West Central Area School District

301 County Rd 2
Barrett, MN 56311-9701
(District boundaries shown in map)
9/
10
Top 20%

Top Rankings

West Central Area School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Minnesota for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%)
Student Attention
Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 2 public preschools serving 281 students in West Central Area School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 9/10, which is in the top 20% of public pre schools in Minnesota.
Public Preschools in West Central Area School District have an average math proficiency score of 70% (versus the Minnesota public pre school average of 46%), and reading proficiency score of 59% (versus the 47% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 10% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Minnesota public preschool average of 42% (majority Hispanic and Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (MN)
# Schools
5 Schools
723 Schools
# Students
750 Students
216,061 Students
# Teachers
68 Teachers
16,999 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
11:1
11:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

West Central Area School District, which is ranked within the top 20% of all 520 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 90% has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
This School District
State Average (MN)
#91 out of 525 school districts
(Top 20%)
49%
46%
60%
51%
49%
41%
(21-22)
≥90%
84%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.16
0.63
% American Indian
n/a
2%
% Asian
n/a
7%
% Hispanic
4%
13%
% Black
1%
13%
% White
92%
58%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
3%
7%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $16,595 in this school district is less than the state median of $17,852. The school district revenue/student has grown by 11% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $16,272 is less than the state median of $18,577. The school district spending/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
This School District
This State (MN)
Total Revenue
$12 MM
$15,547 MM
Spending
$12 MM
$16,179 MM
Revenue / Student
$16,595
$17,852
Spending / Student
$16,272
$18,577

Best West Central Area School District Public Preschools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
West Central Area N. Elementary School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
411 1st St Se
Elbow Lake, MN 56531
(218) 685-7500
Gr: PK-4 | 156 students Student-teacher ratio: 9:1 Minority enrollment: 10%
Rank: #22.
West Central Area S. Elementary School
(Math: 60-69% | Reading: 50-59%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
31 N Central
Kensington, MN 56343
(320) 965-7600
Gr: PK-4 | 125 students Student-teacher ratio: 8:1 Minority enrollment: 9%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 5 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 750 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 11:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 9%
  • : ≥90% (Btm 50% in MN)
  • : Top 20%
  • : 49% (Top 30%)
  • : 60% (Top 20%)
  • : 49% (Top 30%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), MN Dept. of Education

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