Tri-County 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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Karlstad, Minnesota - 2 schools

At $18,974 per pupil, Tri-County School District ranks #68 of 509 Minnesota districts by per-pupil spending (Minnesota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

189
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$18,974
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Tri-County School District operates 2 public schools serving 189 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Minnesota. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined 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 Kittson County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $18,974 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 509 Minnesota districts by per-pupil spending. See how Minnesota compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 25.5% local, 59.1% state, and 15.5% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles.

a 447.5:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 21.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 93.3% White, 2.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.7% African American across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Karlstad Elementary, enrolling 96 students (54% of the district's total enrollment).

Karlstad Elementary accounts for 50.8% of all Tri-County School District student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Tri-County School District a distant remainder — means Tri-County School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Tri-County School District student-counselor ratio is 448:1 — 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

Tri-County School District chronic absenteeism rate is 21.0% — 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 Tri-County School District is typically wider than the Tri-County School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

15.5%
Federal
59.1%
State
25.5%
Local

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Tri-County School District.

White 93.3%
Hispanic or Latino 2.3%
African American 1.7%
Asian 1.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

447.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
21.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Tri-County School District

School Enrollment
Karlstad Elementary
96
Tri-County Secondary
83

How Tri-County School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Minnesota districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Climax-Shelly Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Freshwater Education District Similar size No spending data More locally funded
Harbor City International Charter Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Level Up Academy Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Star of the North Academy Charter S Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Tri-County 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.

Anoka-Hennepin School District
38,590 students · 52 schools · $15,130/pupil
Compare vs Tri-County School District →
Saint Paul Public Schools
32,316 students · 99 schools · $21,634/pupil
Compare vs Tri-County School District →
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan
29,221 students · 41 schools · $15,334/pupil
Compare vs Tri-County School District →
Minneapolis Public School District
29,205 students · 97 schools · $21,839/pupil
Compare vs Tri-County School District →
Osseo Public School District
20,737 students · 33 schools · $16,345/pupil
Compare vs Tri-County School District →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Tri-County 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 Tri-County School District?

Tri-County School District has 2 schools, including 2 combined. Total enrollment is 189 students.

How much does Tri-County School District spend per student?

Tri-County School District spends $18,974 per student.

What is the demographic composition of Tri-County School District?

Tri-County School District students are 93.3% White, 2.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.7% African American, 1.6% Asian, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.