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

No. Use the Renville 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 Renville 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 Renville County?

Start with the 9 listed public schools and 4 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Renville County Schools & Education

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

Renville County, Minnesota

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

School Score

68/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

93.9%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

93.9%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 86.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,622

National avg $13,239

State avg $8,463

School Score

68/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 55/100

State Score Position

#15

of 87 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Renville County

Measured School Summary

Renville County performs at an average level with a school score of 68/100 and a solid graduation rate of 93.9%.

Funding Context

At $7,622 per pupil, Renville County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 23% above the Minnesota average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 7.3 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 10% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Renville 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

9 public schools and 4 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

68/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #15 of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data.

Completion

93.9%

7.3 pts above the state average

Funding context

$7,622

$841 below the state average

School coverage

4 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

Renville County has 9 public schools across 4 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 Renville 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

Renville 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

#15

of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data. The county score is 13 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.

BIRD ISLAND-OLIVIA-LAKE LILLIAN

Elementary to high school visible

623 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 2Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

Renville County West Schools

Elementary and high visible

580 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart

Elementary and high visible

468 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

CEDAR MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary school only in this slice

194 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

BIRD ISLAND-OLIVIA-LAKE LILLIAN is the largest listed district slice, with 4 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 Renville County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Renville County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Data Story

Renville County Spending Remains Significantly Below National and State Averages

Education data brief for Renville County, Minnesota.

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

Lead metric:Per-pupil spending

Public education spending in Renville County stands at $7,622 per pupil, a figure that is $5,378 lower than the national average of $13,000 and $841 lower than the Minnesota state average of $8,463. Despite this funding level, the county reports a graduation rate of 93.9%, which is higher than both the state average of 86.6% and the national mark of 87.0%. The county's school system is entirely rural, consisting of nine schools across four districts. The Bird Island-Olivia-Lake Lillian district is the largest in the county, serving 623 students across four schools. The total county enrollment is 1,865 students, with an average school size of 233. There are no charter schools operating within the county. The composite school score for the area is 67.8, compared to a state average of 54.9 and a national median of 50.0. Review the NCES Common Core of Data for comprehensive school-level records.

Sources

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

School Overview

Total Schools

in Renville County

Reported Enrollment

1,865

9 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary4

Middle1

High4

Other0

4 School Districts in Renville County

BIRD ISLAND-OLIVIA-LAKE LILLIAN

4 schools

623 students

Renville County West Schools

2 schools

580 students

Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart

2 schools

468 students

CEDAR MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT

2 schools

439 students

9 Public Schools in Renville 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 9 of 9 matching schools

Public schools in Renville County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
RENVILLE COUNTY WEST ELEMENTARY	Record	Renville County West Schools	RENVILLE, 56284Rural: Remote	PK–6	Primary	350
BUFFALO LAKE-HECTOR SECONDARY	Record	Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart	HECTOR, 55342Rural: Remote	6–12	High	267
BOLD-BIRD ISLAND ELEMENTARY	Record	BIRD ISLAND-OLIVIA-LAKE LILLIAN	OLIVIA, 56277Rural: Remote	KG–4	Primary	230
RENVILLE COUNTY WEST SENIOR HIGH	Record	Renville County West Schools	RENVILLE, 56284Rural: Remote	7–12	High	230
BOLD Senior High School	Record	BIRD ISLAND-OLIVIA-LAKE LILLIAN	OLIVIA, 56277Rural: Remote	9–12	High	224
BUFFALO LAKE-HECTOR ELEMENTARY	Record	Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart	BUFFALO LAKE, 55314Rural: Remote	PK–5	Primary	201
CEDAR MOUNTAIN ELEMENTARY	Record	CEDAR MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT	FRANKLIN, 55333Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	194
BOLD Middle School	Record	BIRD ISLAND-OLIVIA-LAKE LILLIAN	OLIVIA, 56277Rural: Remote	5–8	Middle	169
BOLD ALP	Record	BIRD ISLAND-OLIVIA-LAKE LILLIAN	OLIVIA, 56277Rural: Remote	7–12	Alternative	0

RENVILLE COUNTY WEST ELEMENTARY

Renville County West Schools

RENVILLE, 56284 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary350 students

BUFFALO LAKE-HECTOR SECONDARY

Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart

HECTOR, 55342 / Rural: Remote

Record6–12High267 students

BOLD-BIRD ISLAND ELEMENTARY

BIRD ISLAND-OLIVIA-LAKE LILLIAN

OLIVIA, 56277 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–4Primary230 students

RENVILLE COUNTY WEST SENIOR HIGH

Renville County West Schools

RENVILLE, 56284 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High230 students

BOLD Senior High School

BIRD ISLAND-OLIVIA-LAKE LILLIAN

OLIVIA, 56277 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High224 students

BUFFALO LAKE-HECTOR ELEMENTARY

Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart

BUFFALO LAKE, 55314 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–5Primary201 students

CEDAR MOUNTAIN ELEMENTARY

CEDAR MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT

FRANKLIN, 55333 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary194 students

BOLD Middle School

BIRD ISLAND-OLIVIA-LAKE LILLIAN

OLIVIA, 56277 / Rural: Remote

Record5–8Middle169 students

BOLD ALP

BIRD ISLAND-OLIVIA-LAKE LILLIAN

OLIVIA, 56277 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12Alternative0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,622

State avg $8,463

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Renville 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 Renville County?

Renville County has a school score of 68/100, 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 Renville County?

The high school graduation rate in Renville County is 93.9%, 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 Renville County spend per student?

Renville County spends $7,622 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

Wabasha County

Minnesota

+0 pts

68/100

School score

Red Lake County

Minnesota

-0 pts

67/100

School score

Redwood County

Minnesota

-1 pts

67/100

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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