schoolsbycounty

Sibley County Schools & Education

School Score

43/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

81.6%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

81.6%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 86.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,579

National avg $13,239

State avg $8,463

School Score

43/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 55/100

State Score Position

#73

of 87 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Sibley County

Measured School Summary

Sibley County has midrange measured school signals (score: 43/100) with a graduation rate of 81.6%, which warrants review in official state and district records.

Funding Context

Sibley County spends $8,579 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 22% below the Minnesota average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 5.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 1% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Sibley 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

11 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

43/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #73 of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data.

Completion

81.6%

5.0 pts below the state average

Funding context

$8,579

$116 above the state average

School coverage

11

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

Sibley County has 11 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.

Parent decision brief

What Sibley 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.

Choice-program county

Sibley County has a visible charter, magnet, or virtual-school layer in NCES records. The practical question is eligibility, lottery timing, and transportation, not just whether a school appears nearby.

State position

#73

of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data. The county score is 12 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.

SIBLEY EAST SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

1,078 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

GFW Public Schools

Elementary to high school visible

600 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

Minnesota New Country School

Elementary and high visible

213 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

EDVISIONS OFF CAMPUS SCHOOL

High school only in this slice

112 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 1Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

GFW Public Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 3 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 Sibley County?

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

A Rural Network with Significant Charter Choice

Sibley County's educational landscape consists of 11 public schools across 5 districts, serving 2,165 students. The system includes 5 elementary, 2 middle, and 4 high schools, all located in rural settings. Notably, 36.4% of the county's schools are charter institutions, providing high levels of choice in a small community.

Sibley East and GFW Lead the County

The Sibley East School District is the largest provider, with 1,078 students enrolled across its 3 schools. GFW Public Schools follows with 600 students, while the Minnesota New Country School serves as a prominent charter option with 213 students. Four charter schools in total offer families alternative educational models outside of traditional districts.

Small, Rural, and Community-Focused

Education in Sibley County is entirely rural, with an average school size of only 197 students. Sibley East-Gaylord Elementary is the largest facility with 469 students, while several smaller schools offer even more intimate settings. Attending school here feels like a true community experience where students and teachers are closely connected.

School Overview

Total Schools

11

in Sibley County

Reported Enrollment

2,165

11 schools reporting

School Districts

5

districts

Charter Schools

4

36% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary5
Middle2
High4
Other0

5 School Districts in Sibley County

SIBLEY EAST SCHOOL DISTRICT

3 schools
1,078 students

GFW Public Schools

3 schools
600 students

Minnesota New Country School

2 schools
213 students

EDVISIONS OFF CAMPUS SCHOOL

1 school
112 students

GREEN ISLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL

1 school
47 students

11 Public Schools in Sibley 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

Level

Showing 11 of 11 matching schools

SIBLEY EAST-GAYLORD ELEMENTARY

SIBLEY EAST SCHOOL DISTRICT

GAYLORD, 55334 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–5Primary469 students

SIBLEY EAST-ARLINGTON SENIOR HIGH

SIBLEY EAST SCHOOL DISTRICT

ARLINGTON, 55307 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High356 students

Sibley East Middle School

SIBLEY EAST SCHOOL DISTRICT

ARLINGTON, 55307 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle253 students

GFW High School

GFW Public Schools

WINTHROP, 55396 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High214 students

GFW Elementary School

GFW Public Schools

GIBBON, 55335 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–4Primary199 students

GFW Middle School

GFW Public Schools

WINTHROP, 55396 / Rural: Remote

Record5–8Middle187 students

MINNESOTA NEW COUNTRY SCHOOL

Minnesota New Country School

HENDERSON, 56044 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12Charter135 students

HILLTOP ELEMENTARY

LE SUEUR-HENDERSON SCHOOL DISTRICT

HENDERSON, 56044 / Rural: Distant

Record4–5Primary115 students

EDVISIONS OFF CAMPUS SCHOOL

EDVISIONS OFF CAMPUS SCHOOL

HENDERSON, 56044 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12CharterVirtual112 students

Minnesota New Country Elementary

Minnesota New Country School

HENDERSON, 56044 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–6Charter78 students

GREEN ISLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL

GREEN ISLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL

GREEN ISLE, 55338 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–6Charter47 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,579

State avg $8,463

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Sibley 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.

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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 Sibley County?
Sibley County has a school score of 43/100, 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 Sibley County?
The high school graduation rate in Sibley County is 81.6%, 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 Sibley County spend per student?
Sibley County spends $8,579 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 Sibley County, Minnesota — FAQ

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

Sibley County's educational landscape consists of 11 public schools across 5 districts, serving 2,165 students. The system includes 5 elementary, 2 middle, and 4 high schools, all located in rural settings. Notably, 36.4% of the county's schools are charter institutions, providing high levels of choice in a small community.

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

The Sibley East School District is the largest provider, with 1,078 students enrolled across its 3 schools. GFW Public Schools follows with 600 students, while the Minnesota New Country School serves as a prominent charter option with 213 students. Four charter schools in total offer families alternative educational models outside of traditional districts.

What is the school experience like in Sibley County?

Education in Sibley County is entirely rural, with an average school size of only 197 students. Sibley East-Gaylord Elementary is the largest facility with 469 students, while several smaller schools offer even more intimate settings. Attending school here feels like a true community experience where students and teachers are closely connected.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed 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.