Staples-Motley 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.

Staples, Minnesota - 3 schools

An equity score of 50/100 ranks Staples-Motley School District #198 of 410 districts in Minnesota (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,013 per pupil, Staples-Motley School District ranks #277 of 504 Minnesota districts by per-pupil spending (Minnesota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

931
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$14,013
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Staples-Motley School District operates 3 public schools serving 931 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Minnesota. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 high, 1 combined, 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 Todd County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,013 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 21.5% local, 65.8% state, and 12.7% 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 50/100, ranked #198 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.

a 296.5:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 47.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 90.2% White, 2.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.6% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Staples-Motley Senior High, with a diversity index of 20.3/100.

Its largest campus is Staples-Motley Senior High, enrolling 309 students (34% of the district's total enrollment).

Staples-Motley Senior High accounts for 33.2% of all Staples-Motley School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Staples-Motley 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

Staples-Motley School District student-counselor ratio is 297:1 — 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 Staples-Motley School District is typically wider than the Staples-Motley School District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Staples-Motley School District chronic absenteeism rate is 47.6% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 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 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

12.7%
Federal
65.8%
State
21.5%
Local

Funding Equity

50
Equity Score
198 / 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 Staples-Motley School District.

White 90.2%
Hispanic or Latino 2.0%
African American 0.6%
Multiracial 5.3%
Other 1.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 18.2/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Staples-Motley School District's schools, below the Minnesota average of 42.8.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Staples-Motley Senior High 20.3
  2. 2 Motley-Staples Middle School 18.4
  3. 3 Staples-Motley Elementary 15.8

Programs & Resources

296.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
47.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Staples-Motley School District

School Enrollment
Staples-Motley Senior High
309
Staples-Motley Elementary
308
Motley-Staples Middle School
284

How Staples-Motley School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Minnesota districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Chatfield Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Metro Schools Charter Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Maple River School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Twin Cities International Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Central Public School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Staples-Motley 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 Staples-Motley School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Staples-Motley School District?

Staples-Motley School District has 3 schools, including 1 high, 1 combined, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 931 students.

How much does Staples-Motley School District spend per student?

Staples-Motley School District spends $14,013 per student. The district has an equity score of 50/100, ranking #198 in Minnesota.

What is the demographic composition of Staples-Motley School District?

Staples-Motley School District students are 90.2% White, 2.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.6% African American, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Staples-Motley School District?

Staples-Motley School District has an equity score of 50/100, ranking #198 out of 410 districts in Minnesota.