Melrose 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.

Melrose, Minnesota - 3 schools

An equity score of 42/100 ranks Melrose Public School District #261 of 410 districts in Minnesota (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,928 per pupil, Melrose Public School District ranks #281 of 504 Minnesota districts by per-pupil spending (Minnesota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,277
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$13,928
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Melrose Public School District operates 3 public schools serving 1,277 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 Stearns County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,928 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 18.5% local, 69.2% state, and 12.3% 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 42/100, ranked #261 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.

a 631.2:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 13.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 66.5% White, 32.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.1% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Melrose Elementary, with a diversity index of 48.7/100.

Its largest campus is Melrose Elementary, enrolling 512 students (39% of the district's total enrollment).

Melrose Elementary accounts for 39.0% of all Melrose Public School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Melrose Public School District-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

Melrose Public School District student-counselor ratio is 631:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

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

Melrose Public School District chronic absenteeism rate is 13.7% — low (typically associated with lower-than-average attendance disruption; districts in this range often have attendance interventions, robust transportation, or smaller catchments that reduce barriers)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

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

Where does the funding come from?

12.3%
Federal
69.2%
State
18.5%
Local

Funding Equity

42
Equity Score
261 / 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 3 schools in Melrose Public School District.

White 66.5%
Hispanic or Latino 32.0%
Multiracial 1.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 45.1/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Melrose Elementary 48.7
  2. 2 Melrose Middle 44.4
  3. 3 Melrose Secondary 42.3

Programs & Resources

631.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
13.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Melrose Public School District

School Enrollment
Melrose Elementary
512
Melrose Secondary
505
Melrose Middle
296

How Melrose Public School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Minnesota districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Esko Public School District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Lakes International Language Academ Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Pierz Public School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Zumbrota-Mazeppa School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Melrose 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 Melrose 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 Melrose Public School District?

Melrose Public School District has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,277 students.

How much does Melrose Public School District spend per student?

Melrose Public School District spends $13,928 per student. The district has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #261 in Minnesota.

What is the demographic composition of Melrose Public School District?

Melrose Public School District students are 66.5% White, 32.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.1% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Melrose Public School District?

Melrose Public School District has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #261 out of 410 districts in Minnesota.