THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT operates 4 public schools serving 1,806 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Minnesota. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 high, 1 other, 1 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 1,725 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Pennington County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,894 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 23.9% local, 63.2% state, and 12.9% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $86,665 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 29/100, ranked #345 of 417 in Minnesota against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (4 AP courses district-wide), a 254.7:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 50.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 76.9% White, 10.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.7% Asian across the district's schools.
Challenger Elementary accounts for 42.1% of all THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT student enrollment
That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: other. 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.
THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT school enrollment varies 32× across entities
THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT school enrollment ranges from 23 students (lowest) to 727 students (highest), a spread of 704 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT student-counselor ratio is 255:1 — 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 THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT is typically wider than the THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT-aggregate figure suggests.
THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT chronic absenteeism rate is 50.0% — 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.
How many schools are in THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT?
THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT has 4 schools, including 1 other, 2 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,806 students.
How much does THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT spend per student?
THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT spends $15,894 per student. The district has an equity score of 29/100, ranking #345 in Minnesota.
What is the average teacher salary in THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT?
The average teacher salary in THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT is $86,665 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Pennington County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT?
THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT students are 76.9% White, 10.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% African American, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT?
THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT has an equity score of 29/100, ranking #345 out of 417 districts in Minnesota. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.