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

No. Use the Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail County?

Start with the 33 listed public schools and 9 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Otter Tail County Schools & Education

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

Otter Tail County, Minnesota

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

School Score

34/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

81.5%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

81.5%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 86.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,627

National avg $13,239

State avg $8,463

School Score

34/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 55/100

State Score Position

#87

of 87 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Otter Tail County

Measured School Summary

Otter Tail County faces educational challenges with a school score of 34/100 and a graduation rate of 81.5%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $7,627 per pupil, Otter Tail County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 38% below the Minnesota average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 5.1 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 10% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Otter Tail 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

33 public schools and 9 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

34/100

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

Completion

81.5%

5.1 pts below the state average

Funding context

$7,627

$836 below the state average

School coverage

9 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

Otter Tail County has 33 public schools across 9 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 Otter Tail 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

Otter Tail 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

#87

of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data. The county score is 21 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.

FERGUS FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

2,938 students

Elementary 4Middle 2High 3Other 1

10 listed schools in this county slice.

PERHAM-DENT PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

1,632 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 2Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

Pelican Rapids Public Schools

Elementary to high school visible

865 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 2Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

NEW YORK MILLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.

Elementary and high visible

783 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

FERGUS FALLS 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 Otter Tail County?

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

Otter Tail County School Score Trails State Average

Education data brief for Otter Tail County, Minnesota.

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

Lead metric:School score

Otter Tail County reports a composite school score of 33.9, which is significantly lower than the Minnesota state average of 54.9 and the national median of 50.0. The graduation rate for the county is 81.5%, trailing the national average of 87.0% and the state average of 86.6%. Educational services are provided to 8,224 students across 33 schools. The Fergus Falls Public School District is the largest, operating 10 schools and enrolling 2,938 students. Kennedy Middle School in Fergus Falls is the largest individual school, with 769 students. Spending per pupil is $7,627, nearly $1,000 less than the state average of $8,463 and significantly below the national average of $13,000. The county’s schools are divided almost evenly between town (17) and rural (16) locales, with no charter schools present. Consult the NCES Common Core of Data for school-specific performance records.

Sources

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

School Overview

Total Schools

in Otter Tail County

Reported Enrollment

8,224

33 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary12

Middle5

High13

Other3

9 School Districts in Otter Tail County

FERGUS FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

10 schools

2,938 students

PERHAM-DENT PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

4 schools

1,632 students

Pelican Rapids Public Schools

4 schools

865 students

NEW YORK MILLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.

2 schools

783 students

UNDERWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

3 schools

568 students

PARKERS PRAIRIE PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.

2 schools

541 students

BATTLE LAKE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

2 schools

413 students

HENNING PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

2 schools

382 students

FERGUS FALLS AREA SP. ED. COOP.

3 schools

82 students

33 Public Schools in Otter Tail 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

Sort

Showing 20 of 33 matching schools

Public schools in Otter Tail County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Kennedy Middle School	Record	FERGUS FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	FERGUS FALLS, 56537Town: Remote	5–8	Middle	769
Kennedy High School	Record	FERGUS FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	FERGUS FALLS, 56537Town: Remote	9–12	High	685
HEART OF THE LAKE ELEMENTARY	Record	PERHAM-DENT PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	PERHAM, 56573Town: Remote	PK–4	Primary	575
PRAIRIE WIND MIDDLE	Record	PERHAM-DENT PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	PERHAM, 56573Town: Remote	5–8	Middle	515
PERHAM SENIOR HIGH	Record	PERHAM-DENT PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	PERHAM, 56573Town: Remote	9–12	High	505
VIKING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	Pelican Rapids Public Schools	PELICAN RAPIDS, 56572Rural: Remote	PK–6	Primary	460
NEW YORK MILLS ELEMENTARY	Record	NEW YORK MILLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.	NEW YORK MILLS, 56567Rural: Distant	PK–6	Primary	443
PELICAN RAPIDS SECONDARY	Record	Pelican Rapids Public Schools	PELICAN RAPIDS, 56572Rural: Remote	7–12	High	405
CLEVELAND ELEMENTARY	Record	FERGUS FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	FERGUS FALLS, 56537Town: Remote	2–4	Primary	369
NEW YORK MILLS SECONDARY	Record	NEW YORK MILLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.	NEW YORK MILLS, 56567Rural: Distant	7–12	High	340
UNDERWOOD ELEMENTARY	Record	UNDERWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	UNDERWOOD, 56586Rural: Distant	PK–6	Primary	289
PARKERS PRAIRIE SECONDARY	Record	PARKERS PRAIRIE PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.	PARKERS PRAIRIE, 56361Rural: Remote	7–12	High	285
ADAMS ELEMENTARY	Record	FERGUS FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	FERGUS FALLS, 56537Town: Remote	1–2	Primary	281
UNDERWOOD SECONDARY	Record	UNDERWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	UNDERWOOD, 56586Rural: Distant	5–12	High	279
PARKERS PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY	Record	PARKERS PRAIRIE PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.	PARKERS PRAIRIE, 56361Rural: Remote	PK–6	Primary	256
iQ Academy 9-12	Record	FERGUS FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	FERGUS FALLS, 56537Town: Remote	9–12	Virtual	242
MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY	Record	FERGUS FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	FERGUS FALLS, 56537Town: Remote	PK–1	Primary	242
BATTLE LAKE ELEMENTARY	Record	BATTLE LAKE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	BATTLE LAKE, 56515Rural: Remote	KG–6	Primary	224
HENNING ELEMENTARY	Record	HENNING PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	HENNING, 56551Rural: Remote	PK–6	Primary	224
BATTLE LAKE SECONDARY	Record	BATTLE LAKE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	BATTLE LAKE, 56515Rural: Remote	7–12	High	189

