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

No. Use the McLeod 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 McLeod 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 McLeod County?

Start with the 22 listed public schools and 5 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

McLeod County Schools & Education

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

McLeod County, Minnesota

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

School Score

37/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

81.8%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

81.8%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 86.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,893

National avg $13,239

State avg $8,463

School Score

37/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 55/100

State Score Position

#82

of 87 counties by score

Education Data Brief: McLeod County

Measured School Summary

McLeod County faces educational challenges with a school score of 37/100 and a graduation rate of 81.8%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $7,893 per pupil, McLeod County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 33% below the Minnesota average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 4.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 7% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read McLeod 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

22 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

37/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #82 of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data.

Completion

81.8%

4.8 pts below the state average

Funding context

$7,893

$570 below the state average

School coverage

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

McLeod County has 22 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.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What McLeod 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.

Review-carefully county

McLeod County has a lower measured county-level school signal. Use the school table to look for specific districts or grade bands that may differ from the county average.

State position

#82

of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data. The county score is 18 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.

HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

2,765 students

Elementary 3Middle 2High 4Other 1

10 listed schools in this county slice.

GLENCOE-SILVER LAKE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

1,446 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

LESTER PRAIRIE PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.

Elementary and high visible

487 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

NEW DISCOVERIES MONTESSORI ACADEMY

Elementary school only in this slice

237 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT is the largest listed district slice, with 10 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 McLeod County?

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

McLeod County Composite School Score Falls Below State Median

Education data brief for McLeod County, Minnesota.

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

Lead metric:School score

McLeod County reports a composite school score of 37.1, which is significantly lower than the Minnesota state average of 54.9 and the national median of 50.0. The graduation rate is 81.8%, trailing both the state average of 86.6% and the national benchmark of 87.0%. Educational spending is also lower, with a per-pupil expenditure of $7,893 compared to the state average of $8,463 and the national average of $13,000. There are 22 public schools serving 5,288 students, with the Hutchinson Public School District managing nearly half of the enrollment with 2,765 students. Hutchinson Senior High is the largest school, enrolling 908 students. The county’s directory is notable for including 6 alternative schools and 2 special education schools. Charter schools account for 9.1% of the local options. Most schools are located in town settings rather than rural areas. Compare district boundaries before drawing conclusions.

Sources

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

School Overview

Total Schools

in McLeod County

Reported Enrollment

5,288

22 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

9% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary8

Middle4

High8

Other2

5 School Districts in McLeod County

HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

10 schools

2,765 students

GLENCOE-SILVER LAKE SCHOOL DISTRICT

4 schools

1,446 students

LESTER PRAIRIE PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.

2 schools

487 students

NEW DISCOVERIES MONTESSORI ACADEMY

1 school

237 students

New Century Academy

1 school

117 students

22 Public Schools in McLeod 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

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Showing 20 of 22 matching schools

Public schools in McLeod County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
HUTCHINSON SENIOR HIGH	Record	HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	HUTCHINSON, 55350Town: Distant	9–12	High	908
HUTCHINSON MIDDLE	Record	HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	HUTCHINSON, 55350Town: Distant	6–8	Middle	565
GLENCOE-SILVER LAKE SENIOR HIGH	Record	GLENCOE-SILVER LAKE SCHOOL DISTRICT	GLENCOE, 55336Town: Distant	9–12	High	496
HUTCHINSON WEST ELEMENTARY	Record	HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	HUTCHINSON, 55350Town: Distant	PK–1	Primary	426
LAKESIDE ELEMENTARY	Record	GLENCOE-SILVER LAKE SCHOOL DISTRICT	GLENCOE, 55336Rural: Distant	3–6	Primary	399
HUTCHINSON PARK ELEMENTARY	Record	HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	HUTCHINSON, 55350Town: Distant	4–5	Primary	381
Hutchinson Tiger Elementary	Record	HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	HUTCHINSON, 55350Town: Distant	2–3	Primary	369
Lincoln Elementary	Record	GLENCOE-SILVER LAKE SCHOOL DISTRICT	GLENCOE, 55336Town: Distant	PK–2	Primary	329
LESTER PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY	Record	LESTER PRAIRIE PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.	LESTER PRAIRIE, 55354Rural: Distant	PK–6	Primary	248
LESTER PRAIRIE SECONDARY	Record	LESTER PRAIRIE PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.	LESTER PRAIRIE, 55354Rural: Distant	7–12	High	239
NEW DISCOVERIES MONTESSORI ACADEMY	Record	NEW DISCOVERIES MONTESSORI ACADEMY	HUTCHINSON, 55350Town: Distant	PK–8	Charter	237
GSL Junior High School	Record	GLENCOE-SILVER LAKE SCHOOL DISTRICT	GLENCOE, 55336Town: Distant	7–8	Middle	222
WINSTED ELEMENTARY	Record	HOWARD LAKE-WAVERLY-WINSTED	WINSTED, 55395Rural: Distant	PK–4	Primary	192
New Century Academy	Record	New Century Academy	HUTCHINSON, 55350Town: Distant	6–12	Charter	117
HUTCHINSON MIDDLE SCHOOL A.L.C.	Record	HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	HUTCHINSON, 55350Town: Distant	6–8	Alternative	66
SWWC Alternative Learning Center -	Record	Region 6 and 8-SW/WC Service Coop	GLENCOE, 55336Rural: Fringe	9–12	Alternative	23
HOWARD LAKE WAVERLY WINSTED ECSE	Record	HOWARD LAKE-WAVERLY-WINSTED	WINSTED, 55395Rural: Distant	PK	Special Education	21
CROW RIVER AREA LEARNING CENTER	Record	HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	HUTCHINSON, 55350Town: Distant	9–12	Alternative	20
HUTCHINSON TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PG	Record	HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	HUTCHINSON, 55350Town: Distant	12	Special Education	20
CORNERSTONE	Record	HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	HUTCHINSON, 55350Town: Distant	KG–12	Alternative	9

