district's 2,115 students. The county’s composite school score is 38.2, trailing both the state average of 54.9 and the national median of 50.0. Per-pupil expenditure is reported at $8,726, slightly above the state average of $8,463 but below the national average of $13,000. Of the 18 schools in the county, 11 are classified as rural, while charter schools make up 11.1% of the local options. Review the NCES Common Core of Data for specific virtual school enrollment trends.
Sources
- NCES Common Core of Data
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS
School Overview
Total Schools
18
in Houston County
Reported Enrollment
4,330
18 schools reporting
School Districts
5
districts
Charter Schools
2
11% of total
School Level Breakdown
5 School Districts in Houston County
HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
LA CRESCENT-HOKAH SCHOOL DISTRICT
CALEDONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
SPRING GROVE SCHOOL DISTRICT
La Crescent Montessori & STEM Schoo
18 Public Schools in Houston 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 18 of 18 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Virtual Academy High | Record | HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT | HOUSTON, 55943Rural: Distant | 9–12 | Virtual | 814 |
| Minnesota Virtual Academy Elementar | Record | HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT | HOUSTON, 55943Rural: Distant | KG–5 | Virtual | 451 |
| Minnesota Virtual Academy Middle | Record | HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT | HOUSTON, 55943Rural: Distant | 6–8 | Virtual | 403 |
| LA CRESCENT SENIOR HIGH | Record | LA CRESCENT-HOKAH SCHOOL DISTRICT | LA CRESCENT, 55947Suburb: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 381 |
| LA CRESCENT-HOKAH ELEMENTARY | Record | LA CRESCENT-HOKAH SCHOOL DISTRICT | LA CRESCENT, 55947Suburb: Midsize | PK–4 | Primary | 355 |
| CALEDONIA SENIOR HIGH | Record | CALEDONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT | CALEDONIA, 55921Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 295 |
| LA CRESCENT-HOKAH MIDDLE SCHOOL | Record | LA CRESCENT-HOKAH SCHOOL DISTRICT | LA CRESCENT, 55947Suburb: Midsize | 5–8 | Middle | 292 |
| CALEDONIA ELEMENTARY | Record | CALEDONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT | CALEDONIA, 55921Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 288 |
| HOUSTON ELEMENTARY | Record | HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT | HOUSTON, 55943Rural: Distant | PK–6 | Primary | 222 |
| HOUSTON SECONDARY | Record | HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT | HOUSTON, 55943Rural: Distant | 7–12 | High | 211 |
| SPRING GROVE ELEMENTARY | Record | SPRING GROVE SCHOOL DISTRICT | SPRING GROVE, 55974Rural: Distant | PK–6 | Primary | 195 |
| SPRING GROVE SECONDARY | Record | SPRING GROVE SCHOOL DISTRICT | SPRING GROVE, 55974Rural: Distant | 7–12 | High | 157 |
| CALEDONIA MIDDLE | Record | CALEDONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT | CALEDONIA, 55921Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 147 |
| La Crescent Montessori & STEM Acad | Record | La Crescent Montessori & STEM Schoo | LA CRESCENT, 55947Suburb: Midsize | KG–6 | Charter | 48 |
| La Crescent Sec Montessori/STEM | Record | La Crescent Montessori & STEM Schoo | LA CRESCENT, 55947Suburb: Midsize | 7–12 | Charter | 43 |
| HVED Spectrum Program | Record | Hiawatha Valley Education District | HOKAH, 55941Rural: Fringe | PK–12 | Special Education | 14 |
| SUMMIT LEARNING PROGRAM | Record | HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT | HOUSTON, 55943Rural: Distant | 9–12 | Alternative | 14 |
| LaCrescent Gr 9-12 | Record | WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT | WINONA, 55987Suburb: Midsize | 9–12 | Alternative | 0 |
Minnesota Virtual Academy High
HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
HOUSTON, 55943 / Rural: Distant
Minnesota Virtual Academy Elementar
HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
HOUSTON, 55943 / Rural: Distant
Minnesota Virtual Academy Middle
HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
HOUSTON, 55943 / Rural: Distant
LA CRESCENT SENIOR HIGH
LA CRESCENT-HOKAH SCHOOL DISTRICT
LA CRESCENT, 55947 / Suburb: Midsize
LA CRESCENT-HOKAH ELEMENTARY
LA CRESCENT-HOKAH SCHOOL DISTRICT
LA CRESCENT, 55947 / Suburb: Midsize
CALEDONIA SENIOR HIGH
CALEDONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
CALEDONIA, 55921 / Rural: Fringe
LA CRESCENT-HOKAH MIDDLE SCHOOL
LA CRESCENT-HOKAH SCHOOL DISTRICT
LA CRESCENT, 55947 / Suburb: Midsize
CALEDONIA ELEMENTARY
CALEDONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
CALEDONIA, 55921 / Town: Distant
HOUSTON ELEMENTARY
HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
HOUSTON, 55943 / Rural: Distant
HOUSTON SECONDARY
HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
HOUSTON, 55943 / Rural: Distant
SPRING GROVE ELEMENTARY
SPRING GROVE SCHOOL DISTRICT
SPRING GROVE, 55974 / Rural: Distant
SPRING GROVE SECONDARY
SPRING GROVE SCHOOL DISTRICT
SPRING GROVE, 55974 / Rural: Distant
CALEDONIA MIDDLE
CALEDONIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
CALEDONIA, 55921 / Rural: Fringe
La Crescent Montessori & STEM Acad
La Crescent Montessori & STEM Schoo
LA CRESCENT, 55947 / Suburb: Midsize
La Crescent Sec Montessori/STEM
La Crescent Montessori & STEM Schoo
LA CRESCENT, 55947 / Suburb: Midsize
HVED Spectrum Program
Hiawatha Valley Education District
HOKAH, 55941 / Rural: Fringe
SUMMIT LEARNING PROGRAM
HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
HOUSTON, 55943 / Rural: Distant
LaCrescent Gr 9-12
WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
WINONA, 55987 / Suburb: Midsize
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$8,726
State avg $8,463
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Houston County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
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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 Houston County?
What is the graduation rate in Houston County?
How much does Houston County spend per student?
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.