Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted

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.

Howard Lake, Minnesota - 6 schools

An equity score of 25/100 ranks Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted #368 of 410 districts in Minnesota (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,735 per pupil, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted ranks #370 of 504 Minnesota districts by per-pupil spending (Minnesota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,305
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$12,735
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted operates 6 public schools serving 1,305 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Minnesota. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 combined, 2 high, 1 elementary 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 Wright County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,735 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 504 Minnesota districts by per-pupil spending. See how Minnesota compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 29.6% local, 60.6% state, and 9.7% 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 25/100, ranked #368 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 1 of 6 schools offering Advanced Placement (1 AP courses district-wide), a 347.8:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 29.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 86.1% White, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Hlww Alternative Learning Program, with a diversity index of 47.6/100.

Its largest campus is Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec., enrolling 411 students (31% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Hlww Alternative Learning Program, at 24 students, a 17x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec. accounts for 31.3% of all Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted-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

Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted school enrollment varies 17× across entities

Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted school enrollment ranges from 24 students (lowest) to 411 students (highest), a spread of 387 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. 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

Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted student-counselor ratio is 348:1 — 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 Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted is typically wider than the Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted chronic absenteeism rate is 29.9% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted is typically wider than the Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

9.7%
Federal
60.6%
State
29.6%
Local

Funding Equity

25
Equity Score
368 / 410
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 6 schools in Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted.

White 86.1%
Hispanic or Latino 7.6%
African American 1.5%
Asian 1.2%
Multiracial 2.9%
Other 0.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 24.5/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted's schools, below the Minnesota average of 42.8.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Hlww Alternative Learning Program 47.6
  2. 2 Humphrey Elementary 28.2
  3. 3 Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec. 22.7
  4. 4 Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Middle 17.5
  5. 5 Winsted Elementary 17.4

Programs & Resources

1 / 6
Schools with AP
1 AP courses total
347.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
29.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted

School Enrollment
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec.
411
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Middle
393
Humphrey Elementary
243
Winsted Elementary
213
Howard Lake Waverly Winsted Ecse
28
Hlww Alternative Learning Program
24

How Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Minnesota districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Lakes International Language Academ Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Lake Superior Public School Dist. Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Esko Public School District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Melrose Public School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Minnewaska School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted

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 Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted?

Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted has 6 schools, including 2 high, 1 elementary, 3 combined. Total enrollment is 1,305 students.

How much does Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted spend per student?

Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted spends $12,735 per student. The district has an equity score of 25/100, ranking #368 in Minnesota.

What is the demographic composition of Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted?

Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted students are 86.1% White, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% African American, 1.2% Asian, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted?

Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted has an equity score of 25/100, ranking #368 out of 410 districts in Minnesota.