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

No. Use the Itasca 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 Itasca 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 Itasca County?

Start with the 24 listed public schools and 6 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Itasca County Schools & Education

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

Itasca 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

86.8%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

86.8%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 86.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$9,441

National avg $13,239

State avg $8,463

School Score

57/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 55/100

State Score Position

#37

of 87 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Itasca County

Measured School Summary

Itasca County performs at an average level with a school score of 57/100 and a solid graduation rate of 86.8%.

Funding Context

Itasca County spends $9,441 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 3% above the Minnesota average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 0.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 12% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Itasca 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

24 public schools and 6 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 #37 of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data.

Completion

86.8%

0.2 pts above the state average

Funding context

$9,441

$978 above the state average

School coverage

6 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

Itasca County has 24 public schools across 6 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 Itasca 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

Itasca 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

#37

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.

GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

4,023 students

Elementary 4Middle 2High 3Other 2

11 listed schools in this county slice.

GREENWAY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

1,058 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 1

4 listed schools in this county slice.

DEER RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary and high visible

885 students

Elementary 2Middle 0High 2Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

NASHWAUK-KEEWATIN SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary and high visible

581 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 2Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT is the largest listed district slice, with 11 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 Itasca County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Itasca 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 Itasca 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.

Comprehensive Schooling in the North

Itasca County manages a robust educational system of 24 public schools serving 6,629 students. Six districts coordinate a mix of 8 elementary, 3 middle, and 10 high schools. This infrastructure is designed to serve a large geographic area with diverse educational needs.

Grand Rapids Public Schools Anchor the Area

The Grand Rapids Public School District is the largest by far, with 11 schools and 4,023 students. Greenway and Deer River districts provide significant secondary options, together serving nearly 2,000 additional students. Charter schools are rare here, with only one such facility representing about 4% of the county's total.

Rural Schools with Strong Town Hubs

With 17 rural schools and 7 town-based campuses, the county averages about 301 students per school. Grand Rapids Senior High is the largest facility, hosting 1,129 students in a town setting. Many students attend smaller rural high schools like Deer River Secondary, which provides a more close-knit community feel.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Itasca County

Reported Enrollment

6,629

24 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

4% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary8

Middle3

High10

Other3

6 School Districts in Itasca County

GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

GREENWAY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

4 schools

1,058 students

DEER RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

4 schools

885 students

NASHWAUK-KEEWATIN SCHOOL DISTRICT

3 schools

581 students

NORTHERN LIGHTS COMMUNITY SCHOOL

1 school

82 students

Infinity: Minnesota Digital Academy

1 school

0 students

24 Public Schools in Itasca County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; 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 24 matching schools

Public schools in Itasca County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
GRAND RAPIDS SENIOR HIGH	Profile	GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	GRAND RAPIDS, 55744Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,129
ROBERT J. ELKINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL	Record	GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	GRAND RAPIDS, 55744Town: Remote	6–8	Middle	747
East Rapids Elementary	Record	GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	GRAND RAPIDS, 55744Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	681
West Rapids Elementary	Record	GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	GRAND RAPIDS, 55744Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	604
DEER RIVER SECONDARY	Record	DEER RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	DEER RIVER, 56636Rural: Distant	6–12	High	443
KING ELEMENTARY	Record	DEER RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	DEER RIVER, 56636Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	424
VANDYKE ELEMENTARY	Record	GREENWAY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	COLERAINE, 55722Rural: Fringe	PK–4	Primary	414
Keewatin-Nashwauk Elementary School	Record	NASHWAUK-KEEWATIN SCHOOL DISTRICT	KEEWATIN, 55753Rural: Distant	PK–6	Primary	332
GREENWAY SENIOR HIGH	Record	GREENWAY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	COLERAINE, 55722Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	320
GREENWAY MIDDLE	Record	GREENWAY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	COLERAINE, 55722Rural: Fringe	5–8	Middle	302
COHASSET ELEMENTARY	Record	GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	COHASSET, 55721Town: Remote	KG–5	Primary	280
NASHWAUK SECONDARY	Record	NASHWAUK-KEEWATIN SCHOOL DISTRICT	NASHWAUK, 55769Rural: Distant	7–12	High	249
BIGFORK ELEMENTARY	Record	GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	BIGFORK, 56628Rural: Remote	PK–6	Primary	157
BIGFORK SECONDARY	Record	GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	BIGFORK, 56628Rural: Remote	7–12	High	126
GRAND RAPIDS AREA LEARNING CENTER	Record	GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	GRAND RAPIDS, 55744Town: Remote	8–12	Alternative	119
GRAND RAPIDS EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER	Record	GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	GRAND RAPIDS, 55744Town: Remote	PK	Special Education	87
NORTHERN LIGHTS COMMUNITY SCHOOL	Record	NORTHERN LIGHTS COMMUNITY SCHOOL	WARBA, 55793Rural: Remote	6–12	Charter	82
MIDDLE AREA LEARNING CENTER	Record	GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	GRAND RAPIDS, 55744Town: Remote	5–8	Alternative	53
ITASKIN EDUCATION CENTER	Record	GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	GRAND RAPIDS, 55744Town: Remote	4–12	Alternative	40
MARBLE EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER	Record	GREENWAY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	MARBLE, 55764Rural: Distant	PK	Other	22