Kennedy Middle School

FERGUS FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

FERGUS FALLS, 56537 / Town: Remote

Record5–8Middle769 students

Kennedy High School

FERGUS FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

FERGUS FALLS, 56537 / Town: Remote

Record9–12High685 students

HEART OF THE LAKE ELEMENTARY

PERHAM-DENT PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

PERHAM, 56573 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–4Primary575 students

PRAIRIE WIND MIDDLE

PERHAM-DENT PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

PERHAM, 56573 / Town: Remote

Record5–8Middle515 students

PERHAM SENIOR HIGH

PERHAM-DENT PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

PERHAM, 56573 / Town: Remote

Record9–12High505 students

VIKING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Pelican Rapids Public Schools

PELICAN RAPIDS, 56572 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary460 students

NEW YORK MILLS ELEMENTARY

NEW YORK MILLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.

NEW YORK MILLS, 56567 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary443 students

PELICAN RAPIDS SECONDARY

Pelican Rapids Public Schools

PELICAN RAPIDS, 56572 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High405 students

CLEVELAND ELEMENTARY

FERGUS FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

FERGUS FALLS, 56537 / Town: Remote

Record2–4Primary369 students

NEW YORK MILLS SECONDARY

NEW YORK MILLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.

NEW YORK MILLS, 56567 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High340 students

UNDERWOOD ELEMENTARY

UNDERWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

UNDERWOOD, 56586 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary289 students

PARKERS PRAIRIE SECONDARY

PARKERS PRAIRIE PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.

PARKERS PRAIRIE, 56361 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High285 students

ADAMS ELEMENTARY

FERGUS FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

FERGUS FALLS, 56537 / Town: Remote

Record1–2Primary281 students

UNDERWOOD SECONDARY

UNDERWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

UNDERWOOD, 56586 / Rural: Distant

Record5–12High279 students

PARKERS PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY

PARKERS PRAIRIE PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.

PARKERS PRAIRIE, 56361 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary256 students

iQ Academy 9-12

FERGUS FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

FERGUS FALLS, 56537 / Town: Remote

Record9–12Virtual242 students

MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY

FERGUS FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

FERGUS FALLS, 56537 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–1Primary242 students

BATTLE LAKE ELEMENTARY

BATTLE LAKE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

BATTLE LAKE, 56515 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–6Primary224 students

HENNING ELEMENTARY

HENNING PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

HENNING, 56551 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary224 students

BATTLE LAKE SECONDARY

BATTLE LAKE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

BATTLE LAKE, 56515 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High189 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,627

State avg $8,463

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail County?

Otter Tail County has a school score of 34/100, 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 Otter Tail County?

The high school graduation rate in Otter Tail County is 81.5%, 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 Otter Tail County spend per student?

Otter Tail County spends $7,627 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

Watonwan County

Minnesota

+1 pts

35/100

School score

Hubbard County

Minnesota

+1 pts

35/100

School score

Chisago County

Minnesota

+1 pts

35/100

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.

Explore more data for Otter Tail County

Property Tax Cost of Living Crime Rate Income Health Disaster Risk Water Quality Weather County Score