Enrollment
400
Minnesota · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Albert Lea, MN
Hawthorne Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Hawthorne Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 270297000071
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 49
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hawthorne Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota schools.
- #4 of 6
- schools in Albert Lea · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 57.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Hawthorne Elementary has class sizes near the Minnesota median. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hawthorne Elementary ranks #4 of 6 schools in Albert Lea, MN.
School address
District: Albert Lea Public School District · Minnesota
NCES ID 270297000071 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 15.8:1 Minnesota avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.5%
vs 42.8% Minnesota avg
+34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hawthorne Elementary compares with Minnesota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hawthorne Elementary
Hawthorne Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Albert Lea, Minnesota, enrolling 400 students.
At 14.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Minnesota median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 57.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 400 students, its enrollment sits close to the Minnesota median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,334 scored Minnesota schools.
Against 205 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #127.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 400 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Albert Lea Public School District also operates Albert Lea Senior High (1,196 students) and Southwest Middle (486 students) alongside Hawthorne Elementary.
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 Hawthorne Elementary compares
Hawthorne Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.8:1 | ▼ 6% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.5% | ▲ 34% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 400 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
400
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.5%
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
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 52% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
20.3%
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
$15,247
per pupil, district-wide
- below Minnesota avg of $15,270
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 400 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 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 48.8%
Hispanic or Latino 20.3%
Asian 19.8%
Two or More 6.3%
African American 4.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 48.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.5, Hawthorne Elementary is more mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Albert Lea Public School District, which includes Hawthorne Elementary.
$15,247
Per student
0%
vs Minnesota
Avg $15,270
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.8%
State 69.9%
Federal 12.3%
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 Hawthorne Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albert Lea Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southwest Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lakeview Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Halverson Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sibley Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hawthorne Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,196
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 486
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 400
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 360
- Students per teacher
- 10.9:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 275
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
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 (~400 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hawthorne Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Hawthorne Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Albert Lea 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 Hawthorne Elementary
How many students attend Hawthorne Elementary?
Hawthorne Elementary has 400 students enrolled. It is a public school in Albert Lea, MN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hawthorne Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Hawthorne Elementary is 14.8:1, which is 6% lower than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 6% 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 Hawthorne Elementary?
57.5% of students at Hawthorne Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hawthorne Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Hawthorne Elementary is White at 48.8% of enrollment, in Albert Lea, MN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hawthorne Elementary?
Hawthorne Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Hawthorne Elementary rank among schools in Albert Lea?
By Resource Investment Index, Hawthorne Elementary ranks #4 of 6 schools in Albert Lea, MN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Albert Lea on the city page.
Is Hawthorne Elementary a good school?
Hawthorne Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota schools. 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 Albert Lea Public School District?
Besides Hawthorne Elementary, Albert Lea Public School District also operates Albert Lea Senior High (1,196 students), Southwest Middle (486 students), and Lakeview Elementary (400 students). See the Albert Lea 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.