Pillager 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.

Pillager, Minnesota - 3 schools

An equity score of 35/100 ranks Pillager Public School District #308 of 410 districts in Minnesota (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,475 per pupil, Pillager Public School District ranks #394 of 504 Minnesota districts by per-pupil spending (Minnesota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,245
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$12,475
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Pillager Public School District operates 3 public schools serving 1,245 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Minnesota. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 elementary, 1 high 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 Cass County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,475 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 21.7% local, 67.7% state, and 10.6% 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 35/100, ranked #308 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 354.5:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 29.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 92.2% White, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.6% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Pillager Middle School, with a diversity index of 16.5/100.

Its largest campus is Pillager Elementary, enrolling 521 students (39% of the district's total enrollment).

Pillager Elementary accounts for 39.4% of all Pillager Public School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Pillager 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

Pillager Public School District student-counselor ratio is 355:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Pillager Public School District chronic absenteeism rate is 29.1% — 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 Pillager Public School District is typically wider than the Pillager Public School District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

10.6%
Federal
67.7%
State
21.7%
Local

Funding Equity

35
Equity Score
308 / 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 3 schools in Pillager Public School District.

White 92.2%
Hispanic or Latino 2.6%
African American 0.6%
Multiracial 4.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 14.8/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Pillager Middle School 16.5
  2. 2 Pillager Senior High School 15.9
  3. 3 Pillager Elementary 12.0

Programs & Resources

354.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
29.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Pillager Public School District

School Enrollment
Pillager Elementary
521
Pillager Middle School
433
Pillager Senior High School
370

How Pillager Public School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Minnesota districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Zumbrota-Mazeppa School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Pierz Public School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
St. Croix Preparatory Academy Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Melrose Public School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Esko Public School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Pillager 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 Pillager 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 Pillager Public School District?

Pillager Public School District has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 elementary, 1 high. Total enrollment is 1,245 students.

How much does Pillager Public School District spend per student?

Pillager Public School District spends $12,475 per student. The district has an equity score of 35/100, ranking #308 in Minnesota.

What is the demographic composition of Pillager Public School District?

Pillager Public School District students are 92.2% White, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.6% African American, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Pillager Public School District?

Pillager Public School District has an equity score of 35/100, ranking #308 out of 410 districts in Minnesota.