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

No. Use the Winona 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 Winona 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 Winona County?

Start with the 19 listed public schools and 8 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Winona County Schools & Education

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

Winona County, Minnesota

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

School Score

42/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

81.9%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

81.9%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 86.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,458

National avg $13,239

State avg $8,463

School Score

42/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 55/100

State Score Position

#74

of 87 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Winona County

Measured School Summary

Winona County has midrange measured school signals (score: 42/100) with a graduation rate of 81.9%, which warrants review in official state and district records.

Funding Context

Winona County spends $8,458 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 23% below the Minnesota average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 4.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 0% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Winona 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

19 public schools and 8 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

42/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #74 of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data.

Completion

81.9%

4.7 pts below the state average

Funding context

$8,458

roughly matches the state average

School coverage

8 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

Winona County has 19 public schools across 8 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 Winona 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

Winona 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

#74

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

WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

2,455 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 2Other 1

7 listed schools in this county slice.

ST. CHARLES PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary and high visible

994 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

Lewiston-Altura Public School Dist

Elementary to high school visible

622 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

BLUFFVIEW MONTESSORI

Elementary school only in this slice

212 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT is the largest listed district slice, with 8 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 Winona County?

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

Charter Schools Comprise Over One-Quarter of Winona County Schools

Education data brief for Winona County, Minnesota.

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

Lead metric:District structure

Winona County features a distinctive district structure where 26.3% of its public schools are charters, a significant share compared to many neighboring counties. Of the 19 public schools in the county, five operate as charters. The largest traditional district is the Winona Area Public School District, which enrolls 2,455 students across eight schools. The county's graduation rate is 81.9%, trailing the Minnesota average of 86.6% and the national average of 87.0%. Per-pupil spending is $8,458, nearly identical to the state average of $8,463 but approximately $4,500 below the national average of $13,000. The county's composite school score is 42.3, falling below the national median of 50.0 and the state average of 54.9. Winona Senior High is the largest school, with 881 students. Visit the NCES Common Core of Data for more information on specific charter school authorizations.

