Wadena-Deer Creek School District

600 Colfax Ave Sw
Wadena, MN 56482-0151
(District boundaries shown in map)
5/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Wadena-Deer Creek School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Minnesota for:

Category
Attribute
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 20%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 2 public elementary schools serving 609 students in Wadena-Deer Creek School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 4/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in Minnesota.
Public Elementary Schools in Wadena-Deer Creek School District have an average math proficiency score of 37% (versus the Minnesota public elementary school average of 47%), and reading proficiency score of 47% (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 41% (majority Black and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (MN)
# Schools
3 Schools
1,663 Schools
# Students
1,079 Students
575,431 Students
# Teachers
71 Teachers
39,740 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Wadena-Deer Creek School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 515 school districts in Minnesota (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 82% has increased from 80-84% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (MN)
#308 out of 525 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
33%
46%
46%
51%
51%
41%
82%
84%
(2022-23)
18%
27.3%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.25
0.62
% American Indian
2%
2%
% Asian
n/a
7%
% Hispanic
5%
12%
% Black
1%
13%
% White
86%
59%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
7%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $15,272 in this school district is less than the state median of $17,752. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $14,925 is less than the state median of $18,474. The school district spending/student has declined by 18% over four school years.
This School District
This State (MN)
Total Revenue
$17 MM
$15,547 MM
Spending
$16 MM
$16,179 MM
Revenue / Student
$15,272
$17,752
Spending / Student
$14,925
$18,474

Best Wadena-Deer Creek School District Public Elementary Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Wadena-deer Creek 5th And 6th Grade
(Math: 25-29% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
600 Colfax Ave Sw
Wadena, MN 56482
(218) 632-2400
Gr: 5-6 | 159 students Student-teacher ratio: 23:1 Minority enrollment: 15%
Rank: #22.
Wadena-deer Creek Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
215 Colfax Ave Sw
Wadena, MN 56482
(218) 632-2400
Gr: PK-4 | 450 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 14%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 3 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 1,079 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 15:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 14%
  • : 82% (Top 50% in MN)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 33% (Btm 50%)
  • : 46% (Btm 50%)
  • : 51% (Top 20%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), MN Dept. of Education

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