HUTCHINSON SENIOR HIGH

HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

HUTCHINSON, 55350 / Town: Distant

Record9–12High908 students

HUTCHINSON MIDDLE

HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

HUTCHINSON, 55350 / Town: Distant

Record6–8Middle565 students

GLENCOE-SILVER LAKE SENIOR HIGH

GLENCOE-SILVER LAKE SCHOOL DISTRICT

GLENCOE, 55336 / Town: Distant

Record9–12High496 students

HUTCHINSON WEST ELEMENTARY

HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

HUTCHINSON, 55350 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–1Primary426 students

LAKESIDE ELEMENTARY

GLENCOE-SILVER LAKE SCHOOL DISTRICT

GLENCOE, 55336 / Rural: Distant

Record3–6Primary399 students

HUTCHINSON PARK ELEMENTARY

HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

HUTCHINSON, 55350 / Town: Distant

Record4–5Primary381 students

Hutchinson Tiger Elementary

HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

HUTCHINSON, 55350 / Town: Distant

Record2–3Primary369 students

Lincoln Elementary

GLENCOE-SILVER LAKE SCHOOL DISTRICT

GLENCOE, 55336 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–2Primary329 students

LESTER PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY

LESTER PRAIRIE PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.

LESTER PRAIRIE, 55354 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary248 students

LESTER PRAIRIE SECONDARY

LESTER PRAIRIE PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.

LESTER PRAIRIE, 55354 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High239 students

NEW DISCOVERIES MONTESSORI ACADEMY

HUTCHINSON, 55350 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–8Charter237 students

GSL Junior High School

GLENCOE-SILVER LAKE SCHOOL DISTRICT

GLENCOE, 55336 / Town: Distant

Record7–8Middle222 students

WINSTED ELEMENTARY

HOWARD LAKE-WAVERLY-WINSTED

WINSTED, 55395 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary192 students

New Century Academy

HUTCHINSON, 55350 / Town: Distant

Record6–12Charter117 students

HUTCHINSON MIDDLE SCHOOL A.L.C.

HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

HUTCHINSON, 55350 / Town: Distant

Record6–8Alternative66 students

SWWC Alternative Learning Center -

Region 6 and 8-SW/WC Service Coop

GLENCOE, 55336 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12Alternative23 students

HOWARD LAKE WAVERLY WINSTED ECSE

HOWARD LAKE-WAVERLY-WINSTED

WINSTED, 55395 / Rural: Distant

RecordPKSpecial Education21 students

CROW RIVER AREA LEARNING CENTER

HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

HUTCHINSON, 55350 / Town: Distant

Record9–12Alternative20 students

HUTCHINSON TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PG

HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

HUTCHINSON, 55350 / Town: Distant

Record12Special Education20 students

CORNERSTONE

HUTCHINSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

HUTCHINSON, 55350 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–12Alternative9 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,893

State avg $8,463

Compare Nearby Counties

Review McLeod County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

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Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

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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 McLeod County?

McLeod County has a school score of 37/100, which is a lower 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 McLeod County?

The high school graduation rate in McLeod County is 81.8%, 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 McLeod County spend per student?

McLeod County spends $7,893 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

Nobles County

Minnesota

+0 pts

37/100

School score

Pennington County

Minnesota

+1 pts

38/100

School score

Isanti County

Minnesota

-1 pts

37/100

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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