How many American Indian students were enrolled in Rice County schools in 2023-24 school year?

Willie Jett Commissioner of Education Minnesota Department of Education | Office of Gov. Tim Walz

By SE Twin Cities

Apr 20, 2025

There were 140 American Indian students enrolled in Rice County public schools in the 2023-24 school year, 164.2% more than the previous year, according to the Minnesota Department of Education.

Data showed that Rice County welcomed 7,889 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, American Indian students comprised 1.8% of the student body to be the third least represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 21 schools in the county, Faribault Senior High School recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 35.

According to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), Minnesota's fourth graders scored 241 in math, just above the national average of 237. Their reading score of 216 was on par with the U.S. average, but shows a slight decline over recent years. Eighth graders scored 284 in math and 264 in reading, both above the national averages.

However, despite these results, both grade levels remain below pre-pandemic levels in math and reading.

As of 2024, according to Public School Review, the student-to-teacher ratio in Minnesota's public schools stands at 1:16, slightly worse than the national average of 1:15. This is part of a larger framework within Minnesota's educational system, which is the 10th largest in the United States, accommodating over 869,000 students across 2,709 public schools.

Ethnicities in Rice County County in 2023-24 School Year

Enrollment Demographics in Rice County Schools During 2023-24 School Year

School Name	No. of American Indian Students	% of American Indian Students	Total School Enrollment
Faribault Area Learning Center	5	5.1%	99
Lonsdale Pre K-6	13	4.3%	305
Faribault Senior High School	35	3.6%	961
Greenvale Park Elementary School	17	3.5%	482
Northfield Community Education Center	3	3.3%	92
Jefferson Elementary School	11	2.8%	395
Discovery Public School of Faribault	1	2.1%	48
Roosevelt Elementary School	7	1.7%	418
Lincoln Elementary School	7	1.7%	423
Northfield Area Learning Center	2	1.5%	131
Faribault Middle School	8	1.3%	636
Northfield Middle School	11	1.3%	850
Arcadia Charter School	1	1%	100
Northfield Senior High School	13	1%	1,295
Morristown Elementary School	1	0.9%	118
Bridgewater Elementary School	3	0.5%	563
Spring Creek Elementary School	2	0.4%	462
Nerstrand Charter School	0	0%	98
Surad Academy	0	0%	66
Cannon River STEM School	0	0%	234
Waterville-Elysian-Morristown Jr.	0	0%	113