Southern Plains Education Cooperative School District

1200 North Park Street
Fairmont, MN 56031-8888
1/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Southern Plains Education Cooperative School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Minnesota for:

Category
Attribute
Student Attention
Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 2 public elementary schools serving 28 students in Southern Plains Education Cooperative School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 2/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in Minnesota.
Public Elementary Schools in Southern Plains Education Cooperative School District have an average math proficiency score of 20% (versus the Minnesota public elementary school average of 47%), and reading proficiency score of 30% (versus the 51% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 14% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Minnesota public elementary school average of 40% (majority Black and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (MN)
# Schools
4 Schools
1,650 Schools
# Students
104 Students
571,582 Students
# Teachers
14 Teachers
40,337 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
7:1
7:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Southern Plains Education Cooperative School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 520 school districts in Minnesota (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 30% has increased from 21-39% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (MN)
#474 out of 525 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(21-22)
≤10%
45%
20-29%
51%
21-39%
41%
30%
84%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.41
0.61
% American Indian
n/a
2%
% Asian
n/a
7%
% Hispanic
17%
11%
% Black
2%
13%
% White
75%
60%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
7%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $64,577 is higher than the state median of $17,866. The school district revenue/student has grown by 15% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $69,452 is higher than the state median of $18,593. The school district spending/student has declined by 23% over four school years.
This School District
This State (MN)
Total Revenue
$7 MM
$15,547 MM
Spending
$7 MM
$16,179 MM
Revenue / Student
$64,577
$17,866
Spending / Student
$69,452
$18,593

Best Southern Plains Education Cooperative School District Public Elementary Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Southern Plains Bridges
Special Education School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: 21-39%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
1200 North Park Street
Fairmont, MN 56031
(507) 238-1472
Gr: K-12 | 23 students Student-teacher ratio: 5:1 Minority enrollment: 18%
Rank: n/an/a
Positive Approach To Learning
Special Education School
1200 North Park Street
Fairmont, MN 56031
(507) 238-1472
Gr: K-12 | 5 students Student-teacher ratio: 5:1

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 4 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 104 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 7:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 25%
  • : 30% (Btm 50% in MN)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : ≤10% (Btm 50%)
  • : 20-29% (Btm 50%)
  • : 21-39% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), MN Dept. of Education

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