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%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 20%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%)
Student Attention
Lowest student:teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 4 public elementary schools serving 510 students in West Central Area School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 9/10, which is in the top 20% of public elementary schools in Minnesota.
Public Elementary Schools in West Central Area School District have an average math proficiency score of 57% (versus the Minnesota public elementary school average of 47%), and reading proficiency score of 58% (versus the 51% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 9% 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
5 Schools
1,655 Schools
# Students
750 Students
571,925 Students
# Teachers
68 Teachers
40,363 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
11:1
11:1
District Rank
West Central Area School District, which is ranked within the top 20% of all 522 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 90% has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#75 out of 527 school districts
(Top 20%)
(Top 20%)

Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
53%
45%

Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
60%
51%

Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
49%
41%

Graduation Rate
≥90%
84%

Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.16
0.61
# American Indian Students
2 Students
10,480 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
2%
# Asian Students
n/a
42,165 Students
% Asian Students
n/a
7%
# Hispanic Students
32 Students
65,127 Students
% Hispanic Students
4%
12%
# Black Students
9 Students
70,794 Students
% Black Students
1%
12%
# White Students
685 Students
344,281 Students
% White Students
92%
60%
# Hawaiian Students
n/a
676 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
22 Students
38,402 Students
% of Two or more races Students
3%
7%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
15
10,698
# Students in K Grade:
38
57,031
# Students in 1st Grade:
52
61,859
# Students in 2nd Grade:
49
63,560
# Students in 3rd Grade:
65
61,751
# Students in 4th Grade:
62
63,575
# Students in 5th Grade:
62
63,290
# Students in 6th Grade:
48
63,180
# Students in 7th Grade:
60
53,666
# Students in 8th Grade:
59
53,924
# Students in 9th Grade:
59
4,107
# Students in 10th Grade:
60
4,634
# Students in 11th Grade:
58
4,740
# Students in 12th Grade:
63
5,910
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $16,595 in this school district is less than the state median of $17,854. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $16,272 is less than the state median of $18,580. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$12 MM
$15,547 MM

Spending
$12 MM
$16,179 MM

Revenue / Student
$16,595
$17,854

Spending / Student
$16,272
$18,580

Best West Central Area School District Public Elementary Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
West Central Area N. Elementary School
(Math: 80-84% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
411 1st St Se
Elbow Lake, MN 56531
(218) 685-7500
Elbow Lake, MN 56531
(218) 685-7500
Grades: PK-4
| 156 students
Rank: #22.
West Central Area S. Elementary School
(Math: 60-69% | Reading: 50-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
31 N Central
Kensington, MN 56343
(320) 965-7600
Kensington, MN 56343
(320) 965-7600
Grades: PK-4
| 125 students
Rank: #33.
Wca Middle School
(Math: 49% | Reading: 58%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
301 County Rd 2
Barrett, MN 56311
(320) 528-7400
Barrett, MN 56311
(320) 528-7400
Grades: 5-8
| 229 students
Rank: n/an/a
West Central Area Alp
Alternative School
301 County Road 2
Barrett, MN 56311
(320) 528-7401
Barrett, MN 56311
(320) 528-7401
Grades: 5-12
| n/a students
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