Duluth Public School District

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.

Duluth, Minnesota - 25 schools

An equity score of 40/100 ranks Duluth Public School District #269 of 410 districts in Minnesota (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,387 per pupil, Duluth Public School District ranks #229 of 504 Minnesota districts by per-pupil spending (Minnesota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

8,554
Total Enrollment
25
Schools
$14,387
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Duluth Public School District operates 25 public schools serving 8,554 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Minnesota. The school portfolio breaks down into 13 combined, 5 high, 5 elementary, 2 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in St. Louis County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,387 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 30.4% local, 55.1% state, and 14.5% 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 40/100, ranked #269 of 410 in Minnesota against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 25 schools offering Advanced Placement (6 AP courses district-wide), a 322.3:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 38.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 72.2% White, 5.9% African American, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Myers-Wilkins Elementary, with a diversity index of 73.8/100.

Its largest campus is East High School, enrolling 1,495 students (17% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Arrowhead Academy, at 18 students, a 83x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

East High School accounts for 17.1% of all Duluth Public School District student enrollment

That concentration means Duluth Public School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. 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

Duluth Public School District school enrollment varies 83× across entities

Duluth Public School District school enrollment ranges from 18 students (lowest) to 1,495 students (highest), a spread of 1,477 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. 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

Duluth Public School District student-counselor ratio is 322:1 — 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 Duluth Public School District is typically wider than the Duluth Public School District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Duluth Public School District chronic absenteeism rate is 38.6% — 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?

14.5%
Federal
55.1%
State
30.4%
Local

Funding Equity

40
Equity Score
269 / 410
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 25 schools in Duluth Public School District.

White 72.2%
Hispanic or Latino 4.5%
African American 5.9%
Multiracial 11.1%
Other 5.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 42.2/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Duluth Public School District's schools, about the same as the Minnesota average of 42.8.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Myers-Wilkins Elementary 73.8
  2. 2 Arrowhead Academy 67.9
  3. 3 The Bridge 63.7
  4. 4 Chester Creek Academy 61.6
  5. 5 Duluth Area Learning Center 61.3

Programs & Resources

2 / 25
Schools with AP
6 AP courses total
322.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
38.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Duluth Public School District

School Enrollment
East High School
1,495
Ordean East Middle School
1,037
Denfeld High School
951
Lincoln Park Middle School
606
Lester Park Elementary
510
Congdon Elementary
474
Homecroft Elementary
448
Piedmont Elementary
410
Myers-Wilkins Elementary
329
Lowell Elementary Spanish Immersion
329
Lowell Elementary
312
Alc School Within a School
286
Laura Macarthur Elementary
277
Lakewood Elementary
254
Early Childhood Special Education
249
Stowe Elementary
245
Alc Independent Study
235
Merritt Creek Academy
75
Academic Excellence Online
54
Rockridge Academy
35
Duluth Area Learning Center
35
Chester Creek Academy
31
The Bridge
25
Superior Academy
19
Arrowhead Academy
18

How Duluth Public School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Minnesota districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
White Bear Lake School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Edina Public School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Mankato Public School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Stillwater Area Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Duluth Public School District'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 Duluth Public School District →
Saint Paul Public Schools
32,316 students · 99 schools · $20,457/pupil
Compare vs Duluth Public School District →
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan
29,221 students · 41 schools · $14,314/pupil
Compare vs Duluth Public School District →
Osseo Public School District
20,737 students · 33 schools · $15,525/pupil
Compare vs Duluth Public School District →

Compare Duluth Public School District

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 Duluth Public School District?

Duluth Public School District has 25 schools, including 5 high, 2 middle, 5 elementary, 13 combined. Total enrollment is 8,554 students.

How much does Duluth Public School District spend per student?

Duluth Public School District spends $14,387 per student. The district has an equity score of 40/100, ranking #269 in Minnesota.

What is the demographic composition of Duluth Public School District?

Duluth Public School District students are 72.2% White, 5.9% African American, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% Asian, averaged across 25 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Duluth Public School District?

Duluth Public School District has an equity score of 40/100, ranking #269 out of 410 districts in Minnesota.