Mankato 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.

Mankato, Minnesota - 21 schools

An equity score of 48/100 ranks Mankato Public School District #213 of 410 districts in Minnesota (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,259 per pupil, Mankato Public School District ranks #339 of 504 Minnesota districts by per-pupil spending (Minnesota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

8,398
Total Enrollment
21
Schools
$13,259
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Mankato Public School District operates 21 public schools serving 8,398 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Minnesota. The school portfolio breaks down into 8 elementary, 8 combined, 3 high, 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 Blue Earth County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,259 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 26.1% local, 61.4% state, and 12.5% 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 48/100, ranked #213 of 410 in Minnesota against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 21 schools offering Advanced Placement (25 AP courses district-wide), a 335.3:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 35.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 65.6% White, 13.2% African American, 10.1% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Futures Program, with a diversity index of 69.2/100.

Its largest campus is Mankato East Senior High, enrolling 1,302 students (16% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Central Freedom School, at 1 students, a 1302x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Mankato East Senior High accounts for 15.5% of all Mankato Public School District student enrollment

That concentration means Mankato 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

Mankato Public School District school enrollment varies 1302× across entities

Mankato Public School District school enrollment ranges from 1 students (lowest) to 1,302 students (highest), a spread of 1,301 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

Mankato Public School District student-counselor ratio is 335:1 — 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 Mankato Public School District is typically wider than the Mankato Public School District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Mankato Public School District chronic absenteeism rate is 35.7% — 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?

12.5%
Federal
61.4%
State
26.1%
Local

Funding Equity

48
Equity Score
213 / 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 21 schools in Mankato Public School District.

White 65.6%
Hispanic or Latino 10.1%
African American 13.2%
Asian 1.7%
Multiracial 8.4%
Other 1.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 50.3/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Mankato Public School District's schools, above the Minnesota average of 42.8.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Futures Program 69.2
  2. 2 Central High Area Learning Center 67.0
  3. 3 Rosa Parks Elementary 66.1
  4. 4 Kennedy Elementary 64.0
  5. 5 Franklin Elementary 62.5

Programs & Resources

2 / 21
Schools with AP
25 AP courses total
335.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
35.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Mankato Public School District

School Enrollment
Mankato East Senior High
1,302
Mankato West Senior High
1,232
Prairie Winds Middle School
887
Dakota Meadows Middle School
852
Hoover Elementary
461
Rosa Parks Elementary
425
Franklin Elementary
388
Washington Elementary
376
Monroe Elementary
367
Kennedy Elementary
347
Roosevelt Elementary
302
Eagle Lake Elementary
270
Bridges Community Elementary
251
Special Education
233
Jefferson Elementary
191
Mankato Schools Center for Learning
165
Central High Area Learning Center
79
Futures Program
33
Futures Sun
21
Prairie Care Mankato
18
Central Freedom School
1

How Mankato Public School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Minnesota districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

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

Comparisons are relative to Mankato 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.

Compare Mankato 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 Mankato Public School District?

Mankato Public School District has 21 schools, including 3 high, 2 middle, 8 elementary, 8 combined. Total enrollment is 8,398 students.

How much does Mankato Public School District spend per student?

Mankato Public School District spends $13,259 per student. The district has an equity score of 48/100, ranking #213 in Minnesota.

What is the demographic composition of Mankato Public School District?

Mankato Public School District students are 65.6% White, 13.2% African American, 10.1% Hispanic or Latino, 1.7% Asian, averaged across 21 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Mankato Public School District?

Mankato Public School District has an equity score of 48/100, ranking #213 out of 410 districts in Minnesota.