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

No. Use the Mille Lacs 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 Mille Lacs 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 Mille Lacs County?

Start with the 23 listed public schools and 5 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Mille Lacs County Schools & Education

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

Mille Lacs County, Minnesota

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

School Score

55/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

88.6%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

88.6%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 86.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,173

National avg $13,239

State avg $8,463

School Score

55/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 55/100

State Score Position

#39

of 87 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Mille Lacs County

Measured School Summary

Mille Lacs County performs at an average level with a school score of 55/100 and a solid graduation rate of 88.6%.

Funding Context

Mille Lacs County spends $8,173 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 1% below the Minnesota average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 3% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Mille Lacs 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

23 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

55/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #39 of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data.

Completion

88.6%

2.0 pts above the state average

Funding context

$8,173

$290 below the state average

School coverage

5 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

Mille Lacs County has 23 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 Mille Lacs 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

Mille Lacs 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

#39

of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data. The county score is roughly in line with 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.

PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

3,342 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 5Other 1

9 listed schools in this county slice.

MILACA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary and high visible

1,684 students

Elementary 2Middle 0High 3Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

ONAMIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary and high visible

564 students

Elementary 2Middle 0High 2Other 1

5 listed schools in this county slice.

ISLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary and high visible

428 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 2Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT is the largest listed district slice, with 9 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 Mille Lacs County?

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

Expansive Education System in Mille Lacs

Mille Lacs County operates 23 public schools, the largest count among its peers, serving 6,104 total students. The diverse network includes 12 high schools, seven elementary schools, six alternative schools, and three special education programs.

Princeton and Milaca Anchor the Region

Princeton Public School District is the largest, managing nine schools and 3,342 students. Milaca Public School District also plays a major role, serving 1,684 students with some of the county's most populated individual campuses.

Lively Town Schools and Quiet Rural Campuses

The county is evenly split between 12 town-based schools and 11 rural schools, averaging 277 students per site. Princeton High School is the largest campus with 979 students, offering a wide range of programs and extracurriculars.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Mille Lacs County

Reported Enrollment

6,104

23 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary7

Middle1

High12

Other3

5 School Districts in Mille Lacs County

PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

MILACA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

5 schools

1,684 students

ONAMIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

5 schools

564 students

ISLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

3 schools

428 students

RUM RIVER SPECIAL EDUCATION COOP

3 schools

86 students

23 Public Schools in Mille Lacs 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 23 matching schools

Public schools in Mille Lacs County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Princeton High School	Profile	PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	PRINCETON, 55371Town: Distant	9–12	High	979
MILACA ELEMENTARY	Record	MILACA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	MILACA, 56353Town: Distant	PK–6	Primary	851
MILACA SECONDARY HIGH	Record	MILACA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	MILACA, 56353Town: Distant	7–12	High	772
Princeton Intermediate School	Record	PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	PRINCETON, 55371Rural: Fringe	3–5	Primary	746
Princeton Middle School	Record	PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	PRINCETON, 55371Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	732
Princeton Primary School	Record	PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	PRINCETON, 55371Rural: Fringe	PK–2	Primary	720
Onamia High School	Record	ONAMIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	ONAMIA, 56359Rural: Remote	7–12	High	235
ISLE ELEMENTARY	Record	ISLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	ISLE, 56342Rural: Remote	PK–6	Primary	219
ISLE SECONDARY	Record	ISLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	ISLE, 56342Rural: Remote	7–12	High	204
Onamia Primary School	Record	ONAMIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	ONAMIA, 56359Rural: Remote	PK–2	Primary	141
Onamia Elementary School	Record	ONAMIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	ONAMIA, 56359Rural: Remote	3–6	Primary	114
Early Childhood Special Education	Record	PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	PRINCETON, 55371Town: Distant	PK	Special Education	89
RUM RIVER NORTH	Record	RUM RIVER SPECIAL EDUCATION COOP	MILACA, 56353Town: Distant	PK–12	Special Education	86
Onamia Academy	Record	ONAMIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	ONAMIA, 56359Rural: Remote	4–12	Alternative	40
Princeton Online MN	Record	PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	PRINCETON, 55371Town: Distant	9–12	Virtual	36
KOKESH AREA LEARNING CENTER	Record	ONAMIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	ONAMIA, 56359Rural: Remote	7–12	Alternative	34
Milaca 7-12 Online	Record	MILACA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	MILACA, 56353Town: Distant	7–12	Virtual	34
MILACA AREA LEARNING CENTER	Record	MILACA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	MILACA, 56353Town: Distant	7–12	Alternative	27
Princeton Area Learning Center	Record	PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	PRINCETON, 55371Town: Distant	9–12	Alternative	21
Credit Recovery	Record	PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	PRINCETON, 55371Town: Distant	9–12	Alternative	14

Princeton High School

PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

PRINCETON, 55371 / Town: Distant

Profile9–12High979 students

MILACA ELEMENTARY

MILACA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

MILACA, 56353 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary851 students

MILACA SECONDARY HIGH

MILACA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

MILACA, 56353 / Town: Distant

Record7–12High772 students

Princeton Intermediate School

PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

PRINCETON, 55371 / Rural: Fringe

Record3–5Primary746 students

Princeton Middle School

PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

PRINCETON, 55371 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle732 students

Princeton Primary School

PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

PRINCETON, 55371 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–2Primary720 students

Onamia High School

ONAMIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

ONAMIA, 56359 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High235 students

ISLE ELEMENTARY

ISLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

ISLE, 56342 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary219 students

ISLE SECONDARY

ISLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

ISLE, 56342 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High204 students

Onamia Primary School

ONAMIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

ONAMIA, 56359 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–2Primary141 students

Onamia Elementary School

ONAMIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

ONAMIA, 56359 / Rural: Remote

Record3–6Primary114 students

Early Childhood Special Education

PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

PRINCETON, 55371 / Town: Distant

RecordPKSpecial Education89 students

RUM RIVER NORTH

RUM RIVER SPECIAL EDUCATION COOP

MILACA, 56353 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–12Special Education86 students

Onamia Academy

ONAMIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

ONAMIA, 56359 / Rural: Remote

Record4–12Alternative40 students

Princeton Online MN

PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

PRINCETON, 55371 / Town: Distant

Record9–12Virtual36 students

KOKESH AREA LEARNING CENTER

ONAMIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

ONAMIA, 56359 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12Alternative34 students

Milaca 7-12 Online

MILACA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

MILACA, 56353 / Town: Distant

Record7–12Virtual34 students

MILACA AREA LEARNING CENTER

MILACA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

MILACA, 56353 / Town: Distant

Record7–12Alternative27 students

Princeton Area Learning Center

PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

PRINCETON, 55371 / Town: Distant

Record9–12Alternative21 students

Credit Recovery

PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

PRINCETON, 55371 / Town: Distant

Record9–12Alternative14 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,173

State avg $8,463

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Mille Lacs 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 Mille Lacs County?

Mille Lacs County has a school score of 55/100, 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 Mille Lacs County?

The high school graduation rate in Mille Lacs County is 88.6%, 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 Mille Lacs County spend per student?

Mille Lacs County spends $8,173 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 Mille Lacs County, Minnesota — FAQ

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

What are the major school districts in Mille Lacs County, Minnesota?

What is the school experience like in Mille Lacs County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Goodhue County

Minnesota

+0 pts

55/100

School score

Dodge County

Minnesota

-1 pts

54/100

School score

Dakota County

Minnesota

-1 pts

53/100

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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