GRAND RAPIDS SENIOR HIGH

GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

GRAND RAPIDS, 55744 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,129 students

ROBERT J. ELKINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL

GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

GRAND RAPIDS, 55744 / Town: Remote

Record6–8Middle747 students

East Rapids Elementary

GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

GRAND RAPIDS, 55744 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary681 students

West Rapids Elementary

GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

GRAND RAPIDS, 55744 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary604 students

DEER RIVER SECONDARY

DEER RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

DEER RIVER, 56636 / Rural: Distant

Record6–12High443 students

KING ELEMENTARY

DEER RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

DEER RIVER, 56636 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary424 students

VANDYKE ELEMENTARY

GREENWAY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

COLERAINE, 55722 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–4Primary414 students

Keewatin-Nashwauk Elementary School

NASHWAUK-KEEWATIN SCHOOL DISTRICT

KEEWATIN, 55753 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary332 students

GREENWAY SENIOR HIGH

GREENWAY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

COLERAINE, 55722 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High320 students

GREENWAY MIDDLE

GREENWAY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

COLERAINE, 55722 / Rural: Fringe

Record5–8Middle302 students

COHASSET ELEMENTARY

GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

COHASSET, 55721 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–5Primary280 students

NASHWAUK SECONDARY

NASHWAUK-KEEWATIN SCHOOL DISTRICT

NASHWAUK, 55769 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High249 students

BIGFORK ELEMENTARY

GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

BIGFORK, 56628 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary157 students

BIGFORK SECONDARY

GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

BIGFORK, 56628 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High126 students

GRAND RAPIDS AREA LEARNING CENTER

GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

GRAND RAPIDS, 55744 / Town: Remote

Record8–12Alternative119 students

GRAND RAPIDS EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER

GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

GRAND RAPIDS, 55744 / Town: Remote

RecordPKSpecial Education87 students

NORTHERN LIGHTS COMMUNITY SCHOOL

WARBA, 55793 / Rural: Remote

Record6–12Charter82 students

MIDDLE AREA LEARNING CENTER

GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

GRAND RAPIDS, 55744 / Town: Remote

Record5–8Alternative53 students

ITASKIN EDUCATION CENTER

GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

GRAND RAPIDS, 55744 / Town: Remote

Record4–12Alternative40 students

MARBLE EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER

GREENWAY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

MARBLE, 55764 / Rural: Distant

RecordPKOther22 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$9,441

State avg $8,463

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Itasca 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 Itasca County?

Itasca 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 Itasca County?

The high school graduation rate in Itasca County is 86.8%, which is below 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 Itasca County spend per student?

Itasca County spends $9,441 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 Itasca County, Minnesota — FAQ

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

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

What is the school experience like in Itasca County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Clay County

Minnesota

+0 pts

57/100

School score

Carlton County

Minnesota

+1 pts

57/100

School score

Koochiching County

Minnesota

+1 pts

58/100

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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