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

No. Use the Stearns 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 Stearns 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 Stearns County?

Start with the 66 listed public schools and 15 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Stearns County Schools & Education

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

Stearns County, Minnesota

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

School Score

38/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

79.6%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

79.6%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 86.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,181

National avg $13,239

State avg $8,463

School Score

38/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 55/100

State Score Position

#77

of 87 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Stearns County

Measured School Summary

Stearns County faces educational challenges with a school score of 38/100 and a graduation rate of 79.6%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

Stearns County spends $8,181 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 30% below the Minnesota average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 7.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 3% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Stearns 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

66 public schools and 15 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

38/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #77 of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data.

Completion

79.6%

7.0 pts below the state average

Funding context

$8,181

$282 below the state average

School coverage

15 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

Stearns County has 66 public schools across 15 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 Stearns 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.

Large multi-district county

Stearns County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.

State position

#77

of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data. The county score is 17 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.

ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

7,929 students

Elementary 5Middle 2High 7Other 6

20 listed schools in this county slice.

SARTELL-ST. STEPHEN SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

4,098 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 1Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

ROCORI PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

2,387 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 3Other 0

7 listed schools in this county slice.

ALBANY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

1,788 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT is the largest listed district slice, with 25 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 Stearns County?

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

Stearns County Reports Composite School Score Below State Average

Education data brief for Stearns County, Minnesota.

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

Lead metric:School score

Stearns County’s composite school score of 38.4 sits below the Minnesota state average of 54.9 and the national median of 50.0. The county manages 66 public schools across 15 districts, with the St. Cloud Public School District serving as the largest provider with 9,286 students. Technical Senior High is the largest individual facility, enrolling 1,515 students. The local education landscape includes five charter schools and 12 alternative schools, with a diverse locale mix featuring 28 rural schools and 14 city schools. Per-pupil expenditure is $8,181, compared to the $13,000 national average. The graduation rate is 79.6%, which is lower than the state rate of 86.6% and the national mark of 87.0%. Review the NCES Common Core of Data for individual school statistics.

Sources

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

School Overview

Total Schools

in Stearns County

Reported Enrollment

24,053

66 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

8% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary25

Middle9

High21

Other11

15 School Districts in Stearns County

ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

SARTELL-ST. STEPHEN SCHOOL DISTRICT

ROCORI PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

7 schools

2,387 students

ALBANY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

4 schools

1,788 students

MELROSE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

3 schools

1,277 students

SAUK CENTRE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

3 schools

1,139 students

HOLDINGFORD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

2 schools

1,082 students

EDEN VALLEY-WATKINS SCHOOL DISTRICT

4 schools

918 students

PAYNESVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

3 schools

894 students

KIMBALL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

2 schools

784 students

66 Public Schools in Stearns County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 5 high-enrollment schools; 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 66 matching schools

Public schools in Stearns County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
TECHNICAL SENIOR HIGH	Profile	ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	SAINT CLOUD, 56301Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,515
SARTELL SENIOR HIGH	Profile	SARTELL-ST. STEPHEN SCHOOL DISTRICT	SARTELL, 56377Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,349
APOLLO SENIOR HIGH	Profile	ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	SAINT CLOUD, 56303City: Small	9–12	High	1,225
SARTELL MIDDLE	Profile	SARTELL-ST. STEPHEN SCHOOL DISTRICT	SARTELL, 56377Suburb: Midsize	6–8	Middle	978
Riverview Intermediate School	Profile	SARTELL-ST. STEPHEN SCHOOL DISTRICT	SARTELL, 56377Suburb: Midsize	3–5	Primary	938
ROCORI SENIOR HIGH	Record	ROCORI PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	COLD SPRING, 56320Town: Fringe	9–12	High	876
SOUTH JUNIOR HIGH	Record	ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	SAINT CLOUD, 56301City: Small	6–8	Middle	867
OAK HILL COMMUNITY ELEMENTARY	Record	ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	SAINT CLOUD, 56301City: Small	PK–5	Primary	814
NORTH JUNIOR HIGH	Record	ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	SAINT CLOUD, 56303City: Small	6–8	Middle	708
MADISON ELEMENTARY	Record	ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	SAINT CLOUD, 56303City: Small	PK–5	Primary	649
KENNEDY COMMUNITY SCHOOL	Record	ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	SAINT JOSEPH, 56374Rural: Fringe	PK–8	Primary	626
COLD SPRING ELEMENTARY	Record	ROCORI PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	COLD SPRING, 56320Town: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	618
SAUK CENTRE SECONDARY	Record	SAUK CENTRE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	SAUK CENTRE, 56378Town: Distant	7–12	High	608
HOLDINGFORD ELEMENTARY	Record	HOLDINGFORD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	HOLDINGFORD, 56340Rural: Distant	PK–6	Primary	594
Pine Meadow Primary School	Record	SARTELL-ST. STEPHEN SCHOOL DISTRICT	SARTELL, 56377Suburb: Midsize	1–2	Primary	562
ROCORI MIDDLE	Record	ROCORI PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	COLD SPRING, 56320Town: Fringe	6–8	Middle	560
Stride Academy K-8 Charter School	Record	STRIDE Academy	SAINT CLOUD, 56301Rural: Fringe	KG–8	Charter	544
Albany Area High School	Record	ALBANY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	ALBANY, 56307Town: Distant	9–12	High	536
ALBANY ELEMENTARY	Record	ALBANY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	ALBANY, 56307Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	498
PAYNESVILLE AREA HIGH SCHOOL	Record	PAYNESVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	PAYNESVILLE, 56362Rural: Distant	6–12	High	489

TECHNICAL SENIOR HIGH

ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

SAINT CLOUD, 56301 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,515 students

SARTELL SENIOR HIGH

SARTELL-ST. STEPHEN SCHOOL DISTRICT

SARTELL, 56377 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,349 students

APOLLO SENIOR HIGH

ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

SAINT CLOUD, 56303 / City: Small

Profile9–12High1,225 students

SARTELL MIDDLE

SARTELL-ST. STEPHEN SCHOOL DISTRICT

SARTELL, 56377 / Suburb: Midsize

Profile6–8Middle978 students

Riverview Intermediate School

SARTELL-ST. STEPHEN SCHOOL DISTRICT

SARTELL, 56377 / Suburb: Midsize

Profile3–5Primary938 students

ROCORI SENIOR HIGH

ROCORI PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

COLD SPRING, 56320 / Town: Fringe

Record9–12High876 students

SOUTH JUNIOR HIGH

ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

SAINT CLOUD, 56301 / City: Small

Record6–8Middle867 students

OAK HILL COMMUNITY ELEMENTARY

ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

SAINT CLOUD, 56301 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary814 students

NORTH JUNIOR HIGH

ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

SAINT CLOUD, 56303 / City: Small

Record6–8Middle708 students

MADISON ELEMENTARY

ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

SAINT CLOUD, 56303 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary649 students

KENNEDY COMMUNITY SCHOOL

ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

SAINT JOSEPH, 56374 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–8Primary626 students

COLD SPRING ELEMENTARY

ROCORI PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

COLD SPRING, 56320 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary618 students

SAUK CENTRE SECONDARY

SAUK CENTRE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

SAUK CENTRE, 56378 / Town: Distant

Record7–12High608 students

HOLDINGFORD ELEMENTARY

HOLDINGFORD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

HOLDINGFORD, 56340 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary594 students

Pine Meadow Primary School

SARTELL-ST. STEPHEN SCHOOL DISTRICT

SARTELL, 56377 / Suburb: Midsize

Record1–2Primary562 students

ROCORI MIDDLE

ROCORI PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

COLD SPRING, 56320 / Town: Fringe

Record6–8Middle560 students

Stride Academy K-8 Charter School

STRIDE Academy

SAINT CLOUD, 56301 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–8Charter544 students

Albany Area High School

ALBANY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

ALBANY, 56307 / Town: Distant

Record9–12High536 students

ALBANY ELEMENTARY

ALBANY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

ALBANY, 56307 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary498 students

PAYNESVILLE AREA HIGH SCHOOL

PAYNESVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

PAYNESVILLE, 56362 / Rural: Distant

Record6–12High489 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,181

State avg $8,463

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Stearns 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 Stearns County?

Stearns County has a school score of 38/100, 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 Stearns County?

The high school graduation rate in Stearns County is 79.6%, 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 Stearns County spend per student?

Stearns County spends $8,181 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

Houston County

Minnesota

-0 pts

38/100

School score

Wadena County

Minnesota

-0 pts

38/100

School score

Pennington County

Minnesota

-1 pts

38/100

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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