Sources

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

School Overview

Total Schools

in Winona County

Reported Enrollment

4,609

19 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

26% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary9

Middle2

High6

Other2

8 School Districts in Winona County

WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

8 schools

2,455 students

ST. CHARLES PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

2 schools

994 students

Lewiston-Altura Public School Dist

3 schools

622 students

BLUFFVIEW MONTESSORI

1 school

212 students

Riverway Learning Community Charter

2 schools

131 students

Hiawatha Valley Education District

4 schools

113 students

RIDGEWAY COMMUNITY SCHOOL

1 school

91 students

Rollingstone Community School

1 school

36 students

19 Public Schools in Winona 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 19 of 19 matching schools

Public schools in Winona County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
WINONA SENIOR HIGH	Record	WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	WINONA, 55987Town: Distant	9–12	High	881
WINONA MIDDLE	Record	WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	WINONA, 55987Town: Distant	5–8	Middle	641
ST. CHARLES ELEMENTARY	Record	ST. CHARLES PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	SAINT CHARLES, 55972Town: Distant	PK–6	Primary	508
ST. CHARLES SECONDARY	Record	ST. CHARLES PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	SAINT CHARLES, 55972Town: Distant	7–12	High	486
LEWISTON-ALTURA SECONDARY	Record	Lewiston-Altura Public School Dist	LEWISTON, 55952Rural: Distant	7–12	High	346
JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY	Record	WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	WINONA, 55987Town: Distant	KG–4	Primary	309
WASHINGTON-KOSCIUSKO ELEMENTARY	Record	WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	WINONA, 55987Town: Distant	PK–4	Primary	286
BLUFFVIEW MONTESSORI	Record	BLUFFVIEW MONTESSORI	WINONA, 55987Town: Distant	KG–8	Charter	212
LEWISTON-ALTURA ELEMENTARY	Record	Lewiston-Altura Public School Dist	LEWISTON, 55952Rural: Distant	PK–4	Primary	200
GOODVIEW ELEMENTARY	Record	WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	WINONA, 55987Town: Distant	KG–4	Primary	196
RIDGEWAY COMMUNITY SCHOOL	Record	RIDGEWAY COMMUNITY SCHOOL	HOUSTON, 55943Rural: Distant	KG–5	Charter	91
Lewiston-Altura Intermediate El	Record	Lewiston-Altura Public School Dist	LEWISTON, 55952Rural: Distant	5–6	Middle	76
WINONA AREA LEARNING CENTER	Record	WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	WINONA, 55987Town: Distant	5–12	Alternative	73
WINONA EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL ED.	Record	WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	WINONA, 55987Town: Distant	PK	Special Education	69
RIVERWAY SECONDARY	Record	Riverway Learning Community Charter	WINONA, 55987Town: Distant	7–12	Charter	66
Riverway Learning Community Charter	Record	Riverway Learning Community Charter	WINONA, 55987Town: Distant	PK–6	Charter	65
HVED ECSE	Record	Hiawatha Valley Education District	WINONA, 55987Town: Distant	PK	Special Education	45
Rollingstone Community School	Record	Rollingstone Community School	ROLLINGSTONE, 55969Rural: Distant	KG–5	Charter	36
RIVER VALLEY ACADEMY ALC	Record	Hiawatha Valley Education District	WINONA, 55987Town: Distant	9–12	Alternative	23

WINONA SENIOR HIGH

WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

WINONA, 55987 / Town: Distant

Record9–12High881 students

WINONA MIDDLE

WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

WINONA, 55987 / Town: Distant

Record5–8Middle641 students

ST. CHARLES ELEMENTARY

ST. CHARLES PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

SAINT CHARLES, 55972 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary508 students

ST. CHARLES SECONDARY

ST. CHARLES PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

SAINT CHARLES, 55972 / Town: Distant

Record7–12High486 students

LEWISTON-ALTURA SECONDARY

Lewiston-Altura Public School Dist

LEWISTON, 55952 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High346 students

JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY

WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

WINONA, 55987 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–4Primary309 students

WASHINGTON-KOSCIUSKO ELEMENTARY

WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

WINONA, 55987 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary286 students

BLUFFVIEW MONTESSORI

WINONA, 55987 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–8Charter212 students

LEWISTON-ALTURA ELEMENTARY

Lewiston-Altura Public School Dist

LEWISTON, 55952 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary200 students

GOODVIEW ELEMENTARY

WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

WINONA, 55987 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–4Primary196 students

RIDGEWAY COMMUNITY SCHOOL

HOUSTON, 55943 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–5Charter91 students

Lewiston-Altura Intermediate El

Lewiston-Altura Public School Dist

LEWISTON, 55952 / Rural: Distant

Record5–6Middle76 students

WINONA AREA LEARNING CENTER

WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

WINONA, 55987 / Town: Distant

Record5–12Alternative73 students

WINONA EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL ED.

WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

WINONA, 55987 / Town: Distant

RecordPKSpecial Education69 students

RIVERWAY SECONDARY

Riverway Learning Community Charter

WINONA, 55987 / Town: Distant

Record7–12Charter66 students

Riverway Learning Community Charter

WINONA, 55987 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–6Charter65 students

HVED ECSE

Hiawatha Valley Education District

WINONA, 55987 / Town: Distant

RecordPKSpecial Education45 students

Rollingstone Community School

ROLLINGSTONE, 55969 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–5Charter36 students

RIVER VALLEY ACADEMY ALC

Hiawatha Valley Education District

WINONA, 55987 / Town: Distant

Record9–12Alternative23 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,458

State avg $8,463

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Winona 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 Winona County?

Winona County has a school score of 42/100, 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 Winona County?

The high school graduation rate in Winona County is 81.9%, 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 Winona County spend per student?

Winona County spends $8,458 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

Sibley County

Minnesota

+1 pts

43/100

School score

Cass County

Minnesota

+1 pts

43/100

School score

Mahnomen County

Minnesota

+1 pts

43/100

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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