Enrollment
79
Minnesota · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Circle Pines, MN
Centennial Area Learning Center
Federal NCES profile for Centennial Area Learning Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 270810002753
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 84
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Centennial Area Learning Center earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median.
- #4 of 6
- public schools in Circle Pines · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.8:1
- students per teacher
- 57.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Centennial Area Learning Center has class sizes near the Minnesota median. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Centennial Area Learning Center ranks #4 of 6 public schools in Circle Pines, MN.
School address
District: Centennial Public School District · Minnesota
NCES ID 270810002753 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
5.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 15.8:1 Minnesota avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.4%
vs 42.8% Minnesota avg
+34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Centennial Area Learning Center compares with Minnesota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Centennial Area Learning Center
Centennial Area Learning Center is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Circle Pines, Minnesota, enrolling 79 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Minnesota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 57.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 79 puts it in the smaller third of Minnesota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,334 scored Minnesota schools.
Against 137 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #92.
Its student body is led by White (61%) and African American (13%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 79 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 94.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Centennial Public School District spends $12,270 per pupil, 20% below the Minnesota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 16 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 79 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Centennial Public School District also operates Centennial High School (2,067 students) and Centennial Middle (1,595 students) alongside Centennial Area Learning Center.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Centennial Area Learning Center compares
Centennial Area Learning Center on the metrics families compare, against Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.8:1 | ▼ 0% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.4% | ▲ 34% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 79 | top 74% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
79
Bigger than 8% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 61% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
94.9%
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
$12,270
per pupil, district-wide
- below Minnesota avg of $15,270
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 79 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 20.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 60.8%
African American 12.7%
Hispanic or Latino 11.4%
Two or More 7.6%
Asian 3.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.3%
Largest group: White at 60.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.3, Centennial Area Learning Center is more mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Centennial Public School District, which includes Centennial Area Learning Center.
$12,270
Per student
-20%
vs Minnesota
Avg $15,270
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.2%
State 62.8%
Federal 6.9%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Centennial Area Learning Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centennial High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Centennial Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Blue Heron Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rice Lake Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Centerville Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Centennial Area Learning Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,067
- Students per teacher
- 32.8:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 1,595
- Students per teacher
- 36.3:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 707
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 687
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 607
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Minnesota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~79 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Centennial Area Learning Center's federal record.
- Compare Centennial Area Learning Center against another school. Compare schools
- Centennial Public School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Centennial Area Learning Center
How many students attend Centennial Area Learning Center?
Centennial Area Learning Center has 79 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Circle Pines, MN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Centennial Area Learning Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Centennial Area Learning Center is 15.8:1, which is 0% higher than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Centennial Area Learning Center?
57.4% of students at Centennial Area Learning Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Centennial Area Learning Center?
The largest demographic group at Centennial Area Learning Center is White at 60.8% of enrollment, in Circle Pines, MN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Centennial Area Learning Center?
Centennial Area Learning Center has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Centennial Area Learning Center rank among public schools in Circle Pines?
By Resource Investment Index, Centennial Area Learning Center ranks #4 of 6 public schools in Circle Pines, MN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Circle Pines on the city page.
Is Centennial Area Learning Center a good school?
Centennial Area Learning Center earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Centennial Public School District?
Besides Centennial Area Learning Center, Centennial Public School District also operates Centennial High School (2,067 students), Centennial Middle (1,595 students), and Blue Heron Elementary (707 students). See the Centennial Public School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.