Enrollment Analysis: White students comprised 60.5% of Rice County's student body in 2023-24 school year

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

By SE Twin Cities

Jun 8, 2025

There were 4,771 white students enrolled in Rice County public schools in the 2023-24 school year, 3.6% less 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, white students comprised 60.5% of the student body to be the most represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 21 schools in the county, Northfield Senior High School recorded the highest enrollment of white students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 970.

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 White Students	% of White Students	Total School Enrollment
Morristown Elementary School	111	94.1%	118
Nerstrand Charter School	91	92.9%	98
Waterville-Elysian-Morristown Jr.	97	85.8%	113
Lonsdale Pre K-6	253	83%	305
Spring Creek Elementary School	374	81%	462
Northfield Middle School	681	80.1%	850
Arcadia Charter School	79	79%	100
Bridgewater Elementary School	436	77.4%	563
Northfield Senior High School	970	74.9%	1,295
Discovery Public School of Faribault	35	72.9%	48
Northfield Community Education Center	66	71.7%	92
Cannon River STEM School	154	65.8%	234
Greenvale Park Elementary School	305	63.3%	482
Northfield Area Learning Center	81	61.8%	131
Faribault Senior High School	440	45.8%	961
Faribault Area Learning Center	35	35.4%	99
Faribault Middle School	222	34.9%	636
Roosevelt Elementary School	135	32.3%	418
Lincoln Elementary School	124	29.3%	423
Jefferson Elementary School	82	20.8%	395
Surad Academy	0	0%	66