- Enrollment
- 245
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Buffalo Lake, MN
Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 270002300288
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 63
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of Minnesota schools.
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.6:1
- small classes for Minnesota
- 51.2%
- free-lunch eligible
- 186
- students enrolled
Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary has class sizes smaller than 73% of Minnesota schools. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart · Minnesota
NCES ID 270002300288 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-11 students YoY
Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary shrank from 201 students in 2022-23 to 190 in 2023-24 (-5.5%).
Teacher FTE lost 16.2 → 15.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-11 students YoY 270002300288 · Buffalo Lake, MN Other · SMALL · TRAD
186 enr · 11.6:1 · 51.2% lunch · RII 46
Nearest enrollment peer: Buffalo Lake-Hector Secondary (245 students)
Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary shrank from 201 students in 2022-23 to 190 in 2023-24 (-5.5%). Teacher FTE lost 16.2 → 15.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Minnesota schools → · Find another →
How Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary compares
Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.6:1 | ▼ 27% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 51.2% | ▲ 20% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 186 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.6:1
Leaner classes than 79% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
186
Bigger than 18% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
51.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% above the Minnesota average of 42.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.6:1
students per teacher
- 27% below state mean
Top 27% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 73% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
24.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$15,096
per pupil, district-wide
- below Minnesota avg of $15,919
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 186 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 76.9%
Hispanic or Latino 16.1%
Two or More 5.9%
African American 1.1%
Largest group: White at 76.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.9, Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary is less mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
District finance for Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart reports $15,096 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Lake-Hector Secondary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~186 students)
Frequently asked questions about Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary
How many students attend Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary?
Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary has 186 students enrolled. It is a public school in Buffalo Lake, MN. CCD year-over-year: 201 (2022-23) → 190 (2023-24), down 11.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary is 11.6:1, which is 27% lower than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 26% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary?
51.2% of students at Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary is White at 76.9% of enrollment, in Buffalo Lake, MN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary?
Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart?
Besides Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary, Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart also operates Buffalo Lake-Hector Secondary (245 students). See the Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart district page for the complete list.