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Owatonna, Minnesota - 11 schools
An equity score of 50/100 ranks Owatonna Public School District #197 of 410 districts in Minnesota (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $13,242 per pupil, Owatonna Public School District ranks #341 of 504 Minnesota districts by per-pupil spending (Minnesota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
4,926
Total Enrollment
11
Schools
$13,242
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Owatonna Public School District operates 11 public schools serving 4,926 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Minnesota. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 elementary, 3 high, 2 middle, 2 combined schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly 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 Steele County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,242 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 24.1% local, 65.6% state, and 10.4% 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 50/100, ranked #197 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 11 schools offering Advanced Placement (14 AP courses district-wide), a 274.1:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 21.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 65.6% White, 21.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Owatonna Alc 9-12, with a diversity index of 66.9/100.
Its largest campus is Owatonna Senior High, enrolling 1,468 students (31% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Owatonna Online K-5, at 14 students, a 105x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Owatonna Senior High accounts for 29.8% of all Owatonna Public School District student enrollment
That dominant concentration means Owatonna 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.
Owatonna Public School District school enrollment varies 105× across entities
Owatonna Public School District school enrollment ranges from 14 students (lowest) to 1,468 students (highest), a spread of 1,454 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.
Owatonna Public School District student-counselor ratio is 274:1 — 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 Owatonna Public School District is typically wider than the Owatonna Public School District-aggregate figure suggests.
Owatonna Public School District chronic absenteeism rate is 21.2% — 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 Owatonna Public School District is typically wider than the Owatonna Public School District-aggregate figure suggests.
Comparisons are relative to Owatonna 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.
How many schools are in Owatonna Public School District?
Owatonna Public School District has 11 schools, including 3 high, 2 middle, 4 elementary, 2 combined. Total enrollment is 4,926 students.
How much does Owatonna Public School District spend per student?
Owatonna Public School District spends $13,242 per student. The district has an equity score of 50/100, ranking #197 in Minnesota.
What is the demographic composition of Owatonna Public School District?
Owatonna Public School District students are 65.6% White, 21.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% African American, 0.6% Asian, averaged across 11 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Owatonna Public School District?
Owatonna Public School District has an equity score of 50/100, ranking #197 out of 410 districts in Minnesota.