Cook County Public Schools

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Grand Marais, Minnesota - 3 schools

An equity score of 71/100 ranks Cook County Public Schools #66 of 410 districts in Minnesota (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $18,747 per pupil, Cook County Public Schools ranks #54 of 504 Minnesota districts by per-pupil spending (Minnesota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

459
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$18,747
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Cook County Public Schools operates 3 public schools serving 459 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Minnesota. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Cook County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $18,747 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 504 Minnesota districts by per-pupil spending. See how Minnesota compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 30.1% local, 57.2% state, and 12.7% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 71/100, ranked #66 of 410 in Minnesota against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (10 AP courses district-wide), a 272:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 38.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 67.9% White, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Cook County Middle, with a diversity index of 52.0/100.

Its largest campus is Sawtooth Mountain Elementary, enrolling 203 students (43% of the district's total enrollment).

Sawtooth Mountain Elementary accounts for 42.7% of all Cook County Public Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Cook County Public Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Cook County Public Schools school enrollment varies 2.1× across entities

Cook County Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 95 students (lowest) to 203 students (highest), a spread of 108 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Cook County Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 272:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Cook County Public Schools is typically wider than the Cook County Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Cook County Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 38.4% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

12.7%
Federal
57.2%
State
30.1%
Local

Funding Equity

71
Equity Score
66 / 410
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Cook County Public Schools.

White 67.9%
Hispanic or Latino 6.6%
Multiracial 11.9%
Other 13.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 50.3/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Cook County Public Schools's schools, above the Minnesota average of 42.8.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Cook County Middle 52.0
  2. 2 Sawtooth Mountain Elementary 49.6
  3. 3 Cook County Senior High 49.2

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
10 AP courses total
272:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
38.4%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Cook County Public Schools

School Enrollment
Sawtooth Mountain Elementary
203
Cook County Senior High
177
Cook County Middle
95

How Cook County Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Minnesota districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Marshall County Central Schools Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Mcgregor Public School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Global Academy Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Achieve Language Academy Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Cook County Public Schools's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Minnesota

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Anoka-Hennepin School District
38,590 students · 52 schools · $14,265/pupil
Compare vs Cook County Public Schools →
Saint Paul Public Schools
32,316 students · 99 schools · $20,457/pupil
Compare vs Cook County Public Schools →
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan
29,221 students · 41 schools · $14,314/pupil
Compare vs Cook County Public Schools →
Minneapolis Public School District
29,205 students · 97 schools · $21,154/pupil
Compare vs Cook County Public Schools →
Osseo Public School District
20,737 students · 33 schools · $15,525/pupil
Compare vs Cook County Public Schools →

Compare Cook County Public Schools

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Anoka-Hennepin School District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Cook County Public Schools?

Cook County Public Schools has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 459 students.

How much does Cook County Public Schools spend per student?

Cook County Public Schools spends $18,747 per student. The district has an equity score of 71/100, ranking #66 in Minnesota.

What is the demographic composition of Cook County Public Schools?

Cook County Public Schools students are 67.9% White, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Cook County Public Schools?

Cook County Public Schools has an equity score of 71/100, ranking #66 out of 410 districts in Minnesota.