VERNDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT operates 2 public schools serving 508 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Minnesota. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 484 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Wadena County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,284 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 10.8% local, 77.8% state, and 11.4% 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 $77,714 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 54/100, ranked #179 of 417 in Minnesota against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
a 242:1 student-counselor ratio that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 31.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 91.8% White, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% Asian across the district's schools.
Verndale Elementary accounts for 52.3% of all VERNDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT student enrollment
That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means VERNDALE PUBLIC 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.
VERNDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT student-counselor ratio is 242:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)
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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.
VERNDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT chronic absenteeism rate is 31.7% — 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 VERNDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT?
VERNDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT has 2 schools, including 2 other. Total enrollment is 508 students.
How much does VERNDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT spend per student?
VERNDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT spends $16,284 per student. The district has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #179 in Minnesota.
What is the average teacher salary in VERNDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT?
The average teacher salary in VERNDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT is $77,714 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near VERNDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Wadena County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of VERNDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT?
VERNDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT students are 91.8% White, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% Asian, 0.2% African American, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for VERNDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT?
VERNDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #179 out of 417 districts in Minnesota